Anyone help please. My Zilla has develloped a very difficult starting problem since I put on a new PWK39. It will very easily flood the plug during kick starting. New plug after new plug and all I get is a few rotations and a lot of smoke. When this happens I have to get my wife to tow me behind her car...(very embarrassing for her) I'm thinking the choke might be letting too much gas by. Do you guys leave the choke on until it fires up or do you turn it off after a kick or 2? THX for any advice.

 

i would turn it off

 

what jets are in it?

 

slow was 60...now 55 main is 185 needle is stock and clip is at 2nd from top. I'm thinking of 2 possible causes.......
1:...choke is letting too much gas by thus flooding the plug
2:...the weather is too cold (22deg F) and gas is having a hard time atomizing

I've had the coil checked and is good. I'll get a great spark with a new plug. But it soon gets wet when kick starting.

 

nope...still have to tow start....went through 14 brand new plugs and every time it would come out dripping wet with gas. Tried kicking it with and without choke. Tried carb cleaner as a boost with ZERO results. Checked float height and cleaned float needle. Drained the carb to try to get it to burn up the gas in there right now. Still no results!!! It's a brand new engine top to bottom. Did a leak-down test and is 100%...new carb last summer and thoroughly cleaned 2 weeks ago and again this morning...kick kick kick kick kick kick kick 4 hours of kicking this pig. I've never had so much trouble starting this thing since I put in this new carb. My foot hurts beyond description. Does anyone have any other ideas? I have a 45 slow jet in there right now. THX

 

It's a 2-stroke, so I would guess if it's flooding the way you say it's because the crank case needs to be "cleared out" On 2-strokes the air fuel mixture enters the crank case before it is forced into the cylinder.

 

i wish i could help you but im running a 44 on my bike. if i were you i would post this topic on planet sand there are some zill guys over there.suprised you dident get much help here. plus you can talk to DR Q he is the guru of the lt 500
http://www.planetsand.com/ubbthreads/newuser.php?Cat=0

 

I don't have a specific answer to your dilema, but consider this:
A 2 stroke takes the air/fuel/oil mixture and delivers it into the crank case (for lubrication), and then up and into the combustion chamber.
A choke doesn't "let fuel by", rather it closes a butterfly that restrics the amount of air that enters the carb, therefore richening the air/fuel mixture. (A cold engine requires a richer mixture to start properly.)
If your plugs are as wet as you say, it sounds like there is a ton of excessive fuel that has accumulated in the bottom of your crank case. (Choking it will just make matters worse.) Check to see if there is a plug in the bottom of the crank case that you can pull to drain it.
If this happened to us when snowmobiling, we would shut the fuel off at the petcock, and pull, pull, pull, until it started, and then turn the fuel back on. (While pulling, hold the throttle wide open to get as much air through the engine as possible.)
If you have excessive fuel in the crank case, carb cleaner will not help--that only adds even more fuel to an already overly rich condition.
Most all atvs (in proper condition) should have no problem starting in 22 degrees F.
If I were to guess, I would say that excessive fuel in your crank case is prohibiting it from starting. This could be from over-choking, or even a previously stuck float needle (as well as other problems that delivered too much fuel).
Let us know how things progress (or if you have further questions).

 

Your zilla has a mechanical slide carb and the "choke" isn't that at all it's an enrichener. All it does is open an extra air passage in the carb allowing more fuel to be drawn from the float bowl making the mixture rich for cold starts. There won't be a plug on the bottom of the case to drain off any extra fuel. You'll have to remove the spark plug, turn the gas off, hold it wide open and kick it untill you think it might be cleared out.

 

It is good procedure on all 2-stroke troubleshooting to start with a compression or leak down test for baseline #.

But it sounds like a leaky needle and seat to me.

Cleaning a carb will not always fix a leaky worn needle and seat.

I would start by checking how well the needle /seat seal.

Use a pop off gauge to test needle seat seal. It should not leak at all.


If you don't have a pop off gauge you might try this.

Here is a back yard mechanic way to test how well your needle/seat seals.

Turn of gas.
Drain gas from carb/float bowl.

Either remove carb or if you have enough room to work on installed carb, go for it on the bike.
Take off the float bowl and fuel line, slide on to the fuel inlet a tight fitting long enough piece of tubing to reach your mouth.

Holding the carb upright blow into the tubing and manipulate the float up and down. With the float all the way up Listen for no hissing and feel for pressure in your mouth. Let the float down and confirm/listen/ feel the needle open up, raise the float and confirm a total seal. There should be no hissing and the pressure you exert with your mouth should not leak out passed the needle/seat.

If the needle and seat are tight, time to check the rest of the carb/engine.
Make sure all jets and seats are tight with gaskets/seals when needed.

Like Daniel said, no choke on your carb.
The enrichner circuit has to be adjusted correctly for a good idle (with a hot engine) in the down position.

Once adjusted:
For cold starts pull up on the enrichner plunger until it clicks, leave ignition off and lightly kick engine thru 3-5 compression strokes from top to bottom. Then flip on the ignition, give it a good firm kick from top thru bottom and as soon as it fires up (usually first kick) push down on enrichner plunger. If it does not start on the second kick, repeat this procedure in full.

You do not have to turn the plunger at all. Turning the plunger adjusts hot idle only. Once the idle has been set, just up for starts and down as soon as she fires up.
The one exception to this is when seasons change and the idle has to be readjusted 'slightly' for cold/hot weather.
No big changes should ever be needed.

Hope this helps
allcool