44 IDF idle circuits

One of the idle circuits #4 has lost interest in working. Washed car, cleaners got wet and that was that. Cleaned idle jet, pulled top off carb and blew through the air correction jet, pulled the idle mix screw and blew through it, float level seems OK. What did I miss?? Suggestions greatly apprerciated. TIA

Silly question Bill. Sorry in advance for asking. You mention "washing your car" as if that
may have played a part in your issue. How do you know it's not getting fuel? Runs above
idle ok or can be made to run with the accel. pump and #4 shuts down when "at idle" Or #4 doesn't run at all? If it's the second choice maybe your wires are wet. If it's the first scenario then you are on the right track already.You have to access the fuel passage (I don't have your carb, most are similar) usually at the bottom of the bowl. Carb cleaner blow it thru and look for cleaner spraying down the throat of the carb.
Good luck.

Not a silly question. Cleaners got really wet, Fired it and it was a little unhappy getting more h2o through the cleaners than air. End result didn't make sense to me, but the last thing you did before it screwed up is the first place to look. Anyway, runs rough on idle, pulling #4 plug wire doesn't make much difference (other 3 do). Idle mix can be shut off with basically no affect. Bucks driving on idle circuits, backfires on trailing throttle, Runs great on mains (off idle circuits). Thinking its close to time to tear the whole carb off and make little pieces of it. Then go lookin for bitty wads of crud. Was sort of hoping I missed something or someplace for a plug up to happen.

Bill,
Also...
The top of the carb is vented into the Air Cleaner. If water entered into the float bowl via that vent,it will not mix with gas. Sometimes it just sits in there next to a jet not letting gas (or anything) by.
Suggestion:
Either take carb apart; clean and re-assemble or at least pull the emulsion tubes with jets, idle jets, and idle screws. Blow through everything, reassemble and check. If still no idle... check synch, then all the rest of the usual. Compression, igition, etc.

Greg B

Great thought Greg! Water being heavier will sit at the bottom and could block the fuel.
Add some alcohol (dry gas) into the bowl, it will mix with the water and help burn it.
Always looking for the easy way out.

Here's another way to remove water from the bowls:

1. Remove emulsion tubes
2. Using this item from West Marine, insert tube into emulsion tube bore and pump out gas/water from bowls - http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/91936/0/0/pump/All_2/mode%20matchallpartial/75/0
3. Pour 1/2 oz of denatured alcohol into the emulsion tube bore
4. Turn on ignition and let the electric fuel pump re-fill bowls
5. Pump out gas/alcohol - same procedure as step 2
6. Turn on ignition, let bowls re-fill and start engine

Engine will run a little rough for a few minutes till the residual alcohol is burned off.

THANKS! Was thinking (usually dangerous) last night about what I'd observed so far. Had blown air through the idle air correction jet. The front barrel (#3) blew bubbles into the float bowl but #4 didn't. Carbs did have a lot of h2o on top of the a/c bases and if h2o got into the float chamber it could well have landed, or lodged something, in the fuel passage to from the mains to the idle circuit blocking it. Your thoughts on water seem to make that idea at least possible...and it makes sense. Will rip and tear this morning and report back. Looking forward to getting off the steep slope of the learning curve. Thanks again guys

Bill, You are well on your way to mastery if you are attempting this. Most people think
carbs are science.-good luck

OK - so I did my rip and tear routine this morning. That part I'm good at, putting it back together - well...

Shot carb cleaner in every hole to be found with more attention to idle circuits. Let it sit and blew it out with air. Found, well, basically nothin. Possibly the water dislodged some goo, plopped it in a fuel passage and the cleaner disolved it - we will never know. Anyway it's back together and running normally now. Go figger

Next step is to isolate the carbs from the hose (or thunder storm) run off.

'preciate the help