Honda 300 Getting To Hot

[Bossdaddy 215]

1996 Honda 300 fourtrax 4x4, not the same one that had the rear diff problem, this one is running way to hot either driving down the road or sitting still and idling. This thing run as go as any I have ever seen, plenty of power, revs up good no problem with running. No smoke and starts just by touching the button. I haven't got a clue except somehow it may be a bad fuel mixture, but it runs so good. It has a rebuilt OEM carb. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[shadetree 6,026]

33 minutes ago, Bossdaddy said:

1996 Honda 300 fourtrax 4x4, not the same one that had the rear diff problem, this one is running way to hot either driving down the road or sitting still and idling. This thing run as go as any I have ever seen, plenty of power, revs up good no problem with running. No smoke and starts just by touching the button. I haven't got a clue except somehow it may be a bad fuel mixture, but it runs so good. It has a rebuilt OEM carb. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

bad oil flow ?, or running too lean ?.

[Bossdaddy 215]

Could bad oil flow come from a filter being installed backwards? 

[shadetree 6,026]

2 hours ago, Bossdaddy said:

Could bad oil flow come from a filter being installed backwards? 

haha..sure...but..it would destroy your engine in about 1 min or less before it would do what you are claiming.

[ATC4ever 1,097]

How long ago did it start over heating vs when the carb was rebuilt?

[Bossdaddy 215]

Shadetree, I did check the oil filter and it was installed correctly so thank God that was not my problem not saying it’s not an oil flow problem. It just wasn’t the filter. Thanks for your input.

[shadetree 6,026]

3 minutes ago, Bossdaddy said:

Shadetree, I did check the oil filter and it was installed correctly so thank God that was not my problem not saying it’s not an oil flow problem. It just wasn’t the filter. Thanks for your input.

good deal !. yeah..once the oil filter is installed backwards ?..its game over for that engine really fast !. as for it over heating ?..like i said..running too lean ?, or lack of oil circulating in the engine ?. could be a worn oil pump ?. oil pick up screen clogged ?. hard to say with it being an old engine with many miles/hrs on it.

[Bossdaddy 215]

ATC4ever, I bought this thing about three months ago and it has set up in my shop and I drove it very very little so I could have had this problem when I got it. I just don’t know. The carburetor looked real clean, but I noticed it was leaking around the bowl so I pull the carb and opened it up and somebody had pinched the O-ring, which was causing the leak. I did nothing to the carburetor but change the O-ring and reinstall it, but I noticed how clean and new everything looked inside the carburetor. This thing cranks and runs as good as any I have ever seen, but it could be running too rich I don’t know how to look at one and listen to one and know that it is running too rich. It may be an oil flow problem. I don’t know. Thanks for your input.

[Bossdaddy 215]

shadetree, is there a quick way to check the oil flow?

[shadetree 6,026]

1 minute ago, Bossdaddy said:

ATC4ever, I bought this thing about three months ago and it has set up in my shop and I drove it very very little so I could have had this problem when I got it. I just don’t know. The carburetor looked real clean, but I noticed it was leaking around the bowl so I pull the carb and opened it up and somebody had pinched the O-ring, which was causing the leak. I did nothing to the carburetor but change the O-ring and reinstall it, but I noticed how clean and new everything looked inside the carburetor. This thing cranks and runs as good as any I have ever seen, but it could be running too rich I don’t know how to look at one and listen to one and know that it is running too rich. It may be an oil flow problem. I don’t know. Thanks for your input.

running rich won't cause it to overheat...running lean on the other hand ?..yes !..will cause it to overheat. very clean carb ya say ?..think about this..sense when does a 30 something yr old carb show to be spotless ?..lol. tells me its a aftermarket china carb !!.. and this will cause all kinds of problems !.

