Oneblown86
New member
I am looking for opinions on what my problem could be, here are the symptoms:
I pulled the carbs, cleaned them thoroughly which i have done many many times before, adjusted my air fuel screws to 2 turns out from a soft bottom (which for some reason were 4 turns out from bottom, i have never adjusted these until this year) changed the plugs, reassembled and started her up for the first time. Here is where the problem is, with choke on sled idles up great, pull off choke and it will idle down to about 1500 for a few seconds then slowly drop in idle until it eventually dies. If i ride it, it rides great around the yard, but when at a stop it will idle down again then die.
My first assumption is that one of the pilot jets must be clogged. I pull the carbs back out and clean them again, i get the same result. My fuel level is bouncing between two bars, and one bar depending on where its parked, and it is still on last years fuel. Now my assumption is that the fuel must have gone bad because i have already been into the carbs twice, but im not so sure. Being that i leave for Maine the end of this week, and I don't have the sled near me i only have one shot at this when i have a few minutes before loading up to get this fixed if the carbs need to be taken off again. Otherwise im going to dump fresh fuel in it and ride it with a little extra fuel system stabilizer and hopefully she'll clear out on her own. \
Opinions please
I pulled the carbs, cleaned them thoroughly which i have done many many times before, adjusted my air fuel screws to 2 turns out from a soft bottom (which for some reason were 4 turns out from bottom, i have never adjusted these until this year) changed the plugs, reassembled and started her up for the first time. Here is where the problem is, with choke on sled idles up great, pull off choke and it will idle down to about 1500 for a few seconds then slowly drop in idle until it eventually dies. If i ride it, it rides great around the yard, but when at a stop it will idle down again then die.
My first assumption is that one of the pilot jets must be clogged. I pull the carbs back out and clean them again, i get the same result. My fuel level is bouncing between two bars, and one bar depending on where its parked, and it is still on last years fuel. Now my assumption is that the fuel must have gone bad because i have already been into the carbs twice, but im not so sure. Being that i leave for Maine the end of this week, and I don't have the sled near me i only have one shot at this when i have a few minutes before loading up to get this fixed if the carbs need to be taken off again. Otherwise im going to dump fresh fuel in it and ride it with a little extra fuel system stabilizer and hopefully she'll clear out on her own. \
Opinions please
I'd recommend the following:
Pull the carbs and check the fuel screws have an o-ring/washer/spring - clean with them removed
Check the pilot sizes (can't imagine someone going smaller but you never know)
Backflush the pilot passages
Check inlet/tophat filters
Check needle settings especially if you plan to run the fuel you have
Drain and fill with fresh 91 or better
You're lean at idle obviously so check for other causes such as leaking intake boots, crank seals. Did you own this sled last year? The pilots at 4 turns was probably done to mask something else (wrong/partially plugged pilots).
Low or no flow from the pilots along with stall fuel - coupled with a lean mid-range needle setting - is an open invite to Mr. Squeaky. Don't forget the affects of the frigid temps we've had too.
If you don't drain and just fill with fresh fuel, skip the stabil and instead poor a half can octane booster.
Don't mean to be all Debbie Downer but unless you get the flow of fuel through the pilot figured out, you may end up with a costly repair. Relying on any kind of cleaning additive to help clear her out may result in a scorched piston.
Pull the carbs and check the fuel screws have an o-ring/washer/spring - clean with them removed
Check the pilot sizes (can't imagine someone going smaller but you never know)
Backflush the pilot passages
Check inlet/tophat filters
Check needle settings especially if you plan to run the fuel you have
Drain and fill with fresh 91 or better
You're lean at idle obviously so check for other causes such as leaking intake boots, crank seals. Did you own this sled last year? The pilots at 4 turns was probably done to mask something else (wrong/partially plugged pilots).
Low or no flow from the pilots along with stall fuel - coupled with a lean mid-range needle setting - is an open invite to Mr. Squeaky. Don't forget the affects of the frigid temps we've had too.
If you don't drain and just fill with fresh fuel, skip the stabil and instead poor a half can octane booster.
Don't mean to be all Debbie Downer but unless you get the flow of fuel through the pilot figured out, you may end up with a costly repair. Relying on any kind of cleaning additive to help clear her out may result in a scorched piston.
FJViper
New member
^^Exactly! well said. CLEAN carbs are essential for these sleds as is FRESH good octane fuel and the correct carb settings.
Oneblown86
New member
I had the sled last year, put a little over 600 miles on it. Someone had told me about the fuel screw adjustment so I turned them in.
She ran great all last year, plugs were nice and brown @4 turns out, I need to get fresh fuel in her to confirm that its not a fuel quality issue. I will need to pull the carbs again I guess. Checked the boots, all seems well with a great seal, sled has 2100 miles previous owner barely rode the thing.
Thanks for your help
She ran great all last year, plugs were nice and brown @4 turns out, I need to get fresh fuel in her to confirm that its not a fuel quality issue. I will need to pull the carbs again I guess. Checked the boots, all seems well with a great seal, sled has 2100 miles previous owner barely rode the thing.
Thanks for your help
Devilin AblueDress!
New member
X2 and for the life of me I cant understand why so many guys try running on old fuel. Its a great thing you have already cleaned your carbs twice but honestly even if everything else is 100% perfect the fuel from last season ran straight (no dilution with fresh fuel) threw a Viper or SRX and rode hard at all is 100% enough to burn down a cylinder. There is no additive/stabilizer or snake oil out there to make 6 month+ old fuel "good enough". I may be a little on the anal side but if gas has set in my tank for more than a couple weeks I will syphon if there is very much or at least add fresh.
Oneblown86
New member
Just an update on this issue, because I don't like when people don't update their posts no matter how silly they look when I'm searching through old posts finding the answers to my issues. Total knob move but this happens, I'm sure more than a few times in history, I miss-counted the number of times I turned out the fuel screws after cleaning. I only turned them out one turn and not 2. Don't ask me how I did that on something I have done more times than I can count, but in case someone else has a problem maybe they can reference this post and maybe it will help someone out. Sled runs fine now, lean at idle was causing the stalling as suspected. Thank you all for your help, now on to Maine for some much needed R & R with sled riding.
super1c
Super Moderator
Hey ive actually not turned them out at all. LOL! I always put them all in and lightly seated, then when carbs are done i go back and turn them all out at once. Nothing worse then tearing the whole thing back apart to find fuel screws not turned out. Sad thing is ive done it more then once LOL!
LOL - Gotta admire a guy that isn't affraid to share his Super Genius with others.
I pulled out of a gas station driveway this evening and crushed my running board on a snow bank... Genius!
Here's a carb issue-98 SRX 700 only ridden it once-ran fine. took apart to clean carbs, rejetted back to stock(smaller) now it idles at 2000 with idle screw backed all the way off and slack in the throttle cable! any ideas?
02YamiSxViper
New member
I just ripped my whole carbs apart and replaced everything and started a 5 page thread about running rich and my problem was my stupid reeds were chipped..... Duh.....I think everyone who works on their own cars or snowmobile has done something stupid.
FJViper
New member
Always start a new post, makes it easier for people to respond. In any case.......
Throttle cable not seated properly on carb rack? Air leak...Carb boots not seated on carbs?