Hello my friend has a 1998 artic cat 454 that has had a plug fowling problem since he has had it.It has only 400 miles on it and he has replaced the carberator with a brand new one.It only run's for a few minutes before it will fowl a plug you can ride it sometime for a long time but then when you stop and try starting it again it won't start because the plug is fowled.What else can he try.It is all stock except for a K/N air filter.Thanks

 

sounds like it's running WAY rich. try some diferant jets. or hotter plug maybe.

HR.

 

It has a brand new carb setup by the factory tech for the ATV.It should have the right jets I told them I had a K/N Air filter.The old carb I tried at least ten different jet setting with it nothing helped.

 

are the plugs oil fouling? your not runnin premix are you? when it does run what color of smoke out the exaust is there if any.? blue grey or black? white? i need to know. and how well does it run when it runs? good lots of power? or realy sluggish.? what diferant plugs have you tryed? if any?


HR.

 

It does not smoke at least none that is noticable.I have never ran pre mix just strait gas.I have looked at the plug it smells of gas and is black.I have only used one kind of plug I think NGK.Could it be not getting enough spark?What kind of plug should I try.What about compression I have not done a test because I don't have a compresion tester that will reach down inside it go's deep where the plug is.It seams to run fine but I noticed that the header pipe gets red hot at night when I am pushing snow or using it hard but that would mean lean I thought and it is not lean.It is very confusing the things it does.

 

yes a puzzeler this is.....

what i would do is make sure it's getting good spark. might have to cut the plug wire and screw the cap back on. the cap where it goes onto the plug will unscrew. then cut then rescrew it on...

as for the pip getting WAY hot. your right in thinking it's lean. but also timming will to this too. i doun't know how to adjust the timing on y0our atv but you might look into that. if it's advanced to much then it'll run hot. (old trick i do in my chevy for better gas milage, it's at 16 deg but i live at 7000 ft too)

i'dd say try and find a way to compression test it. and test the stator. if it runs good for a while then runs worst later the stator might be going bad and weekining the spark makeing it foul... other than that.... i dunno.

fouled plug and red hot pipe... got me...

HR.

 

Well thanks I will try those things and let you know.

 

I'm guessing that it's oil in the gas, rich jetting or very worn rings.

 

Hello;
Did you have the same problem before replacing the carb.
Make sure the carb is on straight,you don't have to change any jets on a new carb,if the motor has no problems.Check the choke cable,if its broken or bent from installing the new carb.It will flood the engine.The only other thing is an electrical problem I had that problem on my 1998 when the stator went bad just started missing and flooded out after about 15 mintues.
Ron

 

If your plug smell's of gas and is a black color it's an indication of running to rich the color should be a tanish brown color , even with a new carb jetted at the factory can be off on the jetting , it should be jetted for the elevation you ride you can try adjusting the air fuel mixture screw , there's a site you can access for free downloads for Arctic Cat ATV's http://www.mymowerparts.com/pdf/ this site has pdf manuals that cover srevice parts and repair info , and also Arctic Cat recalls on both AC snowmobiles and ATV's ; you should also check your valves to see if they are within specs. if they're off to much this would also explain the cherry red pipe ( making the egine overheat !

And one other thing you said that the 454 has done this since your friend has had it the combustion chamber is sure to have exccessive carbon deposit's builtup over the 400 mile's that it's been fowling plug's, i would add some seafoam fuel treatment in your fuel it's the best stuff i've ever used ; i hope this is of some help to you good luck i hope you get it fixed !

williebee........