Thanks Merry!

I got one in paintsville 2 weeks ago

@@WETTKITTY Thank you! Another subscriber just told me a few days ago he picked one up in Florida. I'd love to see a video on one to see if it's the same Ducar engine with the hemi head or a completely different engine.

Hi Dalton! I'd love to see that engine! Please make some videos and post! I'll be happy to link to your channel and videos! I was under the impression that Harbor Freight was phasing out the 224 engines. If they've started making the 224 with a Hemi head that is just awesome!

Yes sir, it surprised me when I opened the box. I was very happy. I am 72 and just getting into go carts. We live out in the woods in Florida. I just spent 6 years fighting bone cancer and dialysis. My cart is how I get around and go fishing. I am not in shape to drive a car anymore, but I love my cart. I just put a stage 1 kit in my hemi from watching your videos. Thank you so much for making them.

@@daltonvickersjr9441 We're never too old to have fun!

You'll get it lined out. I think one of my VM-22 carbs was a customer return. You may have gotten one too. On mine the pilot jet was drilled out a mile too big. Somebody had also adjusted the needle to the wrong position contributing to my rich idle issue. About the pulse pumps: Those pulse fuel pumps can be pretty crappy. I usually buy the 10 pack as one or two will likely not work out of the package. They're cheap but I wouldn't count on the pumps to last. About the e-clips: I've since tried Banzai's method of using a wood table surface to install the little e-clip. It works great. One subscriber suggested removing the e-clip while it's enclosed in a plastic bag. I've not tried that one yet but I'll try anything to avoid crawling around on concrete searching for a lost e-clip! Thanks!

Hi Car Guy! As far as I know, and I was in the USAF when these things were introduced, all of them had the 6.2 diesel engine. The Air Force did/does have gas powered trucks too but those weren't the CUCV. I'm sure there are plenty of gas swapped versions out there though as the transmission used is a 400 Turbo and a 6.2 diesel replacement engine isn't common or cheap. Thanks!

@@KentuckyFriedFixes I just remember back in the 90s everyone wanted that 1-1/4ton Chevy but my ears don’t recall what sound they made as in diesel or gas

Hi Kevin! Sorry for the terrible video of the back of my hand. Glad you made enough out of it to get the job done!

Did you change the jets or are you running it as it came "out of the box"?

@@KentuckyFriedFixes I changed the main jet to a 120 jet. once I got the carb I installed it didn’t touch anything I test rode it to a trial and once I got back it cut off wouldn’t start so I put in the 120 jet and did the 1/2 air fuel mixture screw and it just wont start

@@2alias__yn You may have an air leak (vacuum leak) causing issues. Remember if your idle jet (low speed jet) is correctly sized, the air mix screw should be between one and two turns out. If you currently have it set at one half turn out, that's wrong. If you followed along with the video and checked out the instructions in the description, you should get it working for you. Remember it's a step by step process, don't skip ahead or you'll be working against yourself. Sometimes a very small issue like an air leak can cause the no start biggest headaches. Give everything a once over to make sure the issue is carb related. You can do this, one step at a time beginning with the idle jet sizing and air mix adjustment.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes thanks for everything. I got it running just needs a low idle speed jet. It was the oil sensor that’s was causing no spark. I cut the wire and it starts right up. I even added more oil then usual still wouldn’t start

@@2alias__yn Those things can be a headache! That's the first thing to go for kart racers. I'm glad you got it running again. I knew you would!

Hi FBP! There's a lot of info in the description of this one. The starting point for your main jet size will depend on the altitude of where you are. There's some recommended starting sizes in the description based on approx altitude. It's better to go with the larger size main jet to start out and work your way down to a leaner (smaller) jet by reading the spark plug. You can do this.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes thanks man

Hi Mike! Glad to help. I appreciate you.

Good deal Chris! Glad to hear it!

Hi James! It's always a pleasure to meet another Lucas-ite! I love that stuff! I have a theory, do you like pancakes too? 🤣

Without a doubt.

Great engine! It's like getting a Wildcat 223 without the Hemi style head. Absolutely love that they come with the flat top piston as well.

