Carb question

[Drifter]

Hi everyone
Still trying to get my 79 drifter 340 running bang on.  I have cleaned the carb a few times, replaced needle and seat, main jet and pilot jet.  My question is does the brass needle jet need to be removed from the carb to be cleaned properly?  I spray brake cleaner and compressed air through it but on the parts breakdown it looks like there might be an orfice through it horizontally as well as vertically.  I wish I could attach the parts breakdown because it shows it removed from carb.

Still not sure it is a carb issue because it runs poorly through all throttle positions.  It's just kinda flat not zingy like a 2 stroke should be.  It would not spin the track on launch, just putter off. I changed both coils and that definitely helped.  After my rebuild I set the timing position on the factory mark but I wonder if its out.  Don't have a timing lite to check.

If I don't git er runnin by march break I will have to pay my guy to figure it out.

[Lloyd (ljm)]

Yes it should be removed and cleaned.

 They push out from the bottom when the main jet is removed. Sometimes they can be stuck in there pretty good. I have had to hammer some out .. be careful not to damage it.

 Lloyd

[mswyka]

Somewhere around here I have a photo of the needle jet.  There is a small reservoir up at the top and at idle air passes through a duct in the bottom of the inlet directly into the reservoir to help atomize the fuel.  You have to clean out the reservoir with something small like a torch tip cleaner.

[Drifter]

All right, Knowing it might be stuck in there well I will practice on spare carb but would you try a screwdriver or small socket or something softer than brass to not damage it (maybe make a drift out of nylon slider material?)

Thanks guys

[Lloyd (ljm)]

 I have put an old jet in (without the washer) and tapped on the jet with a steel punch and hammer. I even used a steel punch in the 20ton press once. figured I had nothing to lose

[bryan_damone]

I push them out with a pencil.

[Drifter]

They both came out very easy.  Cleaned and reinstalled.  No difference in performance.  Not sure if I should put the money out for a timing lite or not.  I think that should be my next check.

[mswyka]

Somewhere around here I have a photo of the needle jet.  There is a small reservoir up at the top and at idle air passes through a duct in the bottom of the inlet directly into the reservoir to help atomize the fuel.  You have to clean out the reservoir with something small like a torch tip cleaner.

Here is the photo.  I had these out any number of times but never knew enough to clean them.  Black gunk is clearly visible in air passage.