Starting issues

[MrBil]

Hi All

I'm new to the Odessys world and can't wait for this thing to be running.  It is a 1979 stock FL250.  Sat for a year with old gas in it.  I've rplaced the sparkplg, fuel filter and some of the fuel line that was cracked.  Cleaned up the carb and its all shiny like new.

So heres the dilema.  Choke is on, pull and it sputters a bit but won't kick over.  If I remove the sparkplug and give it a few pulls I can smell gas.  Put the plug in, a few more pulls and it fires up.  Runs for a minete then just dies.  No matter how many pulls it won't start again.

The only thing I havn't pulled off and apart is the fuel pump.  Am I correct in deducting the issue could be starvation?  My pulling is priming the float chamber but if the pump can't keep up with demand the chamber empties?

Did a lot of reading the last week or so.  Have the owners manual, Clymer manual, and a shop manual I downloaded from here.  Thanks a lot for that.

Thanks for any help in advance, already learned a lot from reading the posts.

[hoodlum]

When it's running and it dies, do the rpm's go up any before it quits? That is usually the case when it runs out of fuel...Have you checked the compression? Low compression is one of the main culprits of hard starting and not wanting to idle....
Hoodlum

[LiveWire]

It running out of fuel does sound likely. Low compression means blow by. Blow by means smaller pulse waves in the crank case which is what runs the pump. So I would check the compression first. The carb and the pump are probably gumbed up. If you pull apart the pump, you might as well put in a new diaphragm. http://www.aftershockmotorsports.com/Honda-FL250-Odyssey/Fuel-and-Air/Fuel-Pump-Rebuild-Kit