Hi Angel! If it was tuned and running good before but now is having issues, it may have some trash in the carburetor partially clogging a fuel passage (if the issue is carb related). I'd pull the spark plug and have a look to see if it's running rich or lean first. White = too lean, Black = too rich, a nice chocolate Brown = just right. Make sure you check all the small stuff too as some of the most minor issues can cause major headaches. A simple vacuum leak can cause big problems.

Hi Dennis! The Blockzilla was a great block and still is to a degree. There are much better versions now but it's still pretty neat that a block from the early 2000's is still relevant today. This one was a .194 over bore and originally built with a billet ARC stroker crankshaft, billet rod and camshaft. Now, the newer flathead race blocks offer up to a 3.75" bore! (and rumor control says some are larger than that now)

That would be a stronger fix. Washers on the top and bottom would support the pulley better. I like the way you think! So far, mine is still working with the one flat and one lock washer, but on the next one I will definitely try your suggestion. (I guess it kinda depends if the hole in the washer matches up good enough with the shaft, I didn't think to try it.)

I disassembled the old factory spindles and they definitely had a flat washer under the pulley. The new Chinesium parts do not include that flat washer. You were spot on about the washer. Thank you Sir! I've added that information to the description.

Amen!

That's right James! Not many people idle across the finish line!

Good deal! There was only one on this engine that was swollen enough to warrant use of the glow plug puller, the rest came out fairly easy. It seems like there's always that ONE that wants to be difficult. If people would only change them out every now and then I think nobody would have any issues. But, when you buy a used truck, you never really know what you're getting. Thanks!

Hi Mark! The spindle nuts I used were the ones that came with the new spindle and pulley set. The shaft on the new ones are the issue. After reading your comment, I did go out to the garage and look at a few of the other new spindles and nuts that I have on the shelf. After a quick compare to some of the used original spindles (I save the old stuff to rebuild for later use) The only difference I can see between the new and the old is the spindle shaft is made differently on the new ones. The serrated teeth cut into the shaft for retaining the pulley on the brand new spindles is taller than the factory spindles. The retaining nuts (new and old) appear to be exactly the same on both. I know that all the new spindles I have on hand came from the same seller on the Jungle site as I got them in bulk at discount. I would certainly be interested in purchasing a different style retaining nut style as you described, that very well would solve the issue in itself! Do you have a part # for those? I'd be happy to share this information in an upcoming video! Great stuff! Thanks Mark!

Hi Mark! I found that these spindles use a flat washer under the pulley that was not included with the new ones. That may be why the shaft is taller than the ones I removed. It's been a learning experience to say the least. I've disassembled factory spindles and aftermarket replacement spindles. I believe the longer shaft spindles do require a flat washer under the pulley to take up the difference. Not all the spindles I disassembled had that flat washer though. Thanks!

I appreciate you! The parts for the old flat head Briggs engines are getting scarce AND PRICEY!

@@KentuckyFriedFixes Imagine if we had endless space to save all the cool engines from the past.....

@@Dancing_Alone_wRentals Amen!

Hi Noah! The carburetor on the 179cc is much smaller than the 212 or the 224cc engines. I've not measured the exact difference of the size of the venturis but there is an obvious visual difference between the two. The 179cc carb is way smaller.

You'll need to go thru the process of tuning step by step. Don't skip ahead or you'll be wasting your time. 3.5 turns out is too much. You have a lot of fuel going thru the carburetor at idle for some reason, if everything is set up properly to begin tuning, you'll probably need to look at the pilot jet. It is likely too large. A sniff of the exhaust will also tell you if there is unburned fuel, it's stinky.

I’m at 2 turns now it that better or is it still too much gas

I'll need to know a few things before I can help you. What size pilot jet and main jet are you running? What altitude are you located? What size is your engine, 196cc, 212cc, 224cc? And is your engine stock or has it been modified/upgraded with performance parts?

