I'll apologise from the outset for my ignorance,

I'm not the most mechanically minded person but am willing to give anything try.

I want to clean my carb on my 2002 REV3 250 but am clueless.

1) Do I need to drain the fuel before taking the carb out or is the fact tat the fuel tap is off enough?

2) Will anything leak once I have taken the carb out?

3) Can the carb be cleaned in its entirety or does it then have to be broken down further?

4) Will spraying the carb with carb cleaner and then running it through with compressed air be enough?

Sorry for all the questions but I don't want to mess it up, pictures or an idiots guide would be useful.... 'Cos I'm a mechanical idiot!

Many thanks in advance.

... but I don't want to mess it up, pictures or an idiots guide would be useful....

If not mechanically skilled, the best advise I can give is: take to someone who is...

there are some things that can be messed up on a carburetor, and probably some adjustments have to be done after the cleaning. If you now somebody who can do it for you and give some explanation on what he is doing and what to take care for, you can do it yourself next time

Ah the best way to learn is to do it. You're not as bad as you think. Unless the bike has sat for a considerable time there will be fuel still in the float bowl (that rounded squarish bit at the bottom of the carb)

Here's the task broken down,

What you need,

Carb cleaner, Small flat blade screwdriver, #2 philips screwdriver, compressed air, WD-40, small adjustable or some good deep/skinny small sockets. FIRE EXTINGUISHER! Dude it

Uaaau. Dan Williams for president!!

Great reply mate, I think you've covered everything!!

Dan,

Thanks for taking the time to reply mate

I'll give it a whirl!!

Dan, being American, forgot the most important thing. Because it is your first time, take regular breaks to make and drink tea. This will give you time to assess each stage and not rush it. Rubbing your chin also helps, so does taking digi photograghs as you go.

You think you will remember which way round something goes when you reassemble, but you won't.

Have fun.

Forget the tea sir? You cut me to the quick. I live on Earl Grey. I have even been to Bergamo! Oil of Bergamot is what makes Earl Grey, Earl Grey!

I merely don't advocate a cuppa in the vicinity of dangerous chemicals.

This is almost as insulting as when I was in Limerick and the locals kept asking if I wanted a Budweiser. Then they'd snicker. Oh the indignity!

Missing from this pic is one of my other favorites. The Twinings Christmas Tea.

Come to think of it this year's Italian world round is in Foppolo again just north of Bergamo.

Edited February 20, 201016 yr by Dan Williams

Uaaau. Dan Williams for president!!

Dan, quality post mate

Thanks, I must be starting to get the writing bug again.

Ah, so that methodical mind IS powered by tea, I knew it.

It's all beginning to make sense now.

Dan Williams! I need help! I'm in the process of cleaning my carb, following your directions - I've gotten all the way to the main jet and cannot get it to come out. I've sprayed carb cleaner all around it, in it; tried pushing it a bit - nothing. First, which way should it come out, toward the float bowl or away from it? How can I tap it out without damaging it? I can't get the needle jet out until I get the main jet, correct? In the meantime, I've hosed the whole thing down with carb cleaner and aired it but everything looked really pretty clean so far, I want to make sure I get the needle jet checked since that's one of the first places to clog. Please help - it's all in pieces and the longer I wait, the less I'll remember putting it back together.

Maybe it's because I didn't stop for tea...

Fair play that man! Excellent post. Well done you.

Ok, so just in case anyone was following my part of this post... and this shows it was my first carb... the main jet came out fine, it was the needle jet that was stuck and it came out with some gentle tapping all the way to the bottom (had gunk holding it in place). The pilot jet is one of the first places to clog - not the needle jet - and it was fine. When you put it all back together, IF you happen to replace the throttle cable, don't forget to back off the throttle adjustment at the carb! All is well now and running smoothly. I had a spot of tea along the way also.