Honda Rebel 250

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My wife and I were at a Estate sale over the weekend and bought a 2006 Honda Rebel for my 17 year old daughter. She is very short and fits her well. The bike was owned by a 74 year old and he died two months prior. He was in the hospital before that for 4 months his daughter said. The gas looked awful in the bike. I drained all the gas out and mixed a cocktail of gas and mmo and B12 chemtool cleaner. It starts right up, but idles rough. The carb looks like a nightmare to remove and clean. What's your opinion on do you think the jets will clear themselves. They can't be two blocked as it still runs. I have read these bike engines are bullet proof. I changed the oil with Super tech 15w40. They say change it frequently do to no oil filter. Only holds 1.6 qt. My plan run two tanks of gas thru it a re evaluate the idle and performance. If I have to pull the carb, I guess I will. Looks like a job.
 
The oil was nice a gold and looked new. The previous owner was a retired mechanic and I saw a lot of old Pennzoil jugs laying about. The was the original owner and the bike only has 6700 miles on it.
 
It might, but you may have to run a few batches of B12 through it. You have nothing to lose, give it a shot--B12 is tough on carbon and gunk caused by gasoline residue.
 
Pilot jets are probably gummed up. I've never found anything that will clean them except removing them and cleaning them manually. But I never used B12 either.
If it was me I'd open carb and clean it properly. Mains probably have gunk as well.
 
I'd manually clean the carb/fuel system because of its use on the street. If it was just an Atv then I'd just try something in the gas.
 
Personally, I would overdose it with Techron. It is the only thing I have found that will clear out small pilot jets in short order.

In fact, how I would probably approach it is: Turn off gas valve, drain the float bowl with the drain screw. (It has one....Honest!) Pull the fuel line off of the fuel valve, and using a small funnel, fill the line with Techron, thus filling the float bowl.

Attempt to start engine, full choke, for a half dozen tries. (It will probably not run well on straight Techron). Let sit overnight. Attempt to start a few more times, before draining half of the float bowl contents (Best estimate). Then start and ride. I am betting it is running well within minutes.
 
When I first got my 1984 xj650. It had been sitting for a long time I changed the oil drained the tank and carbs then dropped a full can of b12 and then topped with premium. Once it got to the point it would stay running I would ride in some neighborhoods for 15 minutes and then let the mixture soak for a week and repeat till tank was empty. It worked great and didn't have to pull the carbs until the old throttle shafts seals went. As has been said best idea is to get a rebuild kit for 20 some odd bucks and have at it. But this will do the trick. It is running so nothing is completely clogged (I would think) and b12 is great for this type of thing.
 
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Is SuperTech 15w40 a non energy conserving oil? I ask because I'm betting the rebel 250 engine shares lubrication with the trans and you may end up with a slipping clutch...
 
Yeah about the oil my bike is also a shared sump and I run shell rotella 15w40. Since my cars have t6 in them I'm going to run that for a cycle in the cycle.
 
Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Personally, I would overdose it with Techron. It is the only thing I have found that will clear out small pilot jets in short order.

In fact, how I would probably approach it is: Turn off gas valve, drain the float bowl with the drain screw. (It has one....Honest!) Pull the fuel line off of the fuel valve, and using a small funnel, fill the line with Techron, thus filling the float bowl.

Attempt to start engine, full choke, for a half dozen tries. (It will probably not run well on straight Techron). Let sit overnight. Attempt to start a few more times, before draining half of the float bowl contents (Best estimate). Then start and ride. I am betting it is running well within minutes.


Similar technique has worked for me MANY times with all kinds of small engine stuff.
 
The Rebel 250 is shared sump, so I would put some proper fresh oil in it unless those Pennzoil jugs were the Pennzoil Long Life diesel oil. The rebel 250 also doesn't have an oil filter, just a screen as it is really a very old design.

I have seen B12 chemtool clean out carbs that were slightly gunked up but you really have to overdose it. Don't get it on the paint, it can damage it as it has some pretty gnarly solvents in it.
 
Please don't take this as an attack on you or your abilities.

The Rebel 250 really does have a very simple, single carb. It's easy to remove, easy to disassemble and easy to install. In fact, I can't think of a bike that is easier to work on. I have no doubt you can and should clean that carb's pilot jet.
 
Iam sure I could get it off, I familiar with those carbs from the Polaris four strokes and I had a KLR 650. That was a nightmare to remove the carb from. I am spoiled from the two stroke Mikuni carbs. They are like changing a spark plug. My daughter is riding the wheels off it. She put a couple hundred miles on since that post. Iam going to see if it improved.
 
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