If it didnt raise the rpms, then the air leaks should be ok. Look for a sticking slide, or even being too lean on the pilot circuit could do that with the weather being colder now. check the slide first and cable adjustment, then richen up the idle by turning the air screw in 1/4 to 1/2 turn and see if it changes things. Maybe one of those will give you an answer.

 

mine recently did this..but it only did this when we started it cold. It would fire up and rev uncontrollably. The choke had no effect or anything else. We found it to be a strected throttle cable, causing the engine to run off the main jet when it was started. (Because the cable stretched, which in turn pulled the slide up.) I dont know if this is the same problem as yours, but thats how mine was fixed.

 

it isn't the exactly the same thing but i will check to see if the cable is stretching. it revs and then it goes back down to idle slower than it should. but if the cable is on its way to being stretched i guess it could have an affect on things right?
thanks

 

yea...its deffinately worth checking...Mine was stretched at the top where the throttle went into the throttle assembly.

 

If the throttle cable stretched, it would prevent the slide form going all the way up not from coming all the way down, right? Maybe he meant the outer housing stretched.

If your throttle cable was dirty or sticking, it might prevent the slide from immediately going all the way down when you release the throttle. With the engine off , make sure you can hear the slide bottom out when you release the throttle.

When you did the starting fluid test, did you spray everywhere - base gasket, case seams, both carb boots, reed cage ? If you did then it's definitely not an air leak.

 

sorry...you are right...i did mean the out housing of the throttle cable..it started to unravel.

 

i'm pretty sure i sprayed it everywhere. i'll do it again tomorrow to make sure.