Engine Trouble 47cc Tanaka stalls

locksmith

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i need help tuning my tanaka 47cc motor. it was acting weird... it would start if you're pulling the throttle, but die as soon as you let go.

so i tuned it according to the recommendations. H needle 3/4 open, L needle 1 and 1/4 turns open, but the same problem. I moved the L to 1 and 1/2 turns open

the engine does seem to flood easily, so if i had to guess, i'd say i'm running it too rich. but i don't want to break it by running lean

i've never tuned a 2 stroke before, so i don't want to mess it up. please tell me what i should do.

the spark plug is fine.

ps... when i first got it, it ran great. lots of power, but i think it's just out of tune. the guy i bought it from had it tuned before the summer, then it just sat all summer

thanks.
 
then it just sat all summer

and there you are. probably with out draining the tank or making sure the engine had been idled until the carb was completely DRY.

split carb, clean, check for holes tears in diaphgrams, reassemble, run.

my fave way is to open the hi and lo an extra 1/2.

set idle a bit high, let it warm up.

full throttle! if it has a wheel and stuff attached, give it some brake so its dragging. then turn hi in until it peaks, and back out again, just a touch.

idle. lower idle speed some. start turnin in lo needle.

idle gets higher. find the peak, and back off a 1/4 turn.

try throttle. if it coughs, open lo a bit.

if its stopped peaking at full throttle, touch the hi again.

back to idle, and then its sort of a lil fiddling between nice crisp acceleration from idle to full throttle, and finally set the idle screw back to a nice low idle.

if it starts coughing when accelerating, again...just nudge the low out a lil. you may have to set the idle a bit higher again...

if it takes a long time to settle down to a steady idle, the lo is too RICH. or if it tends to sit and finally splutter out and die in a cloud of unburnt oil and fuel vapor.


only difference with tuning if it doesnt have any load...ie, a chainsaw... is instead of "peaking" the hi end... you just want to be on the edge of where it STOPS 4 stroking at full throttle.(pwo-o-o-o-o compared to neeeeeeeeeeee) dont let it peak out or it may blow! then adjust slightly when in use to get it perfect.
 
I run a Tanaka 47R engine on my bike. It runs flawlessly, unless the oil/fuel ratio is off.
No need to rebuild carb. Simply drain the old gas and refill with 50:1 mixture.
If you want to spend $$, install a Champion/NGK/Motorcraft sparkplug,
an SBP petcock and clean the air cleaner element.
 
Thank you all for your help! I appreciate the tuning advice as it's never been clear to me

5-7, do you like your 47 tanaka? do you ever adjust the hi/lo on yours?

I gotta say when it was running, the 47 was amazing! it's got a ton of torque and feels stronger than my 40cc tanaka
 
I absolutely love my 47R. It is very reliable and powerful.
Yes, I've adjusted the carb a few times.Usually I do this when I screw up the oil/fuel mix.
The 47 muffler is very loud. However, with the right pipe, noise leve drops greatly.
I use the 3-piece Tanaka-specific pipe. They're out of production, so hard to find.
The 47 has enough torque to push you off the seat from a standing start,
if you're not hanging on tightly.
 
Good to hear, the motor is a beast. I absolutely love my 40cc. Does the 47cc go out of tune easily? Will it work fine one day then not be able to go up hills the next or is it consistent? Do you adjust it by much, or just small turns?

The reason I'm paranoid about tuning is cause I have a goped cruiser http://www.amazon.com/Go-Ped-Cruiser-Powered-Scooter-Black/dp/B000VM3A7W with a 29cc chinese motor and the motor sucks... it goes out of tune easily and always needs service and adjustment... It's no where as reliable as the tanaka. the 40cc is my commute bike!

I have the tc-4700, not the r, but i found this manual helpful cause it's got the 47cc coverage
http://www.tanakapowerequipment.com/PDF/All/TBC-500 TBC-550_DX TBC-600_OM.pdf
 
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Unsure if we have the same carb. With mine, it's set it and forget it.
Methinks the quality of gas AND the fuel/oil mix (human error, my fault) throws the tune off every few months.
ALWAYS use fresh gas. When that happens, I adjust the carb.
As you keep adding the correct mix, the engine would then need to be reset to the exact factory recommendations.
Spark plug color is light chocolate with expansion pipe. I change the plug about once a year, no matter if it needs to or not.
Clean the screen annually too. It's a great engine, very dependable. The only thing that wore out was the pullstart.
 
Thanks, good to hear. my 40cc is the same way, it never gives me ****, knock on wood. i like the fat pull start on 47. the 40 has a smaller one

looking forward to getting it back from the shop
 
i took it in last week for the guy to look at the motor. it was stalling. it's ready today
 
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