Ok I have been on here before. I traded my riding lawnmower for this atv. When I got it the engine did not turn so I was told I (forget who on here) to dump ATF-automatatic tranny fluid thru the spark plug hole. It loosened it alot so regapped the plug cleaned it good spark. about a half an hour later spitting and sputtering and then it backfired. No smoke and stil wants to turn over but hessitates.

My question does the carb need taken off and cleaned? this is what I am thinking. how do I go about this.
Dave

 

This engine was frozen up? And now you are looking at the carburetor?

I would start by measuring the engine compression. Engines are not normally frozen up. This is usually a bad sign (I hope I'm wrong). A toasted engine isn't going to get fixed by adjusting/cleaning the carburetor. First things first.

 

I understand that I thought and just figured it was toast until I added the atf fluid and it loosened the engine. How do I measure the compression? It seams that it has great compression just by turning the engine by hand. I just tried to start it about an hour ago and it almost stayed running.

 

Use a compression tester from an auto parts supply store. It plugs into the spark plug hole. You crank the engine with the throttle wide open until the reading peaks out and read it.

A quick and dirty method is to remove the spark plug and plug up the hole with your thumb. Crank the engine. You should not be able to hold in the compression. Your thumb should get pushed off. Obviously this method is not as good as having a real compression checker.

If your compression is low, squirt in a little oil through the spark plug and repeat. If the compression rises you have bad rings or a scored cylinder. If it doen't rise substantially then it is leaking out the valves.

 

Would it be worth replacing the seals? or the whole engine?

 

Would a loose exhaust cause my problem at the connection of the engine and begining of the exhaust?