Hello everyone. First post here.

I have an 87 Honda Elite 80 which I have enjoyed driving for many years. I always keep the oils and air filter changed and use premium gas etc. But the last several weeks have been very frustrating.

It was running fine until I gassed up one day. Usually I don't use the pump at full force, I gently add gas. But I wasn't thinking one day, and jetted the gas in at high pressure at the pump. About halfway home the bike started to buck and would barely make it home, sputtering, now power, etc. I was sure I had kicked up some dirt and clogged a jet. So I took the car off, cleaned the jets etc, took it completely apart and put in my sonic cleaner. I have done this several times with this carb and others. Also pulled off the tank and emptied it, cleaned it, aired it out etc. It was in good condition, no rust etc. Intalled an inline fuel filter and put it back together. Ran ok for a few miles, then bogged down like it was flooding. I readjusted the air screw to factory using the sequence in the shop guide. Sometimes it would idle, sometimes not. I could drive it a short ways but it would not run well--seemed to be flooding. So I thought I may have messed the float height or didn't get the needle seated correctly, but they were fine. All looked good inside the carb. One very odd thing was that I while trying to adjust the air screw and throttle, I could take the air screw competely out that the bike would keep running. In the past, turrning the air screw counterclocwise would rev the engine up. Not now. So I was going to do a compression test (first with my thumb), so I pulled out the plug and when I cranked it, gas shot out the plug hole. A lot of gas. I dont think this is normal is it? Also I removed that choke needle thing and bench tested it and it is working. The needle slow pushes out when hooked to a battery. I also hooked it up to the bike while it was, and it is juicing up from the stator (or wherever) also. So that's probably not the issue.

So I thought maybe I really screwed something up when I removed the carb and cleaned it. I am no mechanic. So I bought a clone carb off amazon that had decent reviews, Bolted it up and the bike fired right up, drove for a few miles and same symptoms. Bogging down, smell of gas etc, just like with the factory carb. Tried to set the air screw/throttle, and again turning the air screw out had no impact (turning it in would kill the engine). Pulled the plug, and again gas came shooting out when I cranked it.

I pulled off the timing cover (valve cover maybe?) and the timing marks seem to be where they should be at TDC. (even with the top--at 3 and 9 oclock) and I checked the valves and they were dead on.

I CANNOT think of anything else to check. Please help! Thanks in advance!