Engine Trouble Should cold starts improve?
- Thread starter Snarfu
- Start date
Al.Fisherman
Active Member
Most likely when you change the fuel mix. Start with 20:1 and go up from there, I use at the moment 32:1, and this year will go to 50:1.
Decrease "pain in the butt"= Starting fluid/throttle body cleaner. I use it every time I start my bike up for the day. Cant peddle much (heart), and the engine will start up within 20'. Never had to use more then one application. Remember to turn off the fuel flow after shutting it down. I turn my fuel off about 500" before I kill it.
Yep, having the same pedaling issues here. My heart's fine, but I live on a dirt road-- tough to break the land speed record on a 50lb bike. Starting fluid is a good idea- I haven't taken that step yet since I'm out of anti seize.
Al.Fisherman
Active Member
Oh, and I start mine in the grass, as vehicles are in the driveway. 220#. OH and since this is in the 2 stroke forum, what is your power plant?
My driveway is gravel, so it's no better than the road. Just tried the starting fluid with epic success!!! I did notice, though, that it takes 5 min or so for fuel to get from the tank to the carb. Checked petcock (really? Who named that thing??) and it's clear, so perhaps I live in a place where gravity isn't so tough after all.
66cc skyhawk
Al.Fisherman
Active Member
I always start out by opening the petcock, and hold the tickler down (opens needle to let fuel flow) to fill up the bowl. Then and only then hit it with a spray of starting fluid. In fact all my bikes have a small hole drilled into the cleaner cover. This way I can stick the nozzle in and spray.
In fact all my bikes have a small hole drilled into the cleaner cover. This way I can stick the nozzle in and spray.
Now *that* is a good idea.
Cavi Mike
Member
The tickler doesn't make fuel flow in faster; it just holds the float down. The tickler is there to push the float down which opens the valve and allows the bowl to over-flow into the carb. If the bowl isn't full yet, the tickler does nothing because it can't reach the float in the first place.
motorpsycho
Active Member
cavi mike is exactly right about the tickler.
if the bowl is empty, fuel will flow into it as long as the needle & seat isn't stuck closed. holding the tickler down at that point does nothing because the float is already down and the needle & seat are already open.
the stock petcocks (still funny) are **** and they are a very basic design with a little rubber diaphram inside....they flow very poorly.
the best and easiest thing to do is remove the petcock (giggle) all together.
go to the hardware store and get yourself a brass hose fitting and screw it into the tank in place of the petcock (yep, still laughing). Take that petcock with you to the store so you can find a brass fitting with hose barbs on the end. The brass fittings have the same threads, just match the size to the threads on the petcock.
Then, get yourself an in line fuel shut off valve (that sounds better than petcock) for a lawnmower. you can get these at almost any auto parts store or hardware store for a few bucks. (i know that autozone sells them) this eliminates the crappy in-tank petcock all together, and the fuel will flow into the carb A LOT better.
If you happen to have the same carb as I do, the carb has a fuel shut off built right into it in line with the hose fitting. so on mine, all i did was put the brass fitting into the tank in place of that silly pet-rooster, and i rely on the carb mounted shut off to do the job. Fuel flows like crazy with no restrictions for me, and when the shut off is closed, no fuel comes out, no drips, no slow leaks...it works great.
I do have an in line shut off valve for a lawnmower on my other bike, and it works great too.
if the bowl is empty, fuel will flow into it as long as the needle & seat isn't stuck closed. holding the tickler down at that point does nothing because the float is already down and the needle & seat are already open.
the stock petcocks (still funny) are **** and they are a very basic design with a little rubber diaphram inside....they flow very poorly.
the best and easiest thing to do is remove the petcock (giggle) all together.
go to the hardware store and get yourself a brass hose fitting and screw it into the tank in place of the petcock (yep, still laughing). Take that petcock with you to the store so you can find a brass fitting with hose barbs on the end. The brass fittings have the same threads, just match the size to the threads on the petcock.
Then, get yourself an in line fuel shut off valve (that sounds better than petcock) for a lawnmower. you can get these at almost any auto parts store or hardware store for a few bucks. (i know that autozone sells them) this eliminates the crappy in-tank petcock all together, and the fuel will flow into the carb A LOT better.
If you happen to have the same carb as I do, the carb has a fuel shut off built right into it in line with the hose fitting. so on mine, all i did was put the brass fitting into the tank in place of that silly pet-rooster, and i rely on the carb mounted shut off to do the job. Fuel flows like crazy with no restrictions for me, and when the shut off is closed, no fuel comes out, no drips, no slow leaks...it works great.
I do have an in line shut off valve for a lawnmower on my other bike, and it works great too.
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