Thanks Rob, that was going to be the second thing I suggested.
I haven't encountered a sticking float on a Honda carburetor yet, but obviously it could happen - it certainly happens to other carburetors. Perhaps it is associated with not using the engine for a long time, allowing time for gum to form on the float lever pivot.
The main thing is to do the diagnosis in the simplest way, and the way that we personally prefer, so for me, step one is to clean the needle and seat, because you can easily do that without removing the carburetor from the engine. If necessary you can dismantle and clean the float pivot without removing the carburetor, but it would be awkward, and personally I'd rather not work on the float mechanism if there's a good chance it's just some dirt I can blow out without much effort. If I distrust the float mechanism, I'd rather remove the carburetor and clean the whole of it properly - but that is a bigger job than just blowing some carb cleaner into the intake pipe.
I'm surprised to hear that you've been finding sticky float pivots, and I'm glad you posted to report it - that is yet another of the interesting issues that you have found and reported. You have worked on far more Hondas and chondas than I have at this point. Your reports and tips have become a key source of information for me, and I'm sure for others.