@@KentuckyFriedFixes my altitude is 450 to 500 my pilot Jet is a x38 the main jet has no numbers on it what so ever but the carb came with a few main jets which should I change too and the motor is 196cc kohler sh series only mod is a governor deleted

I would suggest no larger than a # 22 pilot jet and a # 135 main jet to begin tuning at 450' above sea level. (The # 135 main might be a little rich but you can always drop down a size or two once you begin tuning for your engine. It's better off to start too rich rather than too lean) A # 38 pilot jet in your carb now is much too large. Likely your current main jet is much too small. Usually, these VM-22 carbs come with either a # 95 or a # 98 main jet installed from the factory, that's much too small for your engine. To begin tuning, you'll need to first prepare your carb with a # 22 pilot jet and a # 135 main jet. Make sure your needle has the e-clip set to the center notch of the needle (3rd slot) with the plastic spacer in place and the float level set properly. Only then should you begin tuning the carb to your engine. Remember, it's a step by step process, it's not magic and you can do this. A lot of guys falsely believe they can simply bolt on the new carb right out of the box and it will work for them, it won't. If the engine even runs, it won't run very well unless the carb is properly set up and tuned for your engine. It's not difficult, after the first one. Once you figure out how these things work, and what you need to do to it to get it where it needs to be, you'll be a carb tuning pro in no time. Currently, I think your present issues are: Main jet is much too small and the pilot jet is much too large. You'll see a big difference once you have installed the correct jets.

I noticed the Predator 224 listing has been removed from their website. It's a shame if they've discontinued the 224, much better engine than the Ghost. (Cheaper too!)

@@KentuckyFriedFixesI just got an email the HF is bringing it back. Should be in stock and back on the website

@@PumpkinKingXXIII I don't know? They're still listed on the HF website as available "In Store Only" items. So that's still not looking good. Hopefully they'll change it!

@@KentuckyFriedFixes I just checked the app and it’s there but you can’t order on the app. on my store it says “back in stock soon” sadly it’s on sale with a coupon but no one within 70 Miles. With pickup they are better deal than the Ducar 224 from Donovan’s at $188 with no flywheel

Hi Greybuilt! That's one of the headaches of the VM-22 clone carbs, finding the correct style pilot jet. The main jets are easy to come by and I usually buy the "kit" that includes 10 main jets with the carb and accessories. The pilot jet is another issue though and I literally have handfuls of wrong pilot jets I've ordered for these. (Most of the wrong jets either fit a real Mikuni or the PWK style carbs) I have found there are two completely different pilot jet designs in these VM-22 carbs. Since the VM-22 design is not an exact copy/replica of the Mikuni, the Mikuni jets don't fit. You'll need to physically remove your pilot jet and match it up to the correct style with the picture of the listing. I've found that only one retailer I know of actually puts the picture of the exact part in their descriptions and that's Gopowersports. They don't sponsor the channel and I don't usually advertise for anyone for free. But I'll leave this up until you get the message.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes Ty bud ! Appreciate it 🙏🏻

Hi Gordon! Tuning a VM-22 for use on a 79cc Predator is a very tall order. That's enough carburetor to comfortably run up to a 250cc performance engine. Unless your 79cc is an absolute fire breather, (and I'm talking: bored, stroked and cammed with a big valve ported head) I'd suggest something closer to a PZ-19 carburetor (around $20). The reason is the venturi size of the carburetor should not exceed the size of the intake valve and port. It causes issues with air velocity within the venturi of the carb. If it can't move air at the correct velocity, the carb will have trouble picking up the fuel.(Now in some cases/applications you can exceed the size of the intake valve just a little bit and get away with it but it's limited only to full throttle applications like tractor pulling where the engine begins and finishes at full throttle) Now all that aside, on to your carburetor. I think you may be describing your main jet at a size # 88 instead of the pilot. The pilot will usually be much smaller than the main. Typically a pilot jet size to use for a 212cc engine would be from a # 18 to a #38 (depending on fuel type and how mild or wild the engine is built, more power will require more fuel) Depending on your altitude, the main jet will usually fall somewhere between a # 115 to a # 135 or maybe a bit larger, again depending on whether your engine is a mild performance build or a fire breathing monster. As an example, for a mild build 212cc engine here at around 650' above sea level on gasoline, I use a # 20 pilot jet and a # 125 main jet. I set the needle adjustment (e-clip) to the center slot of the needle. I would bet your engine is not pulling enough air thru the venturi to pick up the fuel. A # 88 main jet is much too small as well. You'd have to be on top of Mount Everest for that jet to work. Try a larger main jet and see if that helps, but remember, the best bet would likely be to purchase a PZ-19 carburetor and save that VM-22 to install on something around 200cc+.

