OK, I've asked this question before but really didn't get of a reply. My son has an 93" lt80. It was rebuilt last Feb.- Mar, but has had this problem ever since I bought it. Anytime he rides it in any kind of wet riding, (mud, creeks, rain) it will not stay running. I've tried just about everything that I could thing of and that has been sujested to me to cure this, but have had no luck. It starts out fine, but as we ride, It will start dieing, and will only restart with the choke on. It will continue to get worse until it will start but will not rev. (just idle) and then it won't start at all. We can let it sit for about 2 hours and then its fine. It runs great when it stays dry. Normally, it only has to be choked when first starting it, from there on it will start with out it. I'm at my wits end and ready to get rid of it!!!!! PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!!!

Thanks!

 

A while ago, our 1995 van did the same thing. On a dry day it workrf great. When we drove it on a wet day, it's engine started to burp, then it would evenually die. Our auto mechanic checked / replaced almost everything and it still wouldn't work properly. Then he resorted to his "good old" non computer tools. He lifted its hood, took his garden hose and started spraying water from the bottom of the engine upwards. Then he sprayed from the top of the engine downwards. To his surprise, 1 month ago he installed a brand new set of bad spark plug wires. He felt so bad, he replaced with a proven new set of wires and didn't charge us a dime. He even gave us a "free oil change" voucher for this one.

To help troubleshoot why your unit acts up in water, you may want to resort to the old tools as well. The good old garden hose, with its engine running, may work for you too. Try different water spray spreads and different spray angles (re: bottom up, top down, sideways, etc.) to find the problem.

Hope this troubleshooting idea helps....

.

 

Excellent idea with the waterhose.



I don't have much experience with the LT80 yet, but on the full size 4X4's we ride water is always a cause of problems (rack deep most of the time). It sounds alot like the Grizzly we had. Everytime we hit the water it would do the same thing. After several days of trouble shooting it ended up being a carb vent hose (hose clamp). The clamp was not holding the vent hose on. It did exactly the same thing you are describing. I don't know if the little LT has a vent hose or not, but it might be worth checking. Sounds like water in the carb. Check the ways it can enter the carb--airbox, vent hose, etc.

Hope ot helps, Good luck!!!

 

My first suggestion would be stay out of the water, but if your kids are like mine thats not going to happen[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] I dont know what all you have tried so far but the first two things i would look into would be,
make sure all vent hoses are up high and running to the back of the quad second cover and secure your spark plug cap with duct tape.

 

When it dies in water or starts running rough, have you tried draining the carb, then restarting it? Maybe a little water in the gas? Also, have you cleaned the carb? I had similar carb problems with a 1985 LT50. I could never get it right. I think I replaced every part in the carb. I know my float was off.When i finally got it runing good, i sold it!

 

Well night before last I got my sylacone (please excuse my poor spellin! I's anin't 2 smart ,so my wife says) out and put some on eveything that might get wet and cause the problem. Then I taped up the sparkplug wire to try and ensure that water won't get in there. Biggest problem since then is it's only gotten up to 12 degrees, And water would just turn to ice!! As soon as it warms up, we'll get this thing out and give it a try. I have tried draining the carb, but there was not any visible sign of water. I've checked all the carb vents and made sure that they were up out of the way and working. Staying out of the water would be impossible!! There is a creek about 100yards from the house, that is a blast to ride in.
We have this lt80 and a Yahama badger, and both of my kids like the lt better, so I really would like to get it fixed. BUT I'm not going to put up with this much longer, 2 years and just about eveything uder the sun done to it, to fix it, is just about enough!! I know it's probably something simple, if I can just figure it out!!
Thanks!!

 

Most silicones (Pamela Anderson not included) have acids in them that will cause electrical contacts to corrode. Go down to an auto parts store and get a tube of dielectric grease. It's clear. Fill every electrical connector with this grease, this will keep water from getting in and causing an issue. Also put some on the inside of the spark plug boot.

Because you said it will start with the choke on, I'd suspect it's not electrical, but fuel related. But you need to start somewhere, and the dielectric grease is easy. Next step would be to blow out all fuel orifices, then replace the float. Is it possible the fuel tank cap's vent gets plugged?

 

Vaseline from a local drugstore is the same as dieletric grease, just doesn't sound as fancy, and costs a lot less! When you drain carb and try yo restart, does it start right away, or do you have problems? Have you replaced needle and seat?

 

I have checked all the vent hoses, including the gas tank vent, and all seem to be open and up out of the way. I have not replaced the needle or for that matter, anything inside the carb. I would thick if something was wrong with it, it would run poor all the time, not just when it gets wet. This little thing runs great when kept dry. Sometimes it takes 5 or 6 times up and down our creek (1/4 mile) before it starts acting up. Then if I can get him out of the water, it will clear up and run fine. The water we ride in is not at all deep, (1" to 3") so drowning it out is not really the issue. It has to be splashing up onto something. Like I said, it runs great when kept dry.

 

1) Have you checked the oil to see if it's cloudy/merky which might show waters getting in the engine? (Maybe a leak in the case somewhere)
2) A good cleaning or replacement of air filter?
3)Air mixture adjusted on carb?

That's about all I can think of.