Hi,
A friend gave us a 1990 HOnda TRX300, Fourtrax 300.
It's been sitting inside a garage for 3 or 4 years. Body has been well cared for and they said it was serviced right before their grandkids quit riding it. So, I think it's not been abused and has been kept up until they just left it sitting.
Now...
I put a new battery on it, it tries to turn over but I don't smell gas. The fuel shut off is turned to on. I flipped up this "decompress" lever (whatever that does). it automatically flips back down.
I'm not a mechanic and I'm sure it would do well to just go to a mechanics shop. But I was looking for you guys help in maybe pointing me and my sons in the right troubleshooting direction. Father/son thing.
Needs new airfilter yes.
Speaking of airfilters, I am used to priming an old truck of mine by taking the breather cover off and pouring a lil gas into into the carb. But, (my first atv here), the carb and air inlet are under the seat and obviously you can't pour gas sideways to prime it. (stop laughing...haha)
Any constructive thoughts or anything I can do to get this thing cranked and goin?
Thanks!
Mark

 

Welcome to the forum. Before I would even try starting it I would remove the carb. and clean it. Flip it upside down take the bowl off unscrew the recessed brass jets spray everything with carb. cleaner including all the little passages. Get a piece of wire and thread through the holes in the jets to make sure they are clear. Put it all back together put a new spark plug in it as well as fresh gas. Also when you try to start it just choke it don't give it any gas by the way of the throttle till it starts or it will flood it . As far as the decompression lever flip it all the way over when you hit the start button it should flip back, It's opening the exhaut port just long enough to get it turning over. Hope this helps. P.S. it usually dosen't take much to get old Honda's to start, if it has spark gas and compression it will start.

 

Hey, very good. I think we can do that.
One thing, 'compression'.
the air filter is TOTALLY shot, falls apart when you touch it. I have to try to find a new one.
But..I notice as it's trying to turn over, I put my hand over that intake (I guess its what it's called, where the air filter goes) and there's no suction goin on? That normal? my old truck kinda has a suction noise as it's trying to turn over.
I have a question also about these hoses, 3 or 4 small black ones, running the length of the tank (removed). they just sorta end nowhere. just sitting there open to air.
And there is one of those that is off and hanging loose down by the carb. I think it went on the carb somewhere cuz it has a tiny c-clamp on it. The squeezeable kind, like it goes on a fitting.
Again, stop laughing at me. LOL. NOT the mechanic, but trying to have some fun getting something going with my boys.
Thanks!
Mark

 

Not laughing at all we all been new to this at one time. The little black hoses you are referring to are probably vent hoses for the carb. nothing to worry about. Never tried putting my hand over the intake but I would imagine you really wouldn't feel a suction.

 

Ok, wull, what bout that one with the c clamp? If I need to take some pix I can.

 

Yes that would probably be best, take some pics.

 

These may come across big! Sorry.....

 

looks to me to be the fuel line that goes from the gas tank petcock to the carb. Kind of hard to tell with the tank and plastic on.

 

"gas tank petcock".....

This one is off of Wikipedia.

You talkin the fuel shutoff? MIne has one line running to and from intact and it looks to be to the carb.
Are there any diagrams anywhere online I can look at? If I have instructions, I can build a rocket. I just need to see/know what goes where.

 

HEY!! IT cranked!!

Didn't run but it cranked at least.
My 13 year old son did what the 19 year old son and the 47 year old father didn't do..........
He read the directions (gets it from his mother) in the owner's manual. Believe it or not the dood had the original manual.
There is a lil primer **** there that was sorta frozen up. I worked it loose, pumped it a few times and it cranked. But, it didn't run.
I think it was flooded from too much pumping and throttling.
But, at least it turned over and it sounded great for about 5 secs. You could smell the gas, as it flooded.
Now..to figure out why it wouldn't keep running.