Fix Your Honda Carburetor! Step-by-step Carb Cleaning and Assembly

#hondaspree, #hondascooter, #samodel, #DIY, #carb, #carburetor
The Honda Spree carburetor is a great carb and easy to maintain. There are only a couple rubber gaskets (which seem to endure over the years) and the rest is very reusable when kept clean. This video will walk you through it.
Honda Spree Replacement Carburetors: amzn.to/35oIgWI
Honda Spree Fuel Replacement Parts: amzn.to/3jlXUai
I now have 3 of these Honda Spree scooters and will be restoring them and making short videos about how to rebuild components like the electric starters, bendix issues, the carburetors, etc.
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[@thephonoguy]

This is the best video on KZbin I have found to restore a spree carburetor. Thanks so much for posting. Very helpful!

[@ApacheRanch]

Many thanks!

[@Insomni27]

Couldn't get mine to start & i tried this & it started for like 2 seconds. Im new to all this but your video really helped me!

[@ApacheRanch]

@@Insomni27 that’s great to hear!!!

[@bigsandwich]

Thanks for the vid! Came here from the spree rebuild

[@ApacheRanch]

Awesome! Hope that it helps you out!

[@qfdforme]

Excellent how to video. I have a 1987 Honda Elite SE50P with about 2,800 miles on it. Scooter sat since 2002. I drain the old gas and refilled it with fresh fuel a a major dose of Seafoam. I used a shot of ether and it fired it up and while it smoked like crazy it is no longer needing any more of the high concentration blend of Seafoam. It does not miss a beat. I would like to tear down the carb and see how dirty the carb is.

[@ApacheRanch]

Wow that’s amazing how well it started after all that time! Good to know that technique! Thanks for sharing!!

[@qfdforme]

@@ApacheRanch Your technique of carb tear down and rebuild is the right way. I just wanted to see if Seafoam would work. To my surprise, it worked. Engine starts perfectly. I have become a believer of Seafoam.

[@CiviL_Machine]

I cleaned everything but the tube inside the main jet! Thank you very much! Going to do that tonight

[@ApacheRanch]

A tip someone told me recently is that you can sometimes find a drill bit that is the perfect size to fit inside a carb tube, so you could push it, grab it and not crush it, etc. So maybe see how you could use a drill bit to help get that center tube out without hurting it. One other thing I learned is that when I dented the end of the emulsion tube (inside the main jet), it didn't impact my performance that I could tell. So things might not be as delicate as you might think. Cleaning is the main issue.

[@CiviL_Machine]

@@ApacheRanch that is exactly what I did! A .067 drill bit and a needle nose vise grip for my pilot jet tube. Mine was clogged! Excited to try to start the scooter now!

[@trisic2697]

Very good narrative on this! Thanks for posting!

[@ApacheRanch]

Thanks! I hope it helps! Best of luck!

[@levichandler1800]

Nice video, Helped me get that pesky jet out!

[@finlayshanks2178]

Great work THCR! I literally inherited my dad's Nifty 50 and after 10years dormant in shed your video was just what i needed. After retrieving an escapee float valve from under the decking (%$#^) we are back on track -not literally)- Melbourne AUSTRALIA ,

[@ApacheRanch]

Great to hear this! I wish you the best!

[@jawa73]

Really nice work and informative video. I only wish you would have showed how far that pilot jet is in it, I got mine out and cleared it no problem, but not sure how far to put it back in. Given that it's a compression fit, I don't want to risk hammering on it unnecessarily. I went through the carb on mine, new petcock, inline filter, new battery, and new plug. It will start and idle OK, it will also ride at 30 MPH fine, but the second I let off on the gas it dies. Can't figure it out !!

[@jowen9402]

Nice video, I didn't know about the tube under the main jet!

[@ApacheRanch]

Yeah, that’s an important one too! Probably the biggest cause of carb issues.

[@qfdforme]

Really nice work. I am surprised you don’t you have a gallon of carb cleaner and maybe even a ultrasonic cleaner.

[@ApacheRanch]

I'd like to get one of those cleaners but haven't yet. I've been using ethanol-free gas this past year and it's really been a lifesaver. Haven't cleaned carbs in quite a while now!

[@qfdforme]

@@ApacheRanch I, too, use ethanol free gas. I pay a $1.25/ gallon for ethanol free. Lesson learned…Long story short…my neighbor rolled a like new Bolens 2 stage snowblower to the curb for trash pick up. I rolled it home, pulled / dragged it to my shop. Removed and tore down the carb and it was bright green with algae. I removed and soaked the carb and rebuilt it. From then on I only use non-ethanol fuel in small engines that is treated with Ethanolshield or Seafoam. Vevor makes a 3 liter and a 6 liter stainless steel ultrasonic cleaner. I paid $75 for 3 liter. In hindsight I would buy the 6 liter version. It sells for $125 on Amazon.

