Steen Hodaka 100 project

[viclioce]

Thanks Matt! Victor

[givergas]

yep you did good today victor you get a star...albert

[Bruce Young]

Hodaka World, Our Leader Ed (club president) did a very good id article in the resonator several years ago that explained how to id the two type of Mikuni 90-100 carbs. Take the time to look it up its in the index area. Even has pictures. Also one there explains the two diff tops, and fitment and etc. Bruce Young

[viclioce]

Bob. It’s on its way back to you! Here is the tracking number. Victor

[Tether]

Victor,
Thank you so much!
This Hodaka family is amazing.
I hope I can do something for you someday.
Bob

[viclioce]

Bob. Lots of folks here have helped me in the past. You can just Pay It Forward.... Victor

[Bullfrog]

Bruce, my memory may be failing me . . . but the article I remember IDing the difference between carbs related to the Wombat type "A" and type "B" carbs. Both are 24mm carbs. Don't think I've written anything about 20mm carbs.

[viclioce]

That’s what I remember too, Captain! Victor

[viclioce]

Bob. Please confirm for me when the carb gets home! Victor

[Tether]

Victor,
The carburetor arrived safe and sound yesterday. Thanks again.
A package of parts from Terry also arrived yesterday. Felt like Christmas.
The new spokes for the rear wheel came the other day but I had ordered the wrong size, too thick. Correct ones (hopefully) are on the way.
Bob

[Tether]

Update with pics.
I have a few things left to do. Like install brake and clutch cables, connect ignition, fuel line, kick starter (which I just realized I don’t have), install chain.... tank and seat were just set there for the photo opt. Beautiful day here in north central Washington so I rolled the Steen outside and worked in the sun.

[Dale]

One sweet little bike. It is going to rip!

[Tether]

Is this hole on the carburetor supposed to have a plug in it.

[Tether]

The Steen is done except one important part, I cannot get it to run. It will start but only with no choke and throttle wide open and then just barely. Seems to be flooding out. Carburetor?
I have replaced all serviceable parts, jets, float, float needle and seat, needle jet and needle, slide... cleaned. No corrosion.
What I have noticed is that in order to get the float level set to where it is parallel with the gasket surface I had to bend the tab way more than I ever had, almost 45 degrees.
Question: are there different VM20 carburetors, and or floats? Is there something else I’m missing and should should be looking at?

[Dale]

There are at least two different 20mm carbs but I don't think the floats are different. Can you post a picture of the float inverted as you have it adjusted? 45 degrees on the tang does not sound right.
Dale

[Dale]

I dug two old 20mm carbs out of my stash. Your carb appears to match up to one of mine. I opened them both. The floats are the same. The tangs on both are bent down at a pretty good angle. 20 to 30 degrees perhaps?
With the carbs inverted, one has the top of the float even with the gasket surface. The other allows the float to rest below the surface about 5mm.
Here is a picture of the carb and float of the one that matches yours.

[Tether]

I was exaggerating when I said 45 degrees. Mine looks close to what yours looks like. Although if you measure it will be a lot more that the 7/8” called for in the paperwork that Terry sent with the rebuild kit.

[Dale]

Looking just at the float, yours is resting quite a bit lower. That is going to allow more fuel before it shuts off the flow. Do the arms sit pretty level across or are they bent?
I think we are assuming that your issue is with the float level which might not be the case...

[thrownchain]

measure from the carb body gasket surface to the top of the float while upside down. Should be 22mm or 7/8”, that is a better option than arm height or parallel to the body.

[viclioce]

Bob. I had a similar problem with my Wombat. Always started without activating the choke and when it warmed up it wouldn’t run.

Turns out the pilot jet was too big in that carb. I removed the 40 that was in there and went back to the stock 25 pilot and my problems went away.

It was just getting too much fuel with the larger pilot jet. Don’t remember checking your pilot jet. Make sure it’s the correct size. Victor

[viclioce]

Bob. As a quick reference, here’s the OEM specs for an Ace 100 with a VM20 carb! Victor

[Tether]

Thanks for the advice.
That is exactly how I have it setup except I have the needle on the third notch. It had a 25 pilot jet in it. I put a new 25 pilot in thinking that maybe some DPO had gone at it with a drill or something.
Dan, I will check the 22mm height on the floats and adjust as needed.

[viclioce]

Another thing to check is make sure the floats aren’t rubbing against the side of the carb. Akan experiences this recently and it caused flooding & overflow.

IF the floats are hanging against the bowl, the gas flow into the carb won’t stop when they are full. Give them a gentle squeeze together so they don’t contact the edges of the bowl. Victor

[Tether]

Problem solved!
Turns out it was not the carburetor after all.
The points were bad. These were new points but somehow they got misaligned and were not making good contact. I noticed odd behavior with the buzz box while trying to check the timing.
Installed a new set of points and it starts right up and runs great!
Bob

[viclioce]

Great news Bob! Sounds like you got to the bottom of it. When you’ve checked all the probable things and they all check out, the improbable becomes the possible cause! Good diagnostic work! ; D Victor