[shadetree 6,026]

5 minutes ago, Bossdaddy said:

shadetree, is there a quick way to check the oil flow?

quick ?.ummm..no quick way...it takes a few min's. you can check two ways, pull the oil line bolt at the top at rocker box, with kill switch off..crank it over a sec or two..watch for oil flow at rocker box oil line, DON'T LOOSE THE WASHERS ON THE BANJOI BOLT !. you can also do the same on the right lower side where the oil line bolts up, do the same, bolt out, a quick sec or two cranking will tell you if you are getting oil flow ?. last but not least, pull the fuel tank, remove the valve inspection caps, crank it over..watch for oil flow down in there. this is cleaner, less mess when checking..but it takes more time. p.s. with kill switch off, elec start prob wont work..you may have to kick start it ?. but if you use the ele start ?, pull the spark plug , you dont want it to run at all !.

[walhonding300 57]

I have a similar issue but not sure if it really is hot or if something with wrong with the overheat sensor?  I guess I am not sure what temperature "running hot" would look like?

[Bossdaddy 215]

Shadetree, I misspoke when I said it may be running rich. I meant to say running lean sorry about that. When I said the carburetor was clean, I didn’t say it was spotless. I know you have cleaned many carburetors and that is what this one looks like it is real clean for a used OEM carburetor. It has the OEM marks on it. It is not a Chinese knock off. Thanks for the info on checking for oil flow. I appreciate your knowledge and I appreciate your help. Thank you.

[Bossdaddy 215]

Shadetree, after checking the oil at two different locations. I have oil by the time the engine turns over two times I think according to what you said that should be sufficient. I went on and pulled the carburetor and taking it back apart to see if I could see anything that might be causing this thing to run lean. I really don’t know what I’m looking for. The carburetor is clean inside. I got pictures of the jets to see if they are the proper ones or if I should change to something else. I really don’t know what will cause one to run lean. Can anybody explain or help me on that or just tell me what I should do next, thank you.

Edited 10 hours ago by Bossdaddy
More pictures

[jeepwm69 7,778]

I'd let it idle at night in the dark, see if the heater pipe glows red.   That's a tell tale sign of a lean fuel condition.  

 

 

[shadetree 6,026]

27 minutes ago, Bossdaddy said:

Shadetree, after checking the oil at two different locations. I have oil by the time the engine turns over two times I think according to what you said that should be sufficient. I went on and pulled the carburetor and taking it back apart to see if I could see anything that might be causing this thing to run lean. I really don’t know what I’m looking for. The carburetor is clean inside. I got pictures of the jets to see if they are the proper ones or if I should change to something else. I really don’t know what will cause one to run lean. Can anybody explain or help me on that or just tell me what I should do next, thank you.

all jets are correct ( i checked )..so this means the air fuel mixture is not correct. while upside down, outside the float bowl. there is a mixture jet, this is a jet, spring, tiny washer, and very tiny o-ring, this jet sets the air fuel mixture. if you took this apart awhile back ?, you may have either lost the tiny o-ring ?, or..you did not set the turns to the correct setting ?. first make sure you have all of the parts for this mixture jet ?, from a lightly seated turn down into the hole, count one end of the slot  watch for this one end of the slot  as you back it out, back the jet out roughly 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 turns. DO NOT TIGHTEN THIS JET DOWN HARD !!..OR YOU WILL BREAK THE VERY TIP OF THE JET OFF IN THE HOLE.THEN YER SCREWED !.

[shadetree 6,026]

5 minutes ago, jeepwm69 said:

I'd let it idle at night in the dark, see if the heater pipe glows red.   That's a tell tale sign of a lean fuel condition.  

 

 

you are correct, but !!..at idle it won't glow cherry red...you would need to hammer on it to get it that hot at the header pipe.

[Bossdaddy 215]

OK guys thanks to both of you, I will go set the air mixture and put that little man back together and install him and wait for dark. I’m sure I will be talking to you guys tomorrow hopefully to thank you for all your help and that my machine is fixed.

[shadetree 6,026]

31 minutes ago, Bossdaddy said:

OK guys thanks to both of you, I will go set the air mixture and put that little man back together and install him and wait for dark. I’m sure I will be talking to you guys tomorrow hopefully to thank you for all your help and that my machine is fixed.

does this mean the check is in the mail ?..j/k !. hope it works out for ya !.

[oldmxrider 73]

Read Your spark plug.  Post a picture.

[Bossdaddy 215]

I'm already in for the night and going to the hunting camp tomorrow. I'll get back to messing with it Sat. if all goes well, thanks for more input.