HONDA HRX764 - Whits end.....

[Paulie]

My 15 year old Honda is driving me nuts to the point where I cant even look at it anymore. Last year we suffered weeks of trouble shooting which ended up cleaning the carb a dozen times, new gaskets and various clutch reassemblies and learning the value of fresh fuel! Ended the season well, drained the tank and tucked up for the winter.
Yesterday, fresh fuel, started, ran it up for a minute before it popped, spluttered and stopped. Third pull on the starter and running again except that the same thing happens. I have had various fuelling issues in there past but not popping.
Removed the carb, normal checks and cleaning (except I have never broken / removed the pilot screw??) All back together, rinse and repeat.
I dont know what problems (if any) the pilot screw can deliver? failing that any ideas? I have always associated popping with unburnt fuel? Poss too rich?

I would also like to take this opportunity to ask how to adjust the fueling to accommodate engaging the clutch - my mower wants to stall (like the mixer is too weak??) when I engage the clutch load and it requires careful feeding in or a little touch of choke / full revs to overcome.

Maybe its just time for a new carb? but frankly I have way older carbs on other machines with no problem. .....This cant be rocket science but its driving me nuts

[Mick]

Hi Paulie, and welcome to TGMF.

You say it's a HRX764, did you mean HRX476?

You sure it's fuel related, just popping would tell me it's something else, either valves or ignition.  Just something to check first, make sure the valve cover on the front of the engine isn't dented in, because that will hold a valve open and it will cause popping when trying to start the machine. 

If it is dented inwards, remove it and bash it back out and refit it.  While you have the top cover off just check that one of the rockers hasn't got a crack it it and bent allowing a huge tappet clearance.  These are fairly common issues.