Perfect. Yessir, I have a 20 pilot which idles okay but the main jet I’ve bounced all over the place but it because this carb is better for the 198cc or 212cc. Pz19 is the ticket.

Nice video thou. I have not seen these engines yet and they look pretty good. Thanks for the video

Hi James! You're right! They'll either have a resistor at the plug boot or some may have the resistor wire. For racing applications I prefer to use an aftermarket copper core wire with no resistor at the plug boot. (This can cause issues with electronics though, tach or onboard camera (for kart racing) etc.) The Anbull 223 listing seems to have sold out not long after this video. Closest thing I've seen to it has been the Wildcat 223 at EC but those are equipped with the Hemi head. Thanks!

I may try a pump I have thou and see if it runs any better. I’m 3/4 turn out on the low. 1-1/4 out on the high and pivot arm bent to about half travel and it runs mint. It was just pig rich when I tried it with the pivot arm level and straight. With both the carbs I tried it was the same.

Hi James! I think I had air in the line when I tried to run this one without a pump. I will be revisiting this issue again to see if I can get it to run without the fuel pump. Chainsaws use a pressurized tank to get around this issue.

I was thinking of pressurizing the tank with crank case pressure but it worked fine so I never did. It has crazy midrange power using these carbs. There a little big for a 196/212 I think so there is a down low hesitation because of the large amount of air but as soon as the fuel picks up it’s out of there

Hi James! For low end bog out of the corners you can open the low speed screw a little to give it more fuel during the low speed circuit or add a second pump stack. (I've noticed with stacked pump carbs you can't let it idle though or it will dilute the crankcase oil with Methanol or gas.) Lots of oil changes!

Hi James! I love these little carbs! They're cheap enough to play with even if you have to buy the $50 intake. (Really cheap if you make your own intake) Much better performance with Methanol fuel than the VM-22 or PWK slide carbs. I'd love to see a Tillotson style pumper carb with a slide instead of a butterfly. EC has the parts if you want to double or triple stack the pump as well. Closest thing to fuel injection I've seen.

The 7$ intake off temu or Amazon for a clone engine. Fits perfectly if you dremal put a small divet for the pulse port. So have you run one with methanol without drilling out any ports. I have it detuned to run a 200cc on gas so it seems like I can get it to flow more than double the fuel for methanol without any major modifications. I have the pivot arm bent for half travel and the hi/lo out 1 turn or less and it still runs fairly rich. I think they would work good on methanol.

Hi James! I've not converted any of the clone Tillotson carbs for Methanol use. I do have several Methanol Tillotsons (the real ones). It's a great idea to try on the cheapies because it won't break the bank if an experiment goes wrong. Please be careful if you get into drilling for Methanol use, once holes are made, you can't go back. Another important thing to consider would be to change the internal diaphragms to some made from Methanol friendly material, and adding a 2nd pump block. (stack the pumps, two is good, three is better if your engine can handle the fuel, EC has the plates you need available) Setting the popoff is very important for fuel control as well. My last Blockzilla was a three pump stack and would actually spit raw Methanol fuel out of the exhaust at idle. If you're interested in building Methanol Tilly carbs, I'd suggest buying a Methanol Tilly from EC first, then compare what they did to theirs to what you need to do to yours. Building Methanol Tillotson carbs is really an art. It can be done and you will get good with practice but I'm not ashamed to admit the last Methanol Tilly I ran on my open Blockzilla came from EC and was also race prepped by EC for my engine. They're the best.

