To 30 running rough

Ive had a 53 to30 about a yr now, dont use a whole lot but semi regularly. Other day ran a little, shutoff then was running rough kept wanting to die...i had to keep fiddling with choke to stay running, not whole lot power. Since ive had her ive never used choke, cold or hot always syarted and ran fine. Just chamged plugs=black sooty.
Still running rough needed half choke to start and its over 70 degrees out
Had to slowly figgle chole around to keep running and slowly close it every so often
What do i need to adjust?
Thanks

Sounds too lean.

Try pulling the drain plug on the carb, catch what comes out.

With the tank valve open, you should get a full flow, not just a drip or trickle. If the flow is not good, clean the sediment strainer, check for flow to the carb. There may be a screen in the fitting going into the carb. If inline filters have been added, they may be too restrictive for gravity flow.

Look at what you caught, if dirty, rusty, or water/milky, the tank may need to be cleaned.

Sometimes draining the carb, flushing with some clean fuel will help. Try adjusting the idle mixture (the small top adjustment screw). Turning it in richens the mix. Try turning it in and see if the idle improves. If turning the screw makes no difference, the idle circuit is clogged and the carb will need to come apart and be cleaned. A simple job, if you are careful you can save the gasket. Just clean the passages, flush with cleaner and blow out with air.

The black soot and never needing the choke is a sign the main jet may be too rich, or the air cleaner is clogged.

Check the air cleaner first. There is a wire mesh up inside the canister that is often over looked. If severely clogged, it will need to come out and be cleaned.

The main adjust is the larger screw on top of the bowl cover. Initial adjustment is about 2 turns out from bottom. To adjust, set the engine speed for full fast governed speed. Push the throttle closed, let the engine idle down, release the throttle, the engine will full throttle up to speed. The engine should accelerate without hesitation. Turn the screw in about 1/4 turn, repeat the test. When the engine begins to hesitate, back the screw out 1/4 turn. Keep repeating until the engine accelerates without hesitation. A single puff of black smoke it desirable.

A lot of information, but it's really simple once you've done it. Keep asking, you can do this!

Check your points. Could be corroded, burned, or not the proper gap setting.

Thanks a bunch
I figured had to be fuel related since happened all of a sudden. I drained carb..not the best looking gas. Had a good stream. Cleaned the site bowl..had a lil crud in and mixed in some fresh gas and she seems back to her old self. Im sure carb prolly not set ideally as never need choke but she seems ok for now.
Also cleaned airfilter best i cld.
Thanks

Brand and NUMBER on the spark plugs please.
The plugs maybe too cold of a heat range.

did it run fine BEFORE u changed plugs??? Put OLD plugs back in and
try it. If old plugs make it run fine then the new plugs are faaulty.

Brand and NUMBER that is on the plug. Use the number on the plug to
determine heat range for the plug.

I chamged the plugs after it was running crappy.
They didnt make a difference either way.

(quoted from post at 12:24:57 09/04/17) Sounds too lean.

Check the air cleaner first. There is a wire mesh up inside the canister that is often over looked. If severely clogged, it will need to come out and be cleaned.

!

Click to expand...

[b:ad03a8ab4e]Is this in the canister or at the dashboard? How do you remove it is it a insert or the canister?[/b:ad03a8ab4e]