My intake had seperated from the rubber boot and it popped/backfired something awful. I changed it out w/new O-ring and air filter. It still pops some while cold, but after it gets hot, ridding brush slow in first gear, it will idle and run uphill from a standing start w/o issue. They dealio is that I have to back off the idle screw considerably to keep it from running a guesstamated 2500-3000 RPM.

Next day/after it cools the same issue. It'll start right up under full choke and idle way too fast though popping some. After a couple of minutes I can go half choke though I find myself goosing it some to keep it from dying especially at idle. I can increase the idle to keep it from dying, but after it becomes hot I have to back off to bring the rpm down. I'm second owner & bought it in late 2000. Original tires, w/plenty of plugs, and kept stored.

All the classic signs of running too lean, yet when it becomes hot, well past being warmed up, it settles down and will idle. It'll run the gears no problem and as stated I can nail it at idle, from the bottom of a hill, and it pulls right up w/o incident. I only use ethanol free gas and even though it hasn't run in a while I drained the gas and put in fresh.

Starts right up whether cold or hot and the gas flows well through the inline filter.Intake vale is set on .004 and ex on 006. I use it as a work platform to drag large limbs, cut fallen trees out of the path and fix fence. As a stop gap I suppose I could pull the new air filter and put the old one back trying to make it run a tad richer.

Any ideas/help would be appreciated.

 

hello Nixter,

I am no expert but before the intake issues, how did the quad run?
I suggest that you make sure the carb is 100% cleaned and its gone through very thoroughly and remove that variable. After that, you need to look for consistency. idling too fast sounds like it sucking in unmetered air. Can you provide a picture of the plug or describe the color

Chuck

 

Before changing the torn/separated intake, when it wasn't running, the NGK plug was black/sooty. After running it lean before changing out the intake the insulator turned back to a clean white. Previously it was cutting out, didn't realize the intake issue, and I merely warmed it up and ran it on half choke so I could use it. Now. after changing the intake & running it a bit, it's running better doesn't pop like it was and fires up quickly. I think the idle is partial clogged. It will idle in gear as that helps keep it throttled down. Though a tad fast idle not so high RPM that it turns the pipe red. It will idle in neutral better, yet still too fast. Today after warming it up it ran w/choke off.

I'm starting it in gear w/full choke and once it gets up to speed I push it in all the way. I pulled some T-posts and loaded them up and hauled them a quarter of a mile to fill in a bad section of fence. It works well enough totin' me and a large plastic tool box that I picked up in wally-world a few years ago. I mounted it on the rear rack w/self-tapping screws. Made in Canada of really thick material. I can stand on it for a better view or sit down and rest my feet on the fenders. I liked that box so much that I bought the larger one from the same company and mounted it on the front of the tilt trailer w/u-bolts. I use that one to carry chainsaws/fuel/oil/come-along etc. when I was cutting/hauling wood. For only two-wheel drive and 230cc it pulled that trailer loaded w/wood and saws well.

Thanks for the response. I probably need to pull the carb and clean it. It's behaving well enough/predictable that I'm going to run a tank or two through it before I do anything else. I changed the oil and cleared the trail to the west end. A half mile loop over a couple of runoff water gullies and inclines that I take a few laps on.
I'd thought perhaps the pilot jet, but after warmed up it'll pull a hill from a standing stop WOT, so now I think the idle circuit is the gremlin. It seems I'm having to adjust the throttle by raising the slide and that's a fine line as it easily wants to run too many RPM or not enough. It will idle down out of gear, but it will not last and dies unless I bump the RPM.

I haven't pulled the plug since changing the intake. It'll pull good through all the gears I just can't get it to idle quite low enough out of gear. It's getting closer though and I'm hoping that it will clear out on it's own through bouncing around. It set up for several months and the fuel bowl plunder was stuck in the closed position. I loosened up the bowl screws and then the intake & air filter clamps twisting the carb, so I could pull the bowl w/o pulling the carb.
As long as it will idle in gear at a slow enough RPM to prevent taking off I suppose it'll work.

 

As long as it will idle in gear at a slow enough RPM to prevent taking off "or running the mill too hot" I suppose it'll work. I only use ethanol free petrol and the old girl is stored in a shed protected from moisture.

Come to find out there was nothing wrong w/gas in the tank though a mite aged. It tried to fire up, had an issue leaking air/running lean and quickly used up the gas in the bowl. w/float valve being stuck it was quickly at the end of the line. I'll run 93 octane ethanol in my car, but the saws/lawnmower/ATV/weedblower/wacker don't see alcohol save the residual from being hauled in a tanker.

Even before I changed out the intake I skidded two power poles w/one still green and 28' in length. Not from a standing stop as I had to bump it a bit to break loose the adhesion to the ground. Had the 230 been running better, time not a factor and rain threatening I might could have lifted one end of the poles off the ground and pulled from a standing stop. However, even when moving the weight was pulling the front wheels off the ground if starting up a small grade or putting too much thumb into the throttle. Four wheel drive is nice when the ground is wet/soft though the small size of the 230 combined w/two wheel all the time drive makes for a maneuverable package through the trees/saplings.

Whilst I ramble where's the cheapest spot online to buy tyres? I keep plugging these as they spring a leak. Plus I keep them well over inflated for extra clearance. I'm the only one that rides it, so I've no worry of someone else rolling/tipping it over at speed. Most of the time I don't require all the ground clearance/height and I'm considered smaller diameter tires for a slight edge on the low end. Currently I'm 22x7x10/22x10x10. I've considered leaving the front at 22" and only dropping the rear for an overall lower gear ratio allbeit slight advantage over OEM offering

The only time I see top gear is on a 400' chat covered driveway. Plus if it high centers it's light enough to pick up one end or the other. Especially pulling a 4'x8' tilt trailer loaded the smaller diameter rubber would be a plus.
Come to find out there is a sticker inside of the OM claiming this to be a YMF25XMR. Not sure what the R distinguishes and I'm equally puzzled why the OM front cover lists YFM250XM. One and the same? It was purchased new in the fall of 2000

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