My cat is sick! it sometimes runs great and then all the sudden wont take gas but will idle fine. When it acts up it just boggs completely down and only will idle not take gas. The spark plug looks good and the funny thing is that if I turn the headlights on it will run fine. When it starts cutting out I just turn the lights on and the thing will run good but as soon as I cut them back off it won't take gas again. When it's acting up the head lights get very bright about twice as bright. It has blown 4 bulbs because of this it seems to be over charging. I can turn the cat off and let it set for a while and it will start up and run fine sometimes for a few hours other times only for a few second and it starts cutting out again. When it is cutting out it sounds like a car hitting the rev limiter and will not take any fuel what so ever but will idle. Help!

 

Hmm no replys, ill try for ya swampy. I would first buy a service manual. But if you cant get one, let me know and i can relay all the common electrical tests you can attempt. Get a multimeter. Then i would check the harness from top to bottom with a fine tooth comb. Even if this means taking all the tape off it and re-taping it. I had lots of corrosion on mine after 5 years of mud/water/snow.

 

My first guess would be the voltage regulator. About $100 to replace. I don't have my service manual with me (at work) But I will check it and reply later. (Unless voodoo has his handy)

I also agree with voodoo about getting a service manual. I got mine on e-bay $12.00 delivered to my door. It can be a life saver.

 

OK got the service manual and it says for overcharging:

Internal Battery Short Circuited, Replace Battery.
Regulator Rectifier resistor damaged, Replace resistor
Regulator Rectifier poorly grounded, Clean- Tighten ground connector

To test the regulator rectifier is quite extensive and to hard for me to place chart and all items needed on this forum. But the other 2 items are easy to do. If they don't work you will need to get a manual or take it to your dealer.

Hope this helps.

Just found this. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2425078392

 

my first geuss is you got some water or condensation in your tank trust me on this drain all your gas out of tank put that gas in your truck or lawn mower with some alcohol drain your carb completely put in some fresh gas from THE GAS PUMP NOT YOUR JERRY CAN add a bit of alcohol not methyl hydrate you,ll see the difference right away as for your bulbs you sure you got the right wattage on those check the amperage coming in and the coils usally they work or they don,t and you can test them any garage should be able to do it for you if you don,t know how[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

thanks for the replies. I took the machine apart down to just frame and drivetrain. I found the connector that plugs the voltage regulator in was muddy and had a poor connection between the two red wires and the other that plugs to them. I just bypassed the plug in connector will a small strip of wire. I drove it for 3 days without a prob before I put the plastic and racks back on. So I get ready yo ride today and it starts to act up again so I turn the head lights on and it cleared straight up. I rode for nearly 25 miles before it started cutting out again a simple turn of the key switch toturn the lights on fixed it again. When It starts cutting out I can turn on anything electrical such as head lights,manual fan swtich, or auxillary lights and it straightens up and runs perfect. However if I turn the lights on to get it to run they are twice as bright and after a while they will dim and I can turn the lights back off and it will run fine on it's on. The fan is the same way when it messes up the fan gets really lound and turns a lot faster like a power surge. I think it may be either the voltage regulator or the magneto. Any ideas which one. I will try the tests for the coil,voltage regulator to see but I don't think it will show anything bad unless it starts acting up. Remember this is not always happening. SOme times it will run for days without any problems.

 

Well at least ya checked the harness and fixed one bad spot... better then when i checked mine! I can give you the correct procedure and numbers to look for on those items if you want. Just reply... Put a meter to er.... then you should find it.

 

thanks voodoo if you could give me the numbers that would be great because the service manual I have is for a 96 bearcat and little things are different from mine but the testing procedure should be the same.

 

Ahh crap swampy. i went to work andforgot my manual/// ill have to get to it when i get home... unless tricat will do before then!

 

thats cool I am at work too so I cant work on it now anyway.