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How to start a flooded atv


ATV Flooded With Gas – Here’s why and the fix – ATVFixed.com

A constantly flooded ATV is a real pain in the ass, not to mention it’s bad for engine health. Flooding causes gas to dilute the engine oil and that over the long term can be terminal. Anyhow you are in the right place, I’m a mechanic and I think we can get this puzzled out right now.

ATV gas flooding is a symptom closely associated with the following common ATV issues:

  • Clogged air filter
  • Spark plug fault
  • Soft battery
  • Bad gas
  • Coil fault
  • Carburetor fault

In this post, you’ll learn why your ATV floods with gas, you’ll learn how to diagnose the root cause and how to un-flood your bike quickly. In addition, you’ll learn some mechanics tips for avoiding flooding in the future.

Page Contents

  1. Symptoms of ATV Gas Flooding
  2. What Causes ATV Flooding?
  3. Diagnosing The Cause Of ATV Gas Flooding
  4. How To Un-Flood ATV Engine
  5. Mechanics Tips To Prevent ATV Gas Flooding

Symptoms of ATV Gas Flooding

I think you have this one covered. The symptoms are obvious to most but there may be a few in the list below that are tangential to flooding.

  • No start
  • Long crank
  • Stink of raw gas
  • Gas leaking under the engine
  • High oil level
  • Hydro-locked engine

What Causes ATV Flooding?

In many cases, an ATV floods because the engine needs a tune-up, and so if you haven’t serviced your ATV in more than twelve months. A full tune-up now is a great place to start.

Generally, a flooded ATV is a symptom of an underlying problem, it is not the root cause. In this section, we’ll look briefly at some of the more likely root causes of ATV flooding.

They include:

  • Poor maintenance – An ATV should be serviced every twelve months.
  • Incorrect start procedure – Using excessive choke while starting especially when the engine is warm can lead to flooding.
  • Faulty choke – A choke manual or auto, that’s sticking in the “On” position may also cause hot start flooding.
  • Clogged air filter – A dirty air filter is close to the top of this list for good reason. A blocked filter causes a rich fuel condition and flooding.
  • Bad gas – Old gas goes stale and loses its ability to ignite. This may result in flooding of the cylinder and spark plug fouling.
  • Fouled spark plug – A spark plug that doesn’t fire won’t ignite the gas and the most common cause of a nonfiring plug is fouling.
  • Battery fault – While many bikes will run with a low battery, starting may cause some issues. A strong battery is required in order to achieve at least 400 rpm. That’s important for two reasons, sufficient RPM is needed to generate a strong spark, and secondly, a min of 400 rpm is required to create sufficient compression in the combustion chamber.
  • Faulty carburetor – A common carburetor over-fueling fault is caused by an incorrectly adjusted float height. Another common issue is a worn and leaking carb needle valve. These types of carburetor faults are associated with hydro-locking.
  • Mechanical issue – Low compression will result in a no-start, and a no start means gas is flooding the engine.
  • Electrical issue – A bad plug cap, coil wire, coil, Stator, CDI module, and pickup are all possible causes of flooding.

Diagnosing The Cause Of ATV Gas Flooding

As we’ve seen in the previous section, the list of possible causes is wide-ranging. In this section, we’ll attempt to diagnose the root cause. It makes sense to check the most common and also easy to check items first, before checking the less likely issues and harder to test. And so that’s what we’ll do next.

Go ahead and check the following:

  • Starting procedure – This may seem insignificant but if the bike is new to you, the starting procedure may be different. The fix – check your owner’s manual for the correct ignition system and choke use (if manual choke fitted).
  • Air filter – A choked-up air filter will prevent airflow and conversely will flood the cylinder with gas. The flood of gas compounds the problem by fouling the spark plug. The fix – remove, check and clean the air filter. It is common to oil ATV foam filters, but air filter oil should be used not engine oil. Never wash or oil a pleated paper air filter.
  • Spark plug – The spark plug should be cleaned and gap checked every three months. The plug should be changed every two years and check your plug type is correct. Spark plugs are specific to your engine. The fix – remove, check the gap, and clean or fit a new plug.
  • Check fuel quality – Poor fuel quality is a very common cause of no starts, likely the most common cause. If your gas is older than a couple of months, there’s a very good chance your fuel is stale and is fouling the plug causing a no start and flooding. The fix – drain the gas tank, carburetor bowl and use fill with fresh gas. Adding a gas stabilizer helps keep gas fresh for twelve months.
  • Check compression – Low compression is bottom of the list as it’s less likely, harder to diagnose and fix. To diagnose successfully, you’ll need to run a compression test and you can check that procedure here.

How To Un-Flood ATV Engine

When it comes to clearing a flooded ATV engine, we have three options:

1 Open throttle – Fully open the throttle, but leave the choke off, now crank the motor over. The open throttle increases airflow to the engine and helps dry out the cylinder. If the engine doesn’t clear and start after two or three attempts, I’d try one of the other strategies below. Excessive cranking will run the battery down.

2 Wait – Simply walking away and allowing time to dry out the cylinder usually works. Waiting anywhere from fifteen minutes to a half-hour does the job.

That said if there is an underlying problem causing the flooding then you may be visiting this problem again before long. Remember when starting a flooded engine, don’t add any choke.

3 Clear cylinder – Clearing the cylinder will require a few tools and a little effort. You’ll need a plug wrench and a shop rag.

The process is as follows:

  • Go ahead and remove the spark plug
  • Disable the coil by removing the coil power feed. (failing to disable the coil risks fire and also risks overloading the coil)
  • Place a shop cloth over the plughole
  • Crank over the engine to expel the raw gas

Now go ahead and clean, gap the spark plug, and refit.

Mechanics Tips To Prevent ATV Gas Flooding

Here are my top tips for keeping your ATV in great shape and free from flooding

  • Tune-up your engine
  • Turn off Petcock (gas tap) when bike not in use
  • Use a gas stabilizer
  • Clean and gap spark plug regularly
  • Check spark plug is correct heat range

When storing your ATV, it pays off handsomely to pay particular attention to the fuel system.

  • Use gas stabilizer – Fill the gas tank before winterizing your ATV and add a gas stabilizer to the gas tank. Run the engine a while to distribute the mix throughout the fuel system.
  • Use battery maintainer – use a smart battery charger to keep the battery in top shape.
  • Turn off the petcock when the ATV is not in use
  • Park bike undercover and but use a breathable cover

You may find the following posts helpful:

ATV carburetor flooding

ATV won’t start after washing

ATV won’t jumpstart

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How to quickly dry flooded spark plugs without unscrewing them - Life hack

  • Life hack
  • Operation

Photos from open sources

Various miracles can happen to a car in severe frosts. That expensive "washer" freezes, then the battery does not pull, then the solarium turns into jelly or the pressure in the tires drops. And it happens that the starter turns, but the engine does not start. As a result - flooded candles. And it takes a lot of precious time to dry them. However, there are ways to do everything faster and without special tools.

Efim Rozkin

During a cold start, especially in severe frosts, the car's electronics try to help the engine by enriching the air-fuel mixture due to the greater supply of fuel to the combustion chamber. And if new engines with good compression, new spark plugs and a battery can easily cope with the task with such stimulation, then used cars may experience some difficulties.

The reason for flooding the candles is simple - fuel enters the combustion chamber, but is not ignited. Candles drown in gasoline, after which it is, alas, impossible to start the engine. However, this is just a consequence. And problems can lie not only in the engine itself. A spark does not occur due to a battery that is more than half discharged - its power is simply not enough for anything. If the candles have not been changed for a long time, then this can also be the reason when the fuel does not ignite - they could have worked out the time allotted to them, or they were damaged during replacement (for example, they were pulled during installation). The problem can also be hidden in faulty high-voltage wires. But the result is the same - after several unsuccessful attempts to start, you can not even try further - the candles are guaranteed to be flooded.

