Help please! The dirt buggy has a new motor but sat in storage for about a year after it was installed. Tried to start it to get it ready for sale but it doesn't kick over. It cranks strong but doesn't start. The spark plug does have fire. Any advise is appreciated. Thanks.

 

Has this engine ever run?

What engine is it? GY6 150cc or 250cc?

Spark, fuel, compression.

You have spark. After cranking the engine a while quickly take out the plug and look to see if it is wet with fuel. Is it?

Put your thumb over the spark plug hole. Push hard. Crank the engine. Can you hold your thumb over the spark plug hole while pushing down using all your might? Or does your thumb get forced off with a pop?

Pour in a 1/2 teaspoon of gas into the cylinder. Put the plug back in and crank. Does it fire up at all?

Have you adjusted your valves?

When you put this away, was the carburetor drained, or was it full of fuel?

 

Yes, the engine ran great before storage (New engine).

125cc 4 stroke engine

Spark plug wasn't wet...very dry.

Thumb got forced off with a pop. Good compression.

*Do you mean "pour the 1/2 teaspoon of gas into the spark plug hole?"


Never adjusted the valves because it's a new engine (< 1 hr of run time before putting it in storage).

The carburetor wasn't drained before putting it in storage (However, I pulled the carb tonight to find that it looked very clean with a little bit of gas spilling out. I put the carb back on and the same problem persists...it cranks good but no start).

 

Thank you

 

So it looks like you have a fuel delivery problem...

Yes. Then quickly reinstall the plug and try to start it up (be sure to set the kill switches in the run position). If it fires up briefly then this says the ignition system is working, and you can concentrate on the fuel delivery problem.

I'm not familiar with the 125cc engine, but the 150cc GY6 version can have starting problems if the valves are too tight. Valves get tighter with wear, and tighter further still when the engine is cold. New engines experience valve tightening as they get seated in. Since they tighten further as the quad (whoops buggy ) cools down you could get a scenario where the quad runs all day long while the engine is warm to somewhat warm - then won't start when the engine cools all the way down. It's worth checking the valve clearances.

You can't tell by looking if the jets are clogged unless you take the jets out and look through them. See if the engine starts up briefly with the gas poured in the spark plug hole. If so then looking further into the carburetor would be the next step.

 

The engine briefly turns when I put gas in the cylinder.

This buggy has an auto fuel **** ***'y connected at the bottom of the gas tank with a rubber fuel line hose running from it to the carb. Do you think the auto fuel **** ***'y needs to be replaced? The only other thing I could think of is that that carb jet/s are dirty.

 

The carb has one "needle set. jet" in the carb. How would I clean the needle jet?

 

The plug does have spark, but fuel isn't getting to the carb (e.g., I squirted a little bit of gas into the cylinder then put back the spark plug and attempted to start it. It sputtered, but didn't start.

Could it be one of the following?
1. dirty jet needle
2. faulty auto by starter ***'y
3. faulty auto fuel **** ***'y

Thanks

 

Welcome to the forum afierro!

Start at the gas tank.. pull the fuel line off the carb.. does fuel flow out? if if does Id guess the carb jets are plugged..carb needs cleaning..

 

This carb looks simple. Do you think a novice like myself could clean it? In the past, I took it off the engine before and dismantled some of it. It looked clean, but I know I won't be able to see if the jet is clean because it's too small to see.

If I'm able to clean it myself, what type of cleaner should I use? Shuld I just buy the usual carb clearner or is there a specific cleaner for the jet/s?

Thanks for your help.