Alright y’all I have have a prairie 400 bought it for cheap, guy said it needed a battery 🙄 found lots of other issues like oil in the water and won’t start. I recently changed the oil a few times, cleaned carb out thoroughly and I’m getting fuel with great suction thru carb opening, I have good blue spark new plug and filters, set valves, checked compression and it is good, checked fuses and changed computer out from a spare prairie I have, so basically it seems I have done routine stuff you would do in this situation but still she just won’t fire up, I’m guessing I have a timing issue but before I tear it apart does anyone have an idea of any sensors or anything I could do, I changed the computer so figured that would rule all that out.

 

Fuel air and spark it should fire.

Is plug wet after you try starting it? New battery?

 

Yes fuel and spark

 

Not new but few months old on a fresh trickle charge

 

I don't know the Prairie, but there will be a timing hole so you can see the flywheel, take the spark plug out and the one blanking the timing hole, turn engine by hand and watch for the piston getting to TDC through the plug hole, check the T mark on flywheel agrees with the piston, If the flywheel slips, it slips a lot, so you will know if it is wrong. KLFs had a easily removed plate on the side of the head to check valve timing, I would assume your machine will be similar. Again TDC by the flywheel mark should agree with mark on cam sprocket, OR CAM SHOULD BE 180 DEGREES OUT.

 

From what I can tell I am in time unless I’m missing something but at tdc I’m the flywheel my cam is showing timing notch level with head and by that I mean timing notch level with head facing the rear of the motor

 

I’m almost positive it’s in time

 

Is the plug wet after trying to start it?

If so, I would carefully connect a set of jumper cables to a non-running car and see if it starts that way. My 87 concours seemed to turn over fine but would not start. Out of curiosity I did that and it started right up.

If that doesnt work, and I dont generally do this nor recommend it as routine, try removing the air filter and give it a very small shot of starting fluid into air box.

 

Honestly that’s my only next step I kinda thinking I need some more Amps for a good crank to cycle everything and yes I have trade a little starting fluid