Thanks KFF. That’s good advice. I have not yet tried doing more stacks. But I was looking into how to do it. I was thinking of just buying one from EC and seeing what’s going on inside. Definitely subbed to the channel. Have a good one

Hi Chris! There are several different stock heads available on the market. When looking into building one for mild performance it's a good idea to check the valve sizes and look into the intake port. Some castings are highly restricted while others have a much more generous port size. As an example, the heads on the Predator 224 engines have a great looking intake port right from the factory. By contrast most of the 212cc heads are pretty restricted. The intake port on the 223cc Wildcat hemi engine is restricted terribly! Now any of this can be overcome with some porting work and some time. I always recommend that to begin learning how to port, always start with one of the lesser (junk) castings, that way if you mess it up (grind thru the port etc), it's not the end of the world. But if you're just looking for something that you can bolt on and go as-is for a budget mild performance improvement, I'd suggest a Predator 224cc head. Head porting is an art itself. It takes a lot of know how and practice to get good at it. Even at that, then you get into theory about what flows best for which engine combination. Most beginners end up ruining the flow of their head on their first tries. Now, if you're getting into racing, where money is involved, I'd suggest buying a fully prepared head from someone like EC or Paul's Karts. I've seen both and you'd be hard pressed to improve over their port work. Big topic of discussion! Thanks!

very interesting engine knowledge @@KentuckyFriedFixes tHanks for the video

Hi Chris! The 196 Hemi engines are mostly good engines. Some of the early engines were really out of balance though. I've had one that required star lock washers to be used on the side cover because the bolts kept vibrating loose! When your engine tries to shake itself apart, that's bad. The later 196 engines that were imported don't seem to suffer from that much out of balance though. I'll have some new videos up soon. Thanks for sticking with the channel my friend, good stuff is coming.

I appreciate you Grey Built! This 212 Ghost review did ruffle some feathers, but it's accurate and true, and that's what I do.

Love your videos as well my friend. I'm a big fan.

@@KentuckyFriedFixesI’m honored!! Ty for the support !!!!! 🙏🏻

The 6.2 diesels are great engines! Jerred has his out and apart at the moment for a rings/bearings refresh. The internal parts still appear to be in great shape though, even a nice cross hatch remaining in the cylinder bore. He originally pulled it because it developed a dead miss, that turned out to be just a burned valve. But, since it's out, new rings, bearings and gaskets/seals regardless! Thanks AL

@@KentuckyFriedFixes thnaks man hey one more question what oil do you run in 6.2

@@alshaw9420 Hi AL! Jerred and I have a difference of opinion on engine oil. He likes Shell Rotella 15W40. And I agree it's a good diesel oil, AND the internal parts on his engine looked GREAT, but I personally like Mobil-1 full synthetic 20W50 for Summer and 10W30 for Winter in everything I own. Maybe I'm wrong but I'm nearing 360K miles on my 5cyl Hummer H3 and I don't think luck had anything to do with it. Thanks AL!

@@KentuckyFriedFixes 360 k holy cow

Hi Tyler! Sure you can turn an advance key around and make it lower the ignition timing by the same degree it would have advanced it. I personally don't use flywheel keys with billet flywheels, I've ruined an expensive billet flywheel by doing that in the past. (Rather than shearing the flywheel key, they can destroy the timing slot and taper of the flywheel.)

Hi William! I'm sure they have some sort of balance from the factory. The problem is the cast iron construction and the magnet installation of the flywheel. It's really dangerous as it can explode at any RPM above the stock rated 3,600RPM. That's why most if not all kart race tracks do not allow cast iron flywheels on their track. There are low cost replacement options on the market for around $35. I've used those aluminum flywheels that are made the same way chainsaw flywheels are made and they seem to hold up just fine. Of course billet is best, and that's why the billet flywheels are almost $100 higher in cost than the aluminum cheapies. Depending on your application, the aluminum cheapie may work for you. At any rate it'll be much safer than the stock cast iron flywheels.

