Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Now that winter is upon us, I am deciding what projects to undertake.

I'm new to motorcycles, but I like to be hands on.

Early in the Summer, I bought an 85 Rebel from someone I didn't know as well as not knowing anything about bikes. If I knew then what I know now, I would have dropped the amount I offered.

One project I want to do is to rebuild the carb. Since I've owned this bike, it requires a long time to have the engine choked. In fact, I have it choked for several minutes when riding. Otherwise it stalls when I stop and runs like *hit while moving.

I'm assuming the carb is filthy because when I went to replace the air cleaner element, it had completely disintergrated. Pieces of solidified foam laying on the bottom of the intake box. I imagine some of it made it's way into the carb as well. I'm thinking this contributes to my problem with keeping the engine choked for so long.

So the question is, does Honda or an after market company make a rebuild kit for this carb? I checked Honda Directline and it just listes all parts, no kit.

If a rebuild kit does not exist, is there a place on the web that will take me step by step through the process of a rebuild? Or at least how to thoroughly clean and adjust?

Thanks for your time.

Mike Reagan

Go to your dealer and order a carb rebuild kit(s). If you want to try to save money try Ebay. Get the applicable Haynes manual. It really isn't that hard to do carbs, just keep track of all the pieces. I bag and label as I go so I don't get confused.

*edited for spelling

mgdavis wrote:Go to your dealer and order a carb rebuild kit(s). If you want to try to save money try Ebay. Get the applicable Haynes manual. It really isn't that hard to do carbs, just keep track of all the pieces. I bag and label has I go so I don't get confused.

^^^ BEST ADVICE POSSIBLE

I rebuilt the carb on my 80 XL250 without a manual and it was kinda a pain remembering how to put it back together. It can be done, I'd never done it before. My bike ran the way you describe yours before I cleaned it.

Later,
Chrome...

As far as labeling, I get pretty precise. I'll put a part or assembly in a ziplock. Then I write down the name of that part or assembly, where it came from (e.g. No. 2 eng), then the page and step that tells you how to remove it (p. 132, step 3) and a picture if it has one (fig. 3b). This way, if you get pulled away, when you come back you know what that part is:

#2 Carb
Main Jet
P.132, Step 3
Fig 3b

Also, when you have the carbs pulled off, cover the openings into the engine so you don't get bugs, dirt, or anything else inside the engine.

I know this is a late response to your post , but I very rarely get on here anymore. I had a 2002 250 rebel as my first bike and it was a very clean and well maintained bike. It also took along time to warm-up and required some amount of choke for the better part of my 15 minute commute. I think long choking/warm-up periods are just a characteristics of these little aircooled engines. As far as the desintegrated air filter goes, that would not cuase the carb to be dirty. Any pieces of air filter that broke off would just go right through the carb, into the engine and get blown out with the exhaust. Being an 85 model I would be more worried that the carb jets were gummed from old gas sitting in it and the engine not being ran. But if the bike is running at all (holding and idle, driveable), then I would think that you could run some cleaner through it, like an injector cleaner before you overhaul the carb. But honestly I think it is just a rebel being a rebel. Go to rebel250.com for a wealth of info on this great like bike.