I was going to wait to see what was wrong with my new 2002 Cannibal that I bought 3 days ago, but I figured I would go ahead and ask. Have any other C-dale owners had a problem with your quad not starting?! At first I thought it was to cold so I would wait a while... Well, that was yesterday and it still doesn't start. I am trying to check the spark plug but I can't reach it since it is about 4 or 5 inches down in the motor. Got any other suggestions on what it might be? I started it up, drove it behind my house, washed it, and that was the last time it ever started [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] . Now I'm just [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img] off!

 

You need to replace the plug. Get an extension and it comes out easily

 

First off find out which ECU your Cannibal has. Does it have an MC500 or MC1000. This is easily discernable by the location of the ECU. If the ECU actually sits underneath the air filter it is an MC500. If it sits forward of the airfilter it is an MC1000. Now there are starting tips for each one. If you turned it over a couple of times, stopped, turned over a couple of times, stopped etc... you probobly flooded it and fouled the plug. The ECU has a decay function and it puts a bunch of fuel in when it first starts turning over then less and less as it continues to crank over. If you have an MC500 the best starting procedure is the one found on Cannondale's website. It'll take a few times to get it down but once you've got it it should start every time. For the MC1000 a little trick is to turn the key on then hit the start button with the clutch out. This will power up the ECU and the throttle air bypass valve will set itself to the right position for the temperature. Next pull the clutch in and hit the start button without touching the throttle. If you touch the throttle it will sputter and cough but won't start and you'll probobly run down the battery or foul another plug. You can always call Mark at the factory if you have any problems.

 

Hey man check your gas line,I might have come off when you washed
it.Sounds funy but it hapened to me.

 

special- Just wondering how you became the 2001 South Mississippi state Champion? What races did you have to go to to win this title?

 

MRP,It was a one race deal at Pervis,MS.There was 11 Quads.My wife
put that stuf in my profile.I did not even notice it till you
pointed it out.The Hammond championship was 8 months.They will
have another next year.

 

Its not the gas line. I had to take the gas tank off and both were still attached when I did. I don't have an extension long enough to reach the plug so I haven't been able to check that yet. Maybe tomorrow. Have any of you had this problem, or ever heard of it happening to someone. It happened two days after I picked it up, I rode it about 15 min. the first day, the second day I rode it about 45 min., and the third day I drove for not even one min. and parked it behind my house to wash it. After I was done washing it I had to go to work so I was going to drive it back to where I park it. Well, as you already know, it wouldn't start.

 

If its not to much trouble,bring it to your dealer let them check
it out.That seems to fast to foul the plug.I may be wrong though.

 

YoDaddy, will the engine turn over any at all? I'm guessing that it will because you said you thought it was just to cold to start. Its more than likely the plug. If the engine wont do anything at all, check the starting system interlock switch (I think thats what its called, Im looking in my manual). I dont have my quad here so Ill try to explain it the best I can. Its a small plastic connection on the clutch perch behind the clucht cable, it has a wire running to it. Anyway when I wrecked mine it come loose and my quad wouldnt do squat! Luckly we figured it out in about a minute or so.

 

If not the plug do you think it might be air in the fuel line? My dad says that he has had tractors that would do about the same thing because there was air in the fuel line and it couldn't get any fuel to the engine. Can the dale be like that to or are quads completely different? Thanks for your help so far.