Honda GX160 leaking needle/seat

[BLES]

OK. Had a hard starting/running Honda in the cold. Flushed fuel, ran carb through ultrasonic, sparkplug switch, etc.. Upon re-assembly I CANNOT get the needle to hold. Tried my usual tricks. Replaced with a new Honda float and needle. Still leaks. Any other secrets to try? It's on an inverter generator, so complete carb swap is last thing I want to do. Any help?
Desperate.
BLES

[KE4AVB]

If I remember correctly these carburetors has a pressed in brass needle seat and use a rubber tipped needle. If so you would need to determine if it is leaking at the needle contact or if it is leaking around the press in seat. If it is the needle contact area you can try some fine valve grinding compound try to clean and polish this area(sometimes works and other times doesn't). If it leaking around the outer edge of the brass seat then I would think your going to need a new carburetor.

[BLES]

No, this has the "plastic" seat, with the rubber-tipped needle. It was sealing before it went through the ultrasonic, but nothing seems to work now.
BLES

[KE4AVB]

No, this has the "plastic" seat, with the rubber-tipped needle. It was sealing before it went through the ultrasonic, but nothing seems to work now.
BLES

I haven't seen any of the plastic seat version here yet but will an eye open for them. They keep getting cheaper by the day. Sad, they should stick to things that work long term. I never had much faith in plastic when used in engine components.

What probably what happen was the ultrasonic cleaned out some corrosion that was keeping the seat sealed. I had a couple 2C carburetors last that started leaking after cleaning. Both were leaking around the seats after cleaning them. They were both +10 years carburetors so I can expect just about anything.

[BLES]

After numerous attempts, it's mysteriously started holding, just as it started leaking. I always use and encourage use of the fuel shut-off on these, but still makes me nervous. I like it when I find a clear problem and a clear repair.
BLES

[stienut13]

"The cat did it. I saw him do it."

So says my 11 yr old grandson.

Gotta love 'em!!

Glad it worked itself out, for now.

Good luck.

Jim

[NevadaWalrus]

The GX engines use a plastic seat that are pressed in. They have an o-ring between plastic and carb body that can go south. They are not considered replaceable. However, I have had moderate success with doing so. The o-ring is available only in the gasket/seal kit and is included in it as a replacement for the black pilot jet but is the same. At one time the o-ring for the pilot jet was available separately but unsure if it still is. You have to very carefully and slowly wedge the seat body out of the carb, very easy to break and not available. Thing is you have little to lose, the carb is unusable as is anyway and if you break the seat you're back to buying a new carb which is where you are now.
At this point I wouldn't trust the carb even though it stopped leaking, for the moment.