How to Adjust a Honda Carburetor

by Carl Pruit

To get the best fuel efficiency, as well as power, the carburetor on your Honda engine needs to be adjusted to provide the optimum performance. Due to weather conditions and use, the carburetor adjustments can change, requiring them to be readjusted. Operating the Honda engine with the wrong adjustment settings can also cause damage to the engine. Making these adjustments is a simple process that you can accomplish in a matter of moments, allowing you to save time and money.

Step 1

Start your Honda engine and allow it to idle for about five minutes until it is warmed up. Shut the engine off and remove the air cleaner from the top of the engine by using a pair of pliers to remove the nut on top of the air cleaner.

Step 2

Locate the idle adjustment screw, just below the fast idle cam. You will find the fast idle cam connected to a spring-loaded hinge with a throttle cable attached.

Step 3

Restart the engine and turn the idle adjustment screw one half turn clockwise. Listen to the engine and if it is about to die out, turn the adjustment screw counterclockwise just enough to even it out.

Step 4

Let the engine run for about 30 seconds at the new adjustment until the motor evens out. Check the RPMs on your tachometer on the instrument panel of your Honda and verify the speed.

Step 5

Turn the idle adjustment screw slowly until the RPMs are reading around 850. When you have it set, let the engine idle for 30 seconds to even out, and then shut off the engine.