1985 SS440 starting problem. HELP!!

C

Craig Jaremczuk

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Dec 3, 2017
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Location
Massachusetts
Hi everyone, so I picked up an 85 ss440 in great condition. I pulled apart the carb and cleaned it very carefully with carb cleaner and compressed air. Clean air box. New plugs. Filled the oil res. Checked compression and both cyl are just over 101 psi. Primed float bowl in carb and gave it a few pulls to see the fuel pump fill the lines up. Put the plugs to the block and pulled and both seem by eye to be getting spark. Engine won't start at all. At best has a weak sputter but only once in a while. Mainly nothing. Gave a small shot of starter fluid down the plug holes and barely did anything. Cleaned carb a second time, checked spark again to find them still showing signs of spark. Also forgot to add that every few pulls I take out the plugs and they seem to be getting fuel so I dry them off and try again. Randomly got it to fire while no choke and throttle applied, ran for 30 seconds sounded healthy then just shut off and back to having nothing. Where would you recommend going from here. I don't want to buy tons of parts for trial and error. Hoping someone has seen this being it's a common older sled. Thanks in advance for help
 
Craig Jaremczuk said:
Hi everyone, so I picked up an 85 ss440 in great condition. I pulled apart the carb and cleaned it very carefully with carb cleaner and compressed air. Clean air box. New plugs. Filled the oil res. Checked compression and both cyl are just over 101 psi. Primed float bowl in carb and gave it a few pulls to see the fuel pump fill the lines up. Put the plugs to the block and pulled and both seem by eye to be getting spark. Engine won't start at all. At best has a weak sputter but only once in a while. Mainly nothing. Gave a small shot of starter fluid down the plug holes and barely did anything. Cleaned carb a second time, checked spark again to find them still showing signs of spark. Also forgot to add that every few pulls I take out the plugs and they seem to be getting fuel so I dry them off and try again. Randomly got it to fire while no choke and throttle applied, ran for 30 seconds sounded healthy then just shut off and back to having nothing. Where would you recommend going from here. I don't want to buy tons of parts for trial and error. Hoping someone has seen this being it's a common older sled. Thanks in advance for help
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If you put fuel in the plug holes will it run until the gas is gone.. then you carbs are still plugged up.. I would guess the pilots.
 
Hi Mr Sled, I have been using fuel in the plug holes in different amounts and I can barely get it to sputter while pulling and as soon as that fuel has gone through it ( guessing 5 or 6 pulls) back to nothing at all. When it sputter it sounds like it might want to start but not enough to keep it going. And again I have what looks like excellent spark.

Make sure you get enough in the jugs to let her run.. its sure sounds like its not getting enough fuel.. dont be afraid to get some fuel in there.
 
how is the pulse line to the fuel pump? seen it split on the fitting on the motor and do this on older sleds.
 
test the exhaust with a shop vac .. should be free and clear... ??? had one sled so bunged with seeds and grass
I finally gave up clearing it and installed a spare exhaust. O r try to run it with open exh for a few seconds.
worth a try
Ron
 
RON HYDRAULIC YAM said:
test the exhaust with a shop vac .. should be free and clear... ??? had one sled so bunged with seeds and grass
I finally gave up clearing it and installed a spare exhaust. O r try to run it with open exh for a few seconds.
worth a try
Ron
Click to expand...

Seen this myself on more than one occasion.

opsled
 
Have had this happen with the SS440 with a flooded crankcase from a leaking needle and seat or a choke that is not properly seating. Once it was so bad I had to drain raw fuel out of the exhaust pipe and pull it over with the plugs out and WOT until my arm almost fell off in order to clear the crankcase. Make sure the choke is well seated and there is good free play in the cable at the carb end.

If you suspect you may have a flooded crank make sure you start it outside and away from anything that might catch fire like pick up trucks, gas cans etc. (Ask me how I know....LOL)
 
So I have tried some suggestions and got no where. Ultimately I figured I would start pulling the motor apart to see whats going on, got as far as pulling intake apart to find some bb sized nuts likely from a chipmunk or something that got down in there through the carb that jammed the reeds opened. First pull after reassembling it fired right up. NEXT QUESTION: does any one know what the factory settings for the carb needle should be? I believe 3 1/2 turns out but I can't remember. Runs and idles nice but has a very slight hesitation when you first get on the throttle. Almost got the sled running mint, determined to get there.
 
Craig Jaremczuk said:
So I have tried some suggestions and got no where. Ultimately I figured I would start pulling the motor apart to see whats going on, got as far as pulling intake apart to find some bb sized nuts likely from a chipmunk or something that got down in there through the carb that jammed the reeds opened. First pull after reassembling it fired right up. NEXT QUESTION: does any one know what the factory settings for the carb needle should be? I believe 3 1/2 turns out but I can't remember. Runs and idles nice but has a very slight hesitation when you first get on the throttle. Almost got the sled running mint, determined to get there.
Click to expand...

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 turns from what I can remember
 
I usually start at 1-1/2 turns out and tune from there. The early years for the SS around 81 had a #80 pilot jet and it was pretty much impossible to get rid of the low range hesitation. The 85 SS should have a #92 pilot jet but you may find even with that there is a slight hesitation if you snap the throttle from idle to WOT with the stock Kehin carb. Easiest way I found to deal with it was bring it up off idle to about 2500 rpm before WOT.
 
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