AQ120B no cold starts

[Handegard]

So, hard to start cold, equals lean. But this carb has only 2 adjustments, and no choke. (Came with no choke from the factory)...

I've got a Solex 44 PHN side draft on a AQ120B. Last year, never started on it's own cold. Once I warmed it up, I could restart it all I wanted. Classic lean.

So, this year, I ordered a carb rebuild kit, and rebuild it. Now, this is a very, very simple carb, only a dozen pieces in the kit. I'm very confidant everything went together as it should. I am also confident in the jets being clean, I could see through each of them.

But the problem persists, it may even be harder to start. My suspect list-

1. Air Bleed Screw- In, out, either way this seems not to help.
2. Idling Screw- This just holds the butterfly open a minimum amount.
3. Accelerator pump rod- Can't find a adjusment procedure for this- I really think it might be helpfull.
4. Aaaand float height/valve- The new valve didn't seem to be a perfect replacement. I'll swap the old one back in. Could float height do this? To low-not enough fuel?
5. Any other ideas?

They way my dad always started it was to pump the throttle a couple times (triggering the accelerator pump) and crank it. That doesn't work for me. If I do that (or manually work the accelerator pump then crank) it does fire, briefly, but never really starts.

I'm all ears, thanks!

 

[Don S]

Re: AQ120B no cold starts

You need to give it some throttle when it starts. After you pump it 2 or 3 times, run it up to 1500 to 2000 rpm till it warms up a bit and stays running, then idle it down.
They are cold blooded, and run best with a new tuneup. Be sure to set the dwell at 62 or 63? for best starting, then reset the timing.