Suspect an air leak in the intake/jug mating of my new Huasheng4 stroke...

[highlander9]

I have just recently removed the carburetor from the jug because suspecting an air leak. I suspect this area to be the culprit, because this was the only place I tampered with while installing a new air filter.

The only symptom I could describe at the moment is, every time I would put in extra power, the engine would just die and poof out a small, blue cloud of smoke from the air filter.

Here's a picture of the mating region-->

There was a fiber gasket that came with it-->

.
I am also holding a tube of permatex gasket sealant, which I want to use instead of the fiber...


My questions are...

1.) Is this where a silicon gasket sealant is applied? (over the black, plastic intake port?)

2.) Should I just use either the silicon or the fiber or both? I want to just use the silicon gasket sealant by itself, as I feel using both the fiber+silicon would just introduce more vectors for air leak.

3.) I didn't do any air leak tests (such as turning the engine on and spraying carb cleaner around the mating regions). I simply went by instinct with this one, because the intake/jug mating region was the only thing I tampered with, while I installed a new air filter... So I'm suspecting that's our culprit giving the air leak. What are any other regions I should suspect??? Could you point them out to me with some kind of diagram, please?? as I am kind of lost with the jargon sometimes (i.e. "manifold," "jug," "intake," etc.)

Lastly, here's a profile of my new project (less the engine), sitting in a lonely, sunday morning light.

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it!

 

[flybytaco]

make sure you seal the black spacer right at the jug itself behind the heat shield not sure on that engine but most that black spacer is held on with its own bolts. and that backfire thru the carb could also be a tight intake valve.

 

[flybytaco]

also dont use that permatex too thick just apply it to both sides of the fiber iths there for a reason see the slot cut out in it? it has to do with the air or choke circuit. you dont want goop clogging any passages

 

[Goat Herder]

Yeah not to thick like Taco said. Might Assemble it together once to observe what to much is then clean it up id ya have too.

 

[highlander9]

make sure you seal the black spacer right at the jug itself behind the heat shield not sure on that engine but most that black spacer is held on with its own bolts. and that backfire thru the carb could also be a tight intake valve.

would you happen to know where the intake valve is located for the 4-stroke Huasheng?