HELP! 357xp Metering Needle/Flooding Issues

[NZsaws]

Hello Guys.
Here's one that has me stumped...

Have fully rebuilt and ported a 357 that came to me with a stuck rung so never had it running prior rebuild.
It has the HDA198 carb so no excellerator pump. It will run, but runs so rich on low jet such that its sprays fuel back out through carb and fills exhaust with fuel.
Need to dry it out to get started again.
Have dropped the metering lever below the base quite a bit but still no fix. Tried a number of heights.
The last time I cleaned inside the metering lever seat and I did find an improvement for a few minutes and got some lean tuning on the low jet but then it went back to rich again with no adjustment
Once its running it goes fine when on the high jet but dies when back to idle.
I dont have a pop off tester so havent done this. Will I need one?
Here is some points that may be relevant.

Tried 2 new carb kits and tried old metering needle as well as a new one.
Cleaned in Low and high needles
Tried a new coil
New spark plug
Polished inside needle seat
Stretched metering spring a wee bit

Anyone got any suggestions or is it time to try a new carb?
How far can you drop metering lever height?
Being ported dont really want to go to the Zama version. All I can get of these is chineese ones.
Cheers

 

[NZsaws]

Also intake height is 78.5 degrees

 

[Goliath]

Weak spring?
Needle valve stuck open?
Worn seat?

 

[Poleman]

Leaking Welch plug, bad Nozzle

 

[foresterntree]

Was this the carb that needed to have the metering side vent hole put in the cover?

 

[Coupe]

You will have to pressure test the carb with a mityvac or something
similar. If the needle is lecking and cannot be fixed sounds like a
new carb. Get a magnifying glass and check the needle has
not got a nibble out of the rubber point.

 

[fossil]

Was this the carb that needed to have the metering side vent hole put in the cover?

I'm pretty sure that was the 199 carb.

Things to check with the HDA-198

Make sure you have the correcr kit . There are different kits and they do make a difference
The proper kit is K24-HDA ( repair kit)

or D24-HDA (Gaskets and diaphragms only)

Double check gasket / disphragms order in the assembly. Easy to have a brain fart sometimes

To check if the metering needle is seating, put a piece of fuel line on the carb and blow into it pretty hard. You shouln't be able to get air past it

Check the main nozzle check valve to make sure it's seating. Brass plug with a little hole int on the metering side. Press apiece of fuel line over it tightly so it seals. You should be able to blow through it but not suck through it. If it has failed, you can pass air tboth ways.

 

[Junk Meister]

Was this the carb that needed to have the metering side vent hole put in the cover?

Going to toss in the HD199 UTube with Tree Monkey. That one carb needing the vent hole drilled.
The 198 I don't know much. Some one else jump in.

 

[EFSM]

I dont have a pop off tester so havent done this. Will I need one?

If you’d use it once a year, it’s worth it. You could even make yourself one with an inline pressure gauge and a bulb pump like a blood pressure cuff has. https://www.eetc.org/store/viewproduct.aspx?id=13180827

Pop off pressure isn’t the most important thing on carburetors. However, Husqvarna tends to run higher pressure than most so make sure you’re using the right metering lever spring.

 

[NZsaws]

Hello All.
Thanks for the answers.
You wont believe it, I got the carb off the bench this morning and was going over the answers thinking what a great group of guys on this site.
Then I dropped the carb on concrete and it landed on one of the jets. I tried to wind it out and it broke off flush with the body, its jammed in tight to thats the carb F*d.
Ordered a Zama now so will have to run with this. Seems they can be modded to get more fuel.
Life is fun sometimes
Will update once carb arrives