Bear with me as I am at my wits end with this thing and about ready to seek therapy

96 Kodiak 400...owned 3 years

Recently took carb in to have checked and cleaned as it was starting to idle rough til warm. Noticed that there was no gasket between carb and intake, just an O-ring;is this right? Also, is there no fuel filter on these machines? Waiting on carb to come back.

Now the starting...Since I've owned this beast, it has rarely started (electrically) when temps get below 30* or so. Roll it, roll it, roll it...choke/no choke...etc,etc....nothing... Has new stator, newer battery (160 cca) and seems to have plenty of spark and have gone through all my connections. But as soon as I reach down and pull the cord...1 pull....VROOOOOM! What gives?

I have heard that more fuel goes into the carb when using elec. start than when you pull it, but it has never flooded so don't know if I buy this one or not.

So help please?...and maybe I won't need the couch

Thanx...nscrfrk

 

Sounds like your electric starter is getting weaker or maybe the battery . I had a Moto4 that turned over with the electric start but did not start up easily, but did start great with the pull rope. I had the starter rebuilt and the ATV started much easier with the electric start. Starter seemed to rotate faster after the rebuild.
You may notice the ATV will start much better also after you get your carb back, I have seen hard starting ATVs and Sleds start up much better after a good carb cleaning.

I do not see a gasket or Oring between the carb and intake on this fiche of your ATV, it just shows a O ring (#2) between intake and motor. I,m assuming that un numbered part ahead of hose clamp #22 represents the carb?



Here is your

 

Thanks for the response TLC...you are right , that is the O-ring I was talking about.

Maybe it will be better when I get the carb back on

So it's possible with a weak starter, that hand pulling is rolling it faster than the electric?

 

The pull start is a quicker rotation that a electric start. I had a dirty Pulse coil on my Polaris,its sits beside the fly wheel. The dirty Pulse coil cause the ATV not to start with the electric stater,s slower rotation, but the pull rope would start the motor easily.
I ended up cleaning the pluse coil and the electric start would start the ATV once again.

Not sure if you ATV has that set up,the pulse coil is sometimes referred to as a trigger coil as well.

Yes, you do have a pulse coil, its the small box connected to your Stator (#1) its held in place by screw (#5). It has a magnetic face that picks up tiny metal filings and should be cleaned once in awhile.

 

Ok...got the carb back and seems to be running quite a bit better (had to hand pull).

Hit the start button and nothing. Winch works ok but headlight is dim. Took battery in for load test, said it needed a charge but showed 100 cca (160 when new).

Wouldn't this be enough to get at least a roll or a "click" out of it? While the carb was out for service I cleaned up some of of the connections ( coil, starter relay, battery leads) and put a thin coat of dilectric grease on them.BTW...it did roll over before taking carb out and cleaning the connections...Thanks

 

Sounds like it needs a new battery. try the newer gel filled bettrer battery and more cca