As soon as it becomes clear to the driver that he has a problem, he grabs his head and the candle wrench, and reaches under the hood to unscrew the candles and dry them using a rag, lighter or other improvised means. But what if the car did not have the right tool?

Photo from public sources

There are several ways to solve the problem. The first, perhaps, is suitable for most cars, where an injector is responsible for supplying fuel to the combustion chamber. The method allows you to dry, or, in other words, blow out the cylinders. To do this, before starting the engine, it is necessary to drown the gas pedal to the floor and hold it. In this case, by turning the ignition key, you should “turn” the starter. At this moment, the electronic brain of the engine activates the purge, eliminating the supply of fuel to the combustion chamber. The whole process will take no more than 10 seconds, after which you need to release the gas pedal - the fuel supply will resume and the engine will come to life.

In order to start the engine successfully in cold weather in domestic cars, a Plasmer was given to help the driver. This is a mode in the ignition system, in which a pulse is applied to the candles for 30-90 seconds, due to which they warm up and condensate is removed.

However, both methods do not eliminate the need to carry a candle key with you. When all else fails, it is the ring tool that can become the very golden key, thanks to which your car engine will breathe with all its cylinders.

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    • Maintenance, car service, spare parts, components, accessories, maintenance, life hack

    What to do if the ATV does not start

    You left your ATV in the garage on a trip or out of town, and when you return a few weeks later, you can no longer start it. Familiar situation? Even after adding a spark and fresh fuel, the engine only stops for two to three seconds. What could be the effect? After all, before the ATV, he had no problems: it was enough to pass a periodic thorough inspection.

    Don't panic: in this case, you can say with almost 100% certainty that the problem is only in gasoline, and not in ATVs. Like any hydrocarbon gas, petrol mixture is volatile and should not be relied upon for a long time. Some of its fractions evaporate, and the remaining gasoline liquid loses its ability to ignite and is no longer a fuel mixture. So your ATV didn't want to ride after a long break.

    Causes of ATV failure and troubleshooting

    No response starter after turning the key

    • Shut-off valve closed: open it or set it to the “reserve” position. There is old and/or contaminated fuel in the tank: empty the float chambers (small screw at their bottom), check if necessary if they are dirty and top up with new fuel.
    • The fuel vacuum valve does not open: remove the hose from it and crank the engine. If fuel is not flowing, the vacuum diaphragm in the cock or the suction vacuum line is probably to blame. Turn the valve to the PRI or Reserve position.
    • Clogged pipe or fuel cock filter: Remove the pipe from the cock and see if fuel flows when you open it. If so, the secondary fuel filter is clogged and needs to be replaced. If not, remove and clean the faucet.
    • A flooded engine: remove the spark plugs and dry them, turn off the fuel cock, turn off the lights if you can. Fully turn the throttle and engage the starter - the spark plugs should be on the wires and on the engine. Don't touch the candles. Put them on and start the engine.

    Why won't

    start ATV
    • Air filter clogged: clean or replace.
    • No spark at spark plugs: install new spark plugs, check sockets, wires and ignition coils.
    • Fault in the ignition system or engine electrical equipment: check the connection and charge of the battery. Try to see if the bike starts on a different battery. Check the ignition system: the contacts are dry, the cables are in order, the ground is secure.
    • Compression ratio too low: Fault in loose spark plugs, worn piston rings, worn valve seats, or damaged cylinder head gasket. Check the tightness of the spark plugs and, if necessary, the engine compression. If it's still too low, check the heads, pistons and cylinders.

    ATV does not start : Electric starter does not turn
    • Engine off - red light on the right side of the steering wheel.
    • Battery voltage is too low, i.e. characteristic chirping of the starter relay is heard: charge or replace the battery.
    • Dirty contacts in the ignition switch or starter button: turn the switch out and clean the contacts, use a special spray for electrical installations.
    • Main fuse or ignition relay blown: check and replace if necessary.
    • Starter failure, e.g. due to burnt stator or armature coils: contact a qualified technician.

