Honda using way too much fuel

[Petros]

I thought some of you might have some ideas to what else to check. My daughters '86 CRX just recently started using a lot of fuel, it suddenly is getting about half the mpg it did before I changed the old fuel lines and spark plug wires.

It is the carberated version similar to the Tercel, except is has about twice as many vacuum lines. The old fuel lines were leaky (both the supply line and the return line between the tank and the fuel pump) so I replaced them, and I thought I would try a different set of used wires (that look to be in fair condition). Now my daughter complains it is using too much fuel. I thought it might be leaking somewhere but I can not find it, and I do not smell gas when I stick my head in the engine compartment or under the car. Might be just coincidence, but I thought I would pull the top of the carb and clean it out, see if the float valve is working okay. It seems to start and run okay.

The geeks over on the CRX list only know about EFI, most are too young to know what a carburetor is.

[keith]

Don't want to rush you but it won't take long for a leaking carburator to cause the #2 piston to crack a land between the rings.

[takza]

I had a Chevy straight six seize up after letting a carb leak down into the intake go too long....started it up one morning and got a bit of a screech....probably broke a ring? I'd keep putting some top oil in the gas till you get it sorted out.

[Petros]

The car has been starting okay until yesterday. my daughter stopped for gas and than it would not start, cranked but no spark. AFter several paniced phone calls and a half an hour it started. First time it has done that, made her late for class. If it is too rich and warm it would easily flood.

I pulled the top of carb off this morning (in the dark and rain!), and cleaned out the bowl and jets with carb cleaner. It did not look too bad inside, but neither was it clean. When I put breath pressure on the float valve and closed it by lifting the float it seemed to cut off the flow just fine. So the needle valve is probably okay. I blew out the carb, replaced the fuel supply line (between the carb and pump), it was the last of factory original fuel line (looked bad), with new clamps. put it together and and it started up fine. Since she made it to school today without calling, I presume everything went well.

We will see if it solves the problem.