Vanguard 16 surging, out of ideas

[snaps10]

My vanguard is surging pretty good. Just enough to engage the clutch at idle. It does away at half-choke, and high rpms.
Yesterday was a comedy of errors. Pulled the carb, which is a pain with the engine cover and intake manifold in these. Clean carb and intake manifold well, put back together, as soon as I plugged in gas it flowed everywhere. Pull hose, scratch head. Needle salve was very clean. Put back together, gas flow everywhere. Pull hose. Start engine (by pull starter, because my starter gear is shot and won’t be here for a few days) runs like a champ until out of fuel. Look again, see needle valve in bowl!!!! How the crap? Replace needle valve, pull start, runs like a champ, until it starts on fire because of all the fuel. CO2 extinguisher. Clean up. Everything looks good. Put back together. Start up. Starts immediately.
Surging.

Any ideas? I’ve got fresh, non-ethanol 93 octane in it with seafoam run through already. Carb is spotless inside.

[Joe H]

I know you say the carb is spotless inside but did you remove the low speed adjuster when you cleaned the carb? If you did and cleaned it well it probably just an adjustment issue, if you didn't I suspect your problem is a dirty low speed circuit.

[snaps10]

I’ve had this carb apart and cleaned three times. It’s running worse than ever now. Surging all the way through the throttle position. If you run it for more than 5min or so it will start to die until you choke it for a bit.

It’s a Nikki 6100 series 808069 which I’ve found very little info about.

What are my options for a different carb? It’s a 16hp Vanguard. Building headers and exhaust for it now so I wouldn’t mind flowing some more air through the motor.

[Toys4Me]

Do you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner? My guess is there is still something in the carb. The vanguard in my Argo had these issues and after probably half dozen cleanings finally whatever was the problem was cleared. Are you blowing out all the passages with liquid or air. I tend to use a spray them out with carb cleaner rather than air. Another option is to pull the carb, tare it down and soak it in a carb cleaner over night. What usually happens with these is a tiny bit of varnish or dirt get stuck.

[snaps10]

Yeah. I’ve blown all of them out with the carb cleaner and red nozzle (never know where the stuff is going to shoot! Lol)

Part of my insanity is not finding my same model number of carb anywhere online to even find what rebuild kit to buy.

[Toys4Me]

I've got a number of rebuild kits and always turns out to be just junk in carb.

[snaps10]

I've got a number of rebuild kits and always turns out to be just junk in carb.

It was the mid range jet. It’s running great now. And I’m an expert at pulling it apart after the 4th time. It’s a miracle my gasket is still functioning after all that.

[Toys4Me]

Great to here.

[reichstall]

sorry been away from computer for a couple of days .If your carb has a little silver looking plug on it those come out and you will see tiny ports back there no matter how much you soak or blow air you will not clean them . This plug will be destroyed on removal so be sure to find one before you do it. I than reseal it with clear nail polish. If you have a motor number I can tell you what kit to order. Hope this helps.