Hello everyone, I'm working on a 95 Lakota for a buddy of mine and it has me stumped. I originally started working on it because, the battery wasn't getting charged and whenever the battery would get low, the wheeler would run like garbage and eventually stall. Well, now, it won't start at all. It just cranks and cranks and cranks. Not a single sputter, hiccup or any sign of life from it. The carb was just professionally rebuilt by a reputable shop and it ran great until it stalled. The air filter is brand new, I can see fuel flowing into the carb and I pulled the plug, which showed a nice hot blue spark. The plug itself was black and smelled like gas so I put a new plug in, which made no difference. I'm going to check compression tonight and check the valves as well but, they were just checked 3 weeks ago so I doubt that's the culprit. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

Did you install a fuel filter along with the freshly built carb? Could have gotten some trash in it. Also, did you determine that the ATV had some sort of charging issues....are the charging issues resolved and your using a known good battery?

 

Shoot some starting fluid (with upper cylinder protection) in the plug hole and crank it...if it starts and dies you have a fuel delivery issue...if nothing then you have an electrical or compression issue...generally.


Shade tree mechanic's way of checking compression is to put your thumb over the plug hole and crank it...should pop your thumb off...if not then not good...

 

Well I figured out what the problem was...well...at least one of the problems. I disconnected the rectifier and one of the prongs is so corroded that it is broke off inside the plug on the wiring harness and there is quite a bit of melted plastic in there. I ordered a new rectifier last night so, hopefully that fixes the whole problem. I tried starting fluid and that did nothing, it's got decent compression and it has a brand new fuel filter on it.

 

ok...sounds like electrical...so hopefully the new rectifier "rectifies" the issue!!!