Honda Rebel 250 & 450 Forum banner

My rebel only runs with choke on

Tags
choke
5K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  JerryH 
#1 ·
Usually, I needed to turn on the choke for some time in order to warm up the engine.
But right now after winter time I started riding the bike again and even after 30 minutes of running, the engine shuts off when I turn off the choke.
What could the problem which prevents the warmed up engine to run normally with the choke off?
 
#3 ·
Welcome. ^^^What shakeedogg said. Have you installed an inline fuel filter? It's cheap insurance that any contaminants in the tank or fuel don't reach the carb and mess it up.
 
#4 ·
Thanks, No I haven't installed an inline fuel filter, I bought used bike 1.5 years ago and it ran great but after the winter this problem started. I have been fueling it with the most expensive gas though, but looks like it didn't help.
Looks like I would need to clean the carb.

In the meantime, I will be riding it with the choke on.
Is there any disadvantage of running the bike with the choke on?
 
#5 ·
  • Like
Reactions: kryton
#6 ·
Got it.
Is there any way to clean the slow jet without disassembling the carb?
Also, I am wondering for how much time approximately it would be safe to ride with the choke on while the slow jet is clogged?
I've been reading that when riding with the choke on the spark plug may be damaged, but curious if I have at least a month when I can ride the bike with the choke ON or whether the carb should be cleaned right away?
 
#7 ·
Got it.
Is there any way to clean the slow jet without disassembling the carb?
In theory, you could do it by removing the float bowl, if you could see the jet and had hands as small as a baby. AFAIK, it's never been done, and would probably take a lot longer than just removing the carb.
 
#9 ·
Which are?

Ethanol free gas is available locally in all three octanes. I used to put 87 octane non-ethanol in my Rebel, and IIRC, it cost around 30-40 cents per gallon more. Non-ethanol fuel might make sense if the bike wasn't ridden enough to burn a tank every three months or so. But I usually run through a tank twice a week or more, so there's no chance of the ethanol gas going bad. I get the same mileage and top speed with either type of gas.

Higher octane gasolines are designed to be used in engines (usually high performance engines) that "knock" (self ignition) with lower octane fuel. It doesn't produce better mileage, more power, or harm the engine so long as the proper octane is used.
 
#10 ·
Yes, I'm well aware of everything you've stated.

Where I live, ethanol-free gas is only available in "premium" grade, not all grades. And the advantage of ethanol-free gas - independent of performance, knock issues, etc. - has been discussed numerous times elsewhere (e.g., less corrosive on rubber parts, etc.).

I never stated there's any advantage to performance, etc. Let's not try to start a spat when there's no reason to do so...I actually don't see any disagreement between us.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
 
#12 ·
The textbook answers to having the enricher on more than the absolutely minimum necessary is carbon fouling and cylinder-wall washing.
Extra fuel, more than the stoichiometric ideal mix, burns incompletely and leaves carbon behind to deposit on the spark-plug and short out the spark gap. And since gasoline is a solvent for motor oil, the extra liquid gasoline on the cylinder walls washes off the micro-fine film of motor oil that the piston rings are supposed to glide over, leading to a shortened life for the piston rings and the cylinder walls.


the practical answer is to clean the carb's slow jet and then tune the idle mix and idle stop sooner rather than later.
 
#13 ·
Check your spark too. I was having a similar problem. My CDI Unit in my 1986 Rebel Honda was loosely connected.

Make sure that when you do a "spark test" that both ignition (spark) coil plugs give a SOLID spark that continues when the starter button is pushed.


I detached and reconnected mine because I was getting WEAK spark.



Now I get continuous spark.


Here is a you tube video to help about the SPARK test.

 
#14 ·
Here in AZ ethanol gas remains a hopeless dream. I have 4 of my bikes stored, with $20 a gallon ethanol free small engine fuel in them. One gallon per bike. It allows me to start them up once in a while and won't damage the fuel system.

When you are having carb problems, the first thing to check is for a dirty carb. Unless they get dirty, which in my experience is always the result of abuse (leaving gas in them too long) carbs are 100% reliable. Once every 10 years or more you may need to replace the float needle valve and seat, that's about it. Only a few dollars compared to hundreds of dollars when electronic parts fail on EFI systems.

The Rebel has a great design. A twin with just one carburetor. I would remove, disassemble, and clean the carb thoroughly. You can't just rinse it out till it looks cleaner than it did. Every single little passage must be completely clean. I use the small E string from a guitar and spray carb cleaner. It can take a while to clean a really dirty carb. It is unlikely there is anything mechanically wrong with it. There just isn't much there to fail. However, one thing I have had fail on carbs with "enricheners" rather than chokes is the plastic (I have no idea why it is not metal) fitting for the enrichener plunger breaking where it screws into the carb body. But it is probably just plugged up jets and passages not allowing it to get enough gas to run, keeping the enrichener on bypasses those.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top