2001 Big bear 400 4x4 carb part broke

[Ironworker709]

I recently got a great deal on a 2001 Big Bear 400 4x4.it sat in a barn for 2 years while the guy was in college,so it need carb work...got it to use around the property,not racing or anything crazy with it

It runs GREAT and strong..no smoke or funny noises,just seems to have an issue at times ,when you hit the throttle it want's to die ,most of the time it runs strong.

So am debating a rebuild kit or new oem carb...i got to looking around really good yesterday and found this broke off..( the bent tube where the pencil is pointing).... is this a part that comes with a new carb?..if not,,where can i get the part?

I found a diagram online but it does not show the bent tube with a nut on it but says it a "Starter set" in the diagram(Number 21 in the diagram)

I checked the petcock and it is getting plenty of fuel flow..but it has the common drip leak..so i am ordering a new one,..was going to get the seal kit but for the price it is about the same price as a whole new petcock

Just trying to figure out where i can get this part for repair

[Mech]

That part has probably damaged the threads in the aluminium where it screws in.  There's a nut which you should be able to see, if you undo that all the other pieces inside should pull straight out.. The inner most part does have a habit of seizing in the aluminium though. Probably best to have a go at getting it apart and seeing if the aluminium's ok, and whether the choke plunger is seized in, then deciding on a course of action.

If the choke can be repaired then a carby clean is probably the best option. Genuine carbies are a terrible price and aftermarket ones almost always need playing with/tuning to get right for the bike..

[Gwbarm]

That looks like the choke plunger it screws in, mine was plastic so it didn't damage carb threads, it came with the new carb that I ordered, I doubt it comes with a kit so you will need to order separately, if you are not replacing carb. If its not broke you may be able to clean up the threads and screw it back in.

[Mech]

Good point Gw. I'd forgotten about those plastic ones..

 

[Mech]

And if it is just the plastic nut broken, those are the same on a lot of makes, and some makes sell the nut separately. They are $11 Aussie for a suzuki one.

[Gwbarm]

Amazon 

[Ironworker709]

Thanks..you guys are GREAT!

The way i am seeing it now,is i will most likely have to cut the choke cable to get at that plastic piece to remove it from the carb and now i see many choices of the choke plunger kit,the cable itself..and even just the plastic plunger cap itself..for price differences i think i will just order the whole cable kit that comes with the plunger kit too if i decide to rebuild it,but if just buy a new OEM carb just get the cable since the carb comes with the plunger kit installed

I was looking for a OEM Mikuni carb..finding them for around 165.00...but all i can find is some that are advertised for 03-06...07-12 but nothing specific for a 2001...is there really a difference in them?..such as maybe jetted different..or a fitment issue?

So if i can't find the exact match..guess i will be going with a rebuild kit and hoping i can get the choke plunger plastic poece out with out damaging the threads

I was thinking of a new carb because i am kind time limited at the moment..i am building a new shop,,and clearing out the sides of our private road 1/4 mile long of trees and bushes on the side of it and the trenching the dirt off the sides and back onto the road to level it out once again..it's a mess..and the this 4 wheeler will be super handy in helping drag bushes and trees out into the woods

[Ironworker709]

I will get pictures of it in the morning and post here..

While i was in South Texas running a nightshift crew at a Nuclear plant outage,i ran across this on FB marketplace ,he had started at 3000.00....then noticed down to 2100.00..when i messaged him we went back n forth a bit and he said if i come get it the next day for 1500.00 cash,it's mine.....i took it for a test ride and hauled it away and brought it home with me to Georgia when the job was done......it sat in his fathers barn on a Huge ranch while he was in college for 2 years..was just used for the farm..it even came with some genuine cowshit on the fenders..lol.....it even has some newer Mud Zillas on it..but think i am going to swap them out later for something less aggressive ,my grandkids and family rides them around here a lot and these tires tear up my dirt road and yard pretty easily,,i have an old Honda recon 2wd that's about wore out and needing a rebuild and was just looking for something a lil bigger and 4x4

[Mech]

It's worth trying to get that choke plunger out and saving the cable.. and carby  If you disconnect the cable at the handlebars it will give you a bit of extra cable which will let you slide the rubber cap and plastic nut along so you can see down into the choke slide. If you use a tiny screwdriver very carefully you might get that plunger to rotate, then pull out. The plungers are soft and distort out of shape easily so you need a real tiny screwdriver that will go down deep into the slot in the plunger. If you lever near the top the plunger will flare out a little.. but then you can use long nosed pliers to tweak them back in.. very carefully.. The plungers are so soft they can be squeezed in too much..If you put some wd40 or crc in there and tap the aluminum, before trying to turn the plunger it helps. There is I think a bit of tube looking aluminium where the plunger goes in, if you tap along there it helps vibrate the oil in and expands the tube.. If you get the plunger out even if it's damaged and needs the kit, it saves the carburetor and the cable.