@KentuckyFriedFixes Hey buddy, thank you for the reply and the great info. I'll do my research on both of those flywheels that you mentioned and go from there.👍

Hi Gordon! When the engine is cold and the choke is applied (plunger is up just like the video) for the first cold start, the engine RPM will likely be higher because the choke is applied. Let the engine come to operating temperature (so it will run without the choke) and set the idle speed as low as you can without the engine dying. It's always a good place to begin with the air mix screw set at 1.5 turns out before the first start. After the engine is warm and you've set the idle speed low, then you can begin to adjust the air mix screw. You want to turn it no more than one quarter turn at a time and listen to the engine. If you're going in the right direction, the engine idle will increase after a few seconds. Again set the idle speed to low idle and continue to fine tune the air mix screw. When the engine idle speed does not increase or it begins to lower, that's as close as you're going to get it, back it up to where it was running good and you are where you need to be. Stop the engine and count the number of turns it takes to close the air screw. This will tell you if you need a larger or smaller pilot jet, or if the pilot jet is perfect as it is. Less than 1 turn out, the pilot jet is too small. More than 2 turns out the pilot jet is too large. You want to start with and hopefully end at 1.5 turns out. 1.25 turns out is acceptable as is 1.75 turns, the spec is between 1 and 2 turns out so 1.5 is perfect for gasoline fuel. It takes a little time to get the hang of it, but you will. Don't get frustrated, you can do this.

THANKS! I’m loving this. I’m at the local bike shop picking up jets now. I bought this carburetor for all the boys in my neighborhood so I’m sure I’ll have it licked soon enough. This video is solid gold.

I appreciate you Gordon!

Hi Larry! I've been wondering about those Bilt Hard engines too. I've seen lots of Duromax teardowns on the Tube but none of the Bilt Hard engines. I've been wondering if they're the same engine? The parts for the Briggs CR950 arrived today so we'll get to that one ASAP. I'll share some info about a new $15 billet rod during the Briggs video.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes thanks man. I appreciate you:)

@@KentuckyFriedFixes Hi Chris , review on jungle site said made in China :( .Does it take GX200 parts?

Hi Tony! You're right. You also have to change the clutch or clutch face on the Stihl to drive the Chinese chain. The Chinese saw has no issue powering the 20" bar and would likely run a much larger bar and full chisel chain. The little Stihl ms170, not so much. LOL Thanks Tony!

Hi KS! I looked into those kits and everything looks great except the stock type carburetor. I really don't like those carbs. Did they send you an alcohol or gas version? Most alcohol versions come with a larger main jet and emulsion tube or "nozzle" (depending on what you like to call it). If an alcohol carb is used with gasoline type fuels not only do you have to change the main jet to a smaller one, you also have to change the emulsion tube. That could be your issue? But I'm just guessing though. You'll get it ironed out.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes I did specify gas and from what I can tell on the packing slip it was for gas. I spoke with ARC some on the issue and they said that the large low speed jet is a must to keep from overheating, but I guess that just goes against my conventional wisdom. I always thought the low speed jet is irrelevant at full throttle. So I am wondering if I need to reevaluate the main jet. Or just go mikuni but the top plate and throttle cable setup would have to change. I’m probably gonna keep tweaking to get this one to work. That would be nice if it’s as simple as they got the main jet wrong and sent me an alcohol configured one. I am also a little under impressed with the power. I got higher rpm with my stage 2 212 than with this, but the stroker crank could explain some of that.

That's why I'm not crazy about the stock carbs. There's just not a lot of power to be had from those things. They need to have the venturi reamed just to start building one for performance, then the fuel delivery passages aren't the best for making power either. Building a stock carb for performance is almost like building a new carb from scratch! (I know you know what I mean) I'd much rather go with either a Mikuni or PWK clone for gas or if I was kart racing and running Methanol, the Tillotson double stack carbs sure are hard to beat. Those little Methanol Tilly rascals are the closest thing to fuel injection I've ever played with. (Don't let them idle though, you'll end up with lots of Methanol in the engine oil!) OK, back to the carb at hand: It's always a good idea to make sure the fuel passages are clear first. Even in a brand new carb weird things can happen, like a metal shaving accidentally dropped into a fuel passage during the machining process. If it's still acting up after you've verified the fuel passages are clear, then I'd go with a larger main jet and keep reading the spark plug to see what it needs. If you don't have a hand full of jets laying around, you can use a pin drill or torch tip cleaner to go up one size at a time on the stock jet until you get it where it needs to be. Hang in there you'll get it. It may be worth mentioning that I have found other odd things clogging fuel passages in problem carburetors before. While trying to get the bugs out of one I found it was actually a bug clogging the passage!

