[Jay]

My Leopard starts and runs great but is running leaner than I like after a carburetor rebuild. I was careful to preserve the cantilever height and the pop-off measures 10-11 lbs. My flex wrap used to get quite wet and now runs dry. The plug insulator used to run damp and brown, now is dry and tan color. Reeds look like new. I am running the lo mix screw out 1  3/4 and the hi out 1 turn. These settings are a tad richer than usual–but still running leaner than I like. What do suppose I have done (or failed to do)?

[Clark Gaynor Sr.]

It doesn’t sound like there’s anything wrong with it!!!  A wet pipe, wet and dark plug are all indications of it being WAY TOO rich!  Dry pipe, dry plug, with a light brown color is about what you’re looking for.  Open the high needle a bit more then check it again (1/8 turn or so).  If it’s wet and dark again, turn it back in to one turn.  Try going 7/8 or 15/16 turns on the high and keep an eye on the plug.

Leopards tend to be very forgiving.  They run pretty well a little rich.  If however the plug starts to look grayish white, it may be a bit too lean.  Also as a quick check, pull the pipe off and look in the header.  It should be a VERY light shade of tan to almost white.  The plug, pipe and top of the piston tells the story.  Light tan is what you’re looking for.

Have fun with it,

Clark Sr.

[Author]

Posts