I'd fix the choke and do a standard sort of tune and then see what to do next. Check the valves, sparkplug, airfilter, exhaust condition.

The aftermarket carbies are generic tune. They probably sell the same carby as fitting some big street bike. They don't suit every bike or market. They nearly always need some adjustments. I'd recommend fixing the one you have.

I like the sound of your place there Ironworker.. Kids and all. Dirt driveways are a never ending job.. and the trees just keep growing too..

Have fun.

[Ironworker709]

The carbs i was looking into are not aftermarket..they are OEM Mikuni carbs..i messaged the guy about the difference in them..he said just jetted different in the later years..but i don't know if they are jetted bigger or smaller

I'm sure the plunger is not froze up..the choke actually works when i hold the broke line in place and adjust the choke...it's just broke off there..i may of done it myself when i had a hell of time removing the fuel line from the carb to see if the petcock was clogged or the little filter on it in the tank

I started it up this morning it was in the 40's so didn't want to start easily until i held the cable tight and pulled the choke on......i used it for a while today dragging some small trees and bushes into the woods...it will still intermittently stall when hitting the throttle,then suddenly run strong and fine,like as if it is starving for fuel,i think either the float is sticking closed at times,or something floating around in the fuel bowl and stopping up the jets.....

I think i'll just order a New Mikuni carb tonight for the 03-06 models since i can't seem to find the exact 01 Mikuni anywhere,i can just change the jets out if needed,but i will probably just bolt it on and go,i have so many things going on and need this thing to run better between building my new shop and redoing our road 

I have 11 acres near a good fishing river..we have some trails made through the thick woods that we use for hunting and the kids walk and ride through

[Gwbarm]

You shouldn't have to cut the cable the spring and plunger holds it together and the plastic piece just holds it to the engine, I was replacing my carb any way so I had it out and even with it out it was difficult to get the new plastic piece to screw into carb not enough room for a wrench or fingers ended up using needlenose pliers. I tried the aftermarket carb only because the OEM for mine was 600.00, more than I paid for the bike, figured if it didn't work good it was a 40.00 gamble, but so far I couldn't ask for better.

[Ironworker709]

The plastic piece is broke off flush with the carb body..i tried getting to it while on the bike,,the spring is in the way to get anything like a needle nose pliers and such to turn it..it seem tight in there.plus it's just limited space to work with it on the bike....if i have to take the carb off..i am going either rebuild or new..i don't mind spending 165.00 on a new knowing it will work as it should and be quicker about it.i'll just keep the original for a back up for a rebuild...i found 2 people selling 03-06 and 07-12 carbs..was told the only differences is the jetting,whicha local guy in a shop said he ups the jet sizes in them anyhow.....

I tried the chinese carbs on my 2000 honda recon,the first one seemed great for about 6 months..then wouldn't never idle right and no rebuild kits for it...i bought a new OEM carb for it from a honda dealer on ebay for 90.00 3 years ago and since then runs perfect.....so my preference is always OEM carbs

Here is a pic of it..it needs a good cleaning and the plastics are faded..but thing runs great and strong

[Mech]

You could undo the drain screw on the bottom of the carb and that will show if there is plenty of fuel getting into the carb, and, it might drain out a bit of water which could be causing your intermittent miss.

[Ironworker709]

9 hours ago, Mech said:

You could undo the drain screw on the bottom of the carb and that will show if there is plenty of fuel getting into the carb, and, it might drain out a bit of water which could be causing your intermittent miss.

I ordered a new Mikuni carb earlier..will be here saturday and i'll just swap it out..and hopefully get the broke piece out easily once i have the old carb off.....

I am sure it needs a serious rebuild,,,when i brought it hime..i drained the gas out and it smelled and looked nasty..i've been running a strong mix of seafoam,,i also ordered a new petcock since it drips a bit in the on position..so i will flush the tank out too