@@KentuckyFriedFixes from the looks of it the main jet is the same as the one I pulled out of the stock carb. But it’s slightly larger than a .032 piece of safety wire. Maybe .037 or a 95. Would you recommend going above that for this level of build? Or does that seem plenty large and I need to be looking elsewhere for my issues. Thanks for all the replies btw.

Hi KS! Jetting is a tricky business. What works here for me may not work for you because of the difference in location, (temperature, humidity differences) and altitude. The most common things that cause most overheating issues: Either the fuel mixture is too lean (a lean mix could also be caused by a vacuum leak), or the timing is too far advanced. I'd have a look at the spark plug first. Everybody has their own way of doing things when they read a spark plug and here's mine: To accurately read the spark plug, I first remove and clean the plug so it looks like new (or install a new plug). Reinstall the plug, start the engine and make a few laps on the track (or ride around the yard while trying to always stay above half throttle). After completing a few laps, shut down the engine immediately without allowing the engine to idle. (The idle circuit is usually richer and it can mask your ability to get an accurate spark plug reading, so don't let it idle at all during this process.) Remove the spark plug and have a look. Some guys wait for it to cool off first, but I've learned how to keep from burning my fingers so I pull my spark plug immediately for a look. Check the color of the spark plug porcelain (insulator tip) and ground electrode to determine the jetting. White = too lean, Black = too rich, A nice Milk Chocolate Brown color = perfect. If the plug looks good and the engine still runs hot, it's likely time to start looking at reducing the ignition timing at the flywheel key.

Hi Anx! It sounds like the # 120 main jet should be big enough to get you started. Make sure you have prepared the carburetor according to the description before putting it on the engine. The pilot jet is very important but it needs to be running first so you can tell by the adjustment screw whether you need more or less pilot jet. Usually the factory pilot jets on these are larger than you need. Most of the time when you run into starting issues for the first start, it's caused by either an air leak (vacuum leak) where the carb mounts to the intake manifold, or the slide is not installed into the bore correctly. Verify the slide is installed all the way into the bore of the carb and you can move it up and down with the throttle. Verify the carburetor is aligned with the intake manifold and the internal O-ring is not sitting to one side or the other. Once everything is verified in place, spray a shot of carb cleaner down the throat of the carb and see if the engine starts. If it starts then immediately dies, you may have a fuel supply issue. Verify the carb fuel bowl has fuel and the float level is set correctly. The main thing to remember is don't panic. It's not voodoo or magic, you can do this. One step at a time until you get it where you want it. Again, you can do this.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes already done everything you described just wanted to make sure it was the pilot jet

Ho Josh! You are 100% correct! Adding the 2 stroke oil will NOT increase the octane of the fuel. Adding some 2 stroke oil to gasoline makes the fuel "heavier". It has more to do with increasing the specific gravity of the fuel and nothing to do with increasing octane. The octane can be increased with a few common additives. When you make the fuel heavier, you slow the burn and reduce pre-ignition. Normally (as I'm sure you already know,) these little engines don't require high octane fuel. The only time you run into issues is when you increase the compression and/or advance the ignition timing when building a performance or race engine. Thanks Josh I appreciate the discussion from sharp guys like you!

Those Holzforma saws are too expensive for me.

It may be a valve adjustment issue. If the valve lash gets too wide, the compression release will not work. Start with the easy stuff like checking the valve lash, then work your way up the list from there.

Hi Angel! My son received the Certificate of Title for this one in the mail just a few days after the bike was delivered. No issues at all with the registration and licencing.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes 🙏 thanks