[@qfdforme]

I pay $1.25 MORE for ethanol free gas.

[@ApacheRanch]

Great info - thanks so much!

[@CiviL_Machine]

Thank you very much! Very helpful

[@ApacheRanch]

Good luck!!!

[@flyforfun3757]

Great video but I am wondering if a bath in an ultrasonic cleaner would be just as effective without the risk of damage. What do you think? Thanks

[@ApacheRanch]

I think that would be a great idea. I do wonder if it would be effective on the emulsion tube in the center of the carburetor.

[@oscarsuarez8768]

The idle airscrew that you turned out 3 times..is that standard on all Honda NQ50 carbs? Or does my Honda spree carb need to be turned out less or more? My Spree is starting and immediately goes WOT so I know I need to tinker with carb screws, just dont know how or where to start..

[@ApacheRanch]

It’s the standard starting point for all NQ50’s - adjust from there.

[@typeXJuggernaut]

My pilot tube was plig but still running but not good cleaned it so it would run good again now it will not running just flooding

[@ApacheRanch]

Pilot jet manages your idle. Flooding might be from your float pin stuck open or bowl float stuck.

[@typeXJuggernaut]

@@ApacheRanch My float moves fine not sure on the needle being good

[@ApacheRanch]

@@typeXJuggernaut check that small rubber point is good.

[@typeXJuggernaut]

@@ApacheRanch I am thinking I probably destroyed the pilot jet cleaning it by hand with a drill bit it was plugged up with real hard stuff that was tan colored. And I checked the float rubber seems to ok but maybe I should replace it with a new one along with the float I ordered a card of Amazon and the float is totally different or maybe I will be forced to buy a pricey card thank you for your time sir. Very grateful for the information and content you share

[@ApacheRanch]

@@typeXJuggernaut yeah you might have to find some replacement parts then (hard to find) or go with a $25 Chinese carb. I’ve had ok luck with them. Honda carbs are always much better if operable but $25 is an easy fix otherwise. I wish you the best and thank you for your kind words.

[@KatieEpner]

This looks like a long and complicated process. New carbs are $30 Ebay. Would you suggest just buying a new one?

[@ApacheRanch]

Sometimes fixing it is part of the fun! Ebay/Amazon carbs are helpful in a pinch, and they do work. But they are made of really cheap materials and I question how long they last. If you are able to restore an original carburetor, I strongly recommend doing that. Sometimes you can't, as parts can be just broken and hard to replace. But cleaning an original carb is the best idea in my view. It just seems that my scooters with original carbs always start and run more consistently. Good luck!!!

[@jasonanderson4915]

My Spree starts well, no leaks, with the carb bowl drain shut, then it starts puking fuel and will flood out and die if i don't open the very bottom drain screw, allowing fuel to pour out. What on earth could be making my carb fill up with gas and flood out my motor?

[@ApacheRanch]

Your float needle. That tiny little needle need to seat perfectly into the carb. The float bobs it up and down as the bowl needs more fuel. It’s not seating properly, causing fuel to fill the carb all the time.

[@jasonanderson4915]

@@ApacheRanch Thank you. I have been troubleshooting and this is looking like the culprit. I had the carb off and cleaned it real good, it still pukes out fuel. I will be pulling it off again tomorrow morning and checking the float system VERY CAREFULLY for a flaw.

[@jasonanderson4915]

Problem identified: Float is full of fuel!

[@ApacheRanch]

Yeah, they get cracked and leak inside. Glad you found it!!

[@canttell5554]

my honda spree after market carb off of ebay doesnt have a rubber point on the float needle its just metal would that be causing the moped to fludd out i have spark and compression and fuel definetly but theres to much fuel i dont have the bystarter on the carb i took it off and it was running befor without it but i dont know why its getting to much gas i move the clip up to the top and it seems like theres no fuel and ill move it to the middle or the bottom and theres to much fuel and it fluds out the exaust port and gets all over the engine

[@canttell5554]

i know the petcock is good so thats not the problem

[@thomashamilton9046]

Where does the oil injection line plug into the carb, feel like an idiot but cannot figure it out😂

[@ApacheRanch]

That lower port below the fuel inlet. It’s facing the oil injector as you look at the carb mounted in the bike. Good luck!!!

[@thomashamilton9046]

@@ApacheRanch it’s on the intake right? For some reason my intake only has one inlet on it

[@ApacheRanch]

Let me get a picture for you

[@ApacheRanch]

It’s on the intake. There are two ports there. Top one on intake is the vacuum line to petcock. Bottom one is for oil line. It is pointing right at the oil injector.

[@cwwCADAVER]

Good job but i cringed when you banged it out with metal.... Use a wood dowel or stick or what ever....

[@ApacheRanch]

Paul B yeah I don’t disagree. I experimented with a few things off video and didn’t find anything suitable. Needed some hardwood or something with “give” in it, but the backside of that metal punch just popped it out.