    Why won't start

    ATV: Starter turns engine slowly
    • Battery is low or cables are not connected correctly: charge or replace battery, clean clips and terminals, check cable connection.
    • The oil is too thick: you bought an ATV in the fall and did not have time to change the oil? It's time for this.

    ATV won't start : Starter works but engine is quiet removing it from the motorcycle).

    ATV stalls : Starter relay clicks but engine does not start

    Loose starter cord or short circuit due to broken wire: check connection, remove rust, check current with multimeter.

    ATV

    stalls : Engine starts hard, chokes, runs erratically and often stalls
    • Dirty fuel, rust in the tank, dirt in the fuel lines, in the carburetor: drain gasoline, clean the tank and carburetor, pour a fresh bottle.
    • Idle speed too low: increase it with the speed control knob.
    • Clogged fuel tank vent: Clean vent (plug) or vent tube at engine outlet.
    • Stuck line or choke lever causing engine to run too rich: Remove and clean this item.
    • The engine is sucking left air due to damage to the carburetor nozzles: tighten the rubber nozzles and check for cracks.
    • Battery too weak: charge it, check all connections, remove tarnished cables, replace spark plugs if necessary, check ignition pipes or cables.
    • Incorrect electrode gap or ground connection with spark plug: check the type of plugs and their condition, set the distance between the electrodes, replace the spark plugs if necessary.
    • Open/broken wire or connector of ignition coil and spark plug tubes, incorrectly installed tube: Pull or unscrew the ignition wire, cut off a small piece and reinstall/screw. Make sure the tube is not rusted and the hoses are properly installed. The engine starts reluctantly, at low speeds there is little power.
    • Wrong valve clearance, worn valve levers; Broken valve springs or worn camshafts: Check valve clearances and adjust them correctly, assess the wear condition of valve clearance adjustment bolts, valve springs and camshafts.
    • Burnt valve seats, worn valve guides, valve sticking: check compression.
    • Damaged cylinder head gasket, bent or cracked cylinder head: Check cylinder head for oil leaks, note the color of the exhaust gases. On a liquid-cooled engine, white indicates damage to the cylinder head gasket.

    The engine is weak and consumes a lot of gasoline

    • Air filter dirty, air intake system clogged: clean / replace the filter. Make sure that all air intake holes are not blocked and that air flows freely into the engine.
    • Ignition or electrical system failure: check that the battery is charged and properly connected, the ignition contacts are dry and the wiring is in order.
    • The voltage in the ignition system is too low: charge the battery, check the condition of all connections, remove rust.
    • Faulty candles: check the condition of the candles; Check the gap between the electrodes, adjust if necessary, screw in new spark plugs.

    Engine idling rough

    • Valve clearance too large or too small: Set valve clearance correctly according to motorcycle owner's manual.
    • Incorrect mixture ignition timing: adjust.
    • Spark plug sockets or wires not touching the spark plugs properly: pull/unscrew the spark plug wires, cut them piece by piece and reinstall/screw.
    • Ignition module failure: you will find if you try how the equipment talks to a properly working module from another motorcycle of the same type; make sure the ground connection is correct.
    • Out-of-timing carburettors: Adjust the carburettors with a vacuum gauge.
    • Incorrect idle adjustment: adjust.

    Engine not running, exhaust gases black

    • Mixture too rich, carburetor out of adjustment, carburetor nozzles worn out and fuel level in float chamber too high: install new nozzles, install float, adjust carburetor.

    Engine not running, exhaust gases blue

    • Too high oil level causes oil to enter the combustion chamber, the crankcase ventilation system transfers oil drops to the air filter container, from where it is sucked back into the engine: check the oil level with a dipstick or eyelet, clean air filter.
    • Worn cylinders and/or pistons, worn or broken piston rings: measure compression ratio; if it is too low, remove the pistons and piston rings and check the installation dimensions, replace, repair the engine.
    • Worn valve guides or stems: disassemble cylinder heads, check valve and guide mounting dimensions; replace if necessary. Insert new valve stem seals.

    Engine not running and overheating