Sputters, backfires, dies. Restart , repeat

chubs

Guru
First actual trouble in 3 years . Ran great for about 50 miles,then started acting like it was out of gas. Switched to reserve and cleared up for a short while then acted up again and died. Restarted and ran about smile and cramped out again. Trailer home and drain float bowel, small amount of grit in gas ( no water) Pull petcock and clean strainer. Adjust idle mix screw and starts right up. All good, right? WRONG! Go for test run and make it a mile fro m home. Runnin outa ideas!
 

Th3InfamousI

Administrator
Staff member
First actual trouble in 3 years . Ran great for about 50 miles,then started acting like it was out of gas. Switched to reserve and cleared up for a short while then acted up again and died. Restarted and ran about smile and cramped out again. Trailer home and drain float bowel, small amount of grit in gas ( no water) Pull petcock and clean strainer. Adjust idle mix screw and starts right up. All good, right? WRONG! Go for test run and make it a mile fro m home. Runnin outa ideas!
Did you change the gas to new stuff after you cleaned it all out? Maybe you got a bad batch of gas?

When it dies it doesn't want to start back up? Just cranks? Did you check spark when it dies just to make sure its indeed fuel related and not a loose ignition coil wire or something?



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chubs

Guru
Did you change the gas to new stuff after you cleaned it all out? Maybe you got a bad batch of gas?

When it dies it doesn't want to start back up? Just cranks? Did you check spark when it dies just to make sure its indeed fuel related and not a loose ignition coil wire or something?



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Forgot to mention, pulled the coil and cleaned plug wire terminals getting spark. Getting 12 volts to coil at idle but seems to drop to around 8 v when reved up .
 

FrankBDPS

Well-Known Member
Pull the gas hose off of the carb. Are you getting a good continues fuel flow? You may be having a venting problem. Check the right hand tank cap to see if the vent is working. Good luck!
 

ground pounder

Active Member
Chubs pull your pet cock also and see if the screen is plugged with debris from the tank liner! As far as voltage dropping if you don't have a chafed wire as eric said your plug wires may be going bad! ohm them out. if good then maybe your thunder heart ignition is going bad. Just a thought.
 
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BadDawg Bill

Well-Known Member
As someone said in the other thread check your filter, in fact get a new clear one. Second, one time I had the same problem and found the float needle had swollen up and would stick shut... Third, make sure your cap is venting. They can get clogged up...and forth but not least your fuel line may be collapsing so I'd put new lines on....
Good luck bro...
 

chubs

Guru
As someone said in the other thread check your filter, in fact get a new clear one. Second, one time I had the same problem and found the float needle had swollen up and would stick shut... Third, make sure your cap is venting. They can get clogged up...and forth but not least your fuel line may be collapsing so I'd put new lines on....
Good luck bro...
All good suggestions. Already replaced fuel line, ran it with gas cap off after cleaning screen on petcock, haven't dropped float bowel yet will do that next to see if the other orifices might be clogged
 

Th3InfamousI

Administrator
Staff member
All good suggestions. Already replaced fuel line, ran it with gas cap off after cleaning screen on petcock, haven't dropped float bowel yet will do that next to see if the other orifices might be clogged
Ahh...i assumed you dropped it already. I see you only drained it.

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chubs

Guru
Good luck Chubs keep us poster sound like you hot on the trail, I am worried about only 8 volts at higher RPM.s
Kinda has me a little bit concerned. Don't know if higher revs the voltage could drop enough to lose spark, which could cause these symptoms? Definitely gonna check charging system.
 

Rottweiler

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Kinda has me a little bit concerned. Don't know if higher revs the voltage could drop enough to lose spark, which could cause these symptoms? Definitely gonna check charging system.
Where are you checking the voltage?
 

chubs

Guru
Where are you checking the voltage?
Ground post at battery to positive side of coil. 12 volts with key on, about 11 or 12 volts idling, and drops progressively as revs increase. Didn't want to blow it up, so didn't hold high revs . battery reads 12 volt key off drops slightly while cranking, and increases to around 14 volt at revs. Still thinkin it's fuel related.
 

ground pounder

Active Member
Chubs check that air mixture jet. It may have debris in it causing the to much fuel cenario! If you don't find the problem. PM me your number and we will see if we can't sort it out!
 

chubs

Guru
Chubs check that air mixture jet. It may have debris in it causing the to much fuel cenario! If you don't find the problem. PM me your number and we will see if we can't sort it out!
Turned the idle screw out the 2 turns from seated and it fires right up and idles good. Haven't taken it out on the road yet (waiting for my son to follow with the trailer just in case) What's are the chances of the intermediate and high speed circuits being blocked?
 
Turned the idle screw out the 2 turns from seated and it fires right up and idles good. Haven't taken it out on the road yet (waiting for my son to follow with the trailer just in case) What's are the chances of the intermediate and high speed circuits being blocked?
I was actually going to suggest blowing them down with compressed air and carb and throttle body cleaner
 
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