Hi all this is probably a common problem but the longer my son rides his TaoTao 110 the slower the idel gets and the harder it gets to start. Giving it throat will get it started and if you stay on it while riding it runs fine. Do you think this is the inferior Chinese spark plug, Carb setting, or valve clearance? I’ve read on here where any of these can cause similar problems.

What I’ve done so far
I’ve been in the carb it’s clean as a whistle; I did have to adjust the float, it was set from the factory so high the bowl was overflowing.

I’ve also been playing around with plug gap it seems to be a bit better gapped at .030 in. While I’ve had the plug out it is reading lean so the next time I go into the carb I’m going to raise the main needle.

I have not messed with the valve yet

 

Id start by changing the plug...NGK C7HSA. ALL Chinese atv's are lean from the factory...some run ok this way and others gasp for fuel...

 

Id also install a fuel filter if you havnt already.

 

Thanks for the input mywifesquad. God I love the smell of an engineering challenge first thing in the morning.

 

BTW no filter stock; yes there's one on it now. Working on where to mount a fuel shut off.

 

Post #15 to get the NOTICE at the top of the page to go away

 

And here's post #16

 

Update:
I couldn't find a NGK plug at any of the local parts stores, Advance Auto Parts crossed NGK C7HSA to an Autolite 4194. I gapped it at .028 in. installed it set the choke and started the quad. It fired right up as usual. Here's where the differences start. When the idle started dropping I shut the choke off and it keep idling, I didn't have to play with the choke to keep it running. After letting it warm up for about 5 min I gave it some throttle, it tried to die. I chocked up the rear so I could play with the throttle. I feathered the throttle till it would stay running at about half throttle and I held it there for a bit. It surged for a while and finally came up to a steady RPM. I took it off the block and turned the kid loose. He road for about 2 hours without a problem; previously by this time the idle would have dropped so low I would have to adjust it to keep it runnung. He parked it, shut it off and let it sit for about a hour. When he got back on it to ride I gave it choke and it fired right up, I shut the choke off he hit the throttle and it ran without even needing a warm up. He road for about 1/2 hour and shut it off again. Later after dark he wanted to ride again. He jumped on it and fired it up no choke. It was hard to start but it did start and it even ran with just a short warm up. So I guess for now the kids quad is running again.

It amazes me how something as simple as a spark plug can make such a difference in the way an engine runs. You would thing that as long as the spark jumps the gap it would do it's job but this little science experiment proves how much of a difference quality parts can make.

 

heres another thing. u may wanna check ur intake for cracks or air leaks. chinese quads are notorious for dry rotted or leaky intakes

 

I'd herd that NewportHillClimber. The intake on my son's Tao Tao 110 looks like its cast aluminum. Do these have a tendency to crack also???