Tao Tao ATA 125 Carb Settings
 

Hey guys, you said I could come back and ask questions so I am back. The 125 I purchased had a gummed up carb, so I took it apart, cleaned it really well and put it back on the quad. I was able to get it started briefly, then it died and would restart - I drained the battery, so I had to recharge it.

The previous owner and his pal had messed with the adjustment screws and I was wondering where each should be set initially to try to get it started again. I read that they should be turned in completely and then backed out 1 1/2 turns each does that sound right. By both screws, I mean the idle adjustment and the and the one below it on the carb body. I think it was referred to as the main jet screw, but am not sure if that is correct.

Any other suggestions or guidance is really appreciated.

There will likely be a screw on the side of the carb with a spring behind it that is idle speed; it needs to be adjusted after the engine is running. Just set it to an idle speed that is high enough to run, but low enough to not overheat. You'll need to make another adjustment after setting the pilot mixture screw.

The pilot mixture screw is a much smaller screw, and it is usually recessed in the aluminum carb body. 1.5 turns out from fully seated is a good place to start (be gentle when seating the screw). The pilot mixture screw affects the transition from idle to main, and it should be adjusted so that there is no bog or hesitation upon opening the throttle. If you need to turn it out more than two turns to get it to idle, either the slow jet (or slow jet passage) is clogged, or the slow jet is too small.

If you're uncertain about which screw is which, post some pics and we'll guide you.

Thanks! If I can ask one more question. What should the spark plug be gapped at?

.028" (0.7mm). Don't be shy about questions. :D

Thank you very much for your continued help.

Since the bike had old gas left in it. I am going to replace the fuel filter and spark plug in addition to adjusting the carb and the cleaning of the carb which I already performed.

As I had stated initially, I did have the bike started briefly, now it it'll turn over, but won't fire. I haven't tried since last night, so there is a possibility that I flooded, so I am hoping that today will yield different results with some basic maintenance.

Any other suggestions at this time are welcomed and appreciated as I am new to the ATVs.

Perhaps a new NGK will do the trick. Before you install it, check for spark and see if it appears strong.