Guys,

I used to post in here years ago (so long ago I forgot my own username so I made a new one). LT80, I think I've been to your house to test and buy a CDI box.

I know this subject is nothing new to this board, I've read numerous posts on it. However, I am still puzzled with the problem that I am having so I want to give as much info as I can here.

1987 LT80. 3-4 years ago I bought in boxes (previous owner fried piston). Bored, new ring/piston and reassembled the machine. I had the problem where the machine would start but as soon as you put it under load, it would die (you could keep it running if you let off the throttle quick enough).
After an attempt to clean and rebuild and having the same result, I took it to my local dealer and they dipped it. Reassembled and viola!! Ran GREAT!!

A few weeks ago my nephew was over and trying to get my daughters LT80 running (same machine - used to be my sons, now he has another). When they couldn't get it started, I came over and noticed fuel all over the carb and dripping down.

I cranked and cranked and could not get it to fire. I pulled the spark plug and could smell fuel. Remembering the CDI box I purchased before I thought I would test that and clipped on a spark gap tester. While my daughter positioned herself to watch for the spark, I stood over the machine and pulled the recoil. Fuel shot straight up like geyser and got me right in both eyes!!! I'm not even kiddding. I thought it was kind of cute when my daughter put on her safety glasses to watch for the spark - who was the idiot now.

After rinsing my face in the shower for about :15 minutes I returned and put everything back together and called it a day. I could smell fuel in my garage for the next few weeks.

Last week we went out and put in some gas and I pulled and Vroom! It fired up after 1 or 2 pulls!! However, I noticed fuel sprayed out the exhaust, across the garage floor and onto my workbench. Hmmm, probably what leaked down during the week, I figured.

Ran the quad around the yard a couple of times to "blow it out" and then it bogged down and stalled. It would not start again and you could smell fuel.

I deduced it may have been the float needle so we tore it down and cleaned it and put another rebuild kit in it.

In the meantime, I put the petcock on Pri, On and Res and noted the results. On Pri, it poured out. On dripped a little as did Res - but MUCH less fuel than when in Pri.

So, we put the carb back on, went to Pri to fill the bowl back up and then I could smell gas again. Gas was leaking over the carb again and this time I could see it leaking out of the vent hole. If I pulled or cranked it over, it would leak a little more.

Today when I got home I drained the bowls and then cranked it over (hooked to car battery). There was NO sign of wanting to start. So, I held the throttle wide open while cranking and eventually heard a few pops...then some more...then - it fired up!!

Woo hoo!! However, it wouldn't idle and when I went to adjust the idle screw - it was GONE!! I found only the flat washer so I put the old one back in and got it to idle.

My daughter got all excited when I told here to take it for a few laps to blow it out! She got on, pushed the throttle and - die!!! I pull started it again and this time, after pushing the thumb lever and it was about to die, she let off.

It seems like I am back to my FIRST problem - carb won't move under load. So now I am fully prepared to removed the carb and clean again - looking especially for the jet clog mentioned in other posts.

I am STILL baffled about the flooding as it appears to still be happening. I can see the carb flooding when the machine is NOT running and the petcock is broke so the gas leaks past the float valve. However, can it still get TOO much gas when it is running??!!

Is the machine bogging due to flooding or a clogged jet??!!

Any help is appreciated guys. We have not all been able to ride as a family for 3 weeks and it's killing me - not much good weather left.

I still have no idea what the nephew did, but it seems too coincidental that he was messing with the machine and now it won't run correctly. Yes, he thinks he's a mechanic and when I walked up when they couldn't get it started it pointed out how one of the hoses was off the carb - total B.S. I think he took it off there thinking he could fix things.

Still smelling the gas in NE Ohio!!

 

The quad bogging has been bugging me. I came home tonight and the daughter and I removed the carb again. Opened it up and when I looked through the main jet, I could NOT see light. I could see light on the secondary jet, but not the main.

Hmmmm...we JUST cleaned this thing. We took the jet out and I could see through it. So, I looked through the carb and I could see through it too!!

I put the jet back in and could NOT see through it. I backed it off about halfway and COULD see through. I realized that the small O-ring at the bottom was collapsing and closing off the hole!!

I had never heard of that, but I did read a thread where LT80 stated he never put the O-ring in the main jet. So, I removed it. We put everything back together but I think I'll put on one of those cheap shut-off valves before I fire it back up, since that is such a cheap fix and a good way to check to see if the petcock valve is part of any further issues.

 

I use the lil oring under the jet, but not the black thing that connects the float bowl to the jet area.
Lemme know how you make out.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

LT80,

Have you ever heard of the o-ring collapsing down like that? It's almost like it was slightly too small and ending up inside of the jet.

When I removed the previous jet, the o-ring came out in pieces so I don't know how it looked before. I thought maybe I assembled it wrong, but that was the only o-ring in the kit that would fit in that hole.

I was trying to figure out of the o-ring is for the jet or for the needle. It didn't seem to me that the needle seats in the o-ring because it is adjusted up and down with the throttle and the adjustment screw. I figured it was to take up the gap between the bottom of the jet and the bottom of the tapped hole. Also, to put pressure on the jet so it would not work it's way out (like a spring).

Guess we'll see what happens. Although if this doesn't work, I don't want to pay another $15 for a rebuild kit just to get an o-ring. Maybe I'll take that o-ring to work and mic it up and order one from McMaster-Carr or somebody.

Any idea on what may happen when I fire this up without having the o-ring in there?

 

It'll prolly be fine w/o the o-ring.
I've heard that the kits o-ring is larger than the stock one.
I don't think the needle seats in the o-ring.

 

LT80,

I looked up the schematic for the carb. I think you were saying that you leave off the black piece, is that the "cap" that covers the main jet and secondary jet? This piece was not on this carb when I took it apart so someone apparently already removed it.

The tech at the Suzuki dealership couldn't believe I didn't put that piece back on. I told him it's been running great w/o it for quite some time and didn't even know that piece existed so why bother putting it on now?

I'll try to fire it up this weekend. At the very least I'll know right away if the bogging problem was caused by the o-ring collapsing in the hole, right!?

 

Give her a try.
Yes on the "cap" . It's not needed, as you can see. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

First, we still suspected the petcock so I disconnected it at the carb and plugged it for a few days since we would not be riding.

When I wanted to fire it up, I took that cap out and gas poured out - what had filled the hose anyway - and then dripped. This helped me conclude that while gas does not pour out when not in the PRI position, it is leaking enough to flood the motor over a couple of days.

So, we hooked up the hose and fired it up!! Went riding for about 1.5 hours on Saturday with no issues at all!! She put it on it's side once and it died so I just made sure we started it immediately before it could flood.

When we got home, we pulled the fuel line again and plugged it. Yesterday the kids wanted to go riding again. Again, when I pulled the cap, fuel poured out. I know have no doubts about the petcock valve being the issue and was from the beginning. This would have prevented me from doing the carb rebuild (thinking it was the float valve). No biggie, it was great father/daughter time so it was well worth it!!

Fired it up and rode for 2 hours on Sunday. Not only is the black "cap" unnecessary, but it seems the main jet o-ring is also optional. Now, if I were trying to fine-tune this motor for racing, then I would address it, but for casual/trail riding, it runs great w/o it!!! Got home and capped the fuel line again.

Obviously this is NOT the long term fix but keeps the motor from being flooded until I get a chance to put another shut-off valve on there. LT80, I like your idea with the cheap 1/4-turn, I'll have to stop by a lawn-and-garden dealer to get one this week!!

 

I got a new petcock and carb rebuild. Didn't come yet (just ordered it). But I'll let you know if it does any good.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...116QQitemZ350117889772

The LT80's sure are fast though!

 

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