Motorcycles, Snowmobiles, Go-Carts, ATV's and Golf Carts - 2003 Honda Rancher starting problems...
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ToadMan
11-20-05, 06:51 PM
Hello, all! I am having problems starting my 2003 Honda Rancher 350 4x4 ES, and would like some opinions on what to begin with. I have already checked the plug -- it is carboned up pretty badly, but when I test it against the exhaust manifold, it does produce a good spark (I do wonder if I should go one heat range hotter when I replace this plug -- couldn't find the right one at Wal-Mart today -- should I go hotter???). I have primed the carb and made sure the fuel selector is ON. Regardless of how I work the choke, the machine does NOT want to start....
Some more detail -- I have never had to do ANYTHING to this machine short of replacing the battery. It has only 45 miles on it, as I use it almost exclusively for plowing my driveway.... Last winter, I used it a few times, and never had a problem except for that dead battery that needed replaced. I replaced it with factory new... I ran the juice down on it far enough yesterday trying to start it that I had to put the charger on it. Even with the 50 amp booster, I couldn't get the thing to start. It will turn over, and sounds like it's firing, but it just won't catch and light up.
I wonder if the gas is bad or may have water in it, and whether I may need to re-build the carburetor already on the machine. What do you think??? I appreciate any thoughts you might share!!!
:wall:
Some more detail -- I have never had to do ANYTHING to this machine short of replacing the battery. It has only 45 miles on it, as I use it almost exclusively for plowing my driveway.... Last winter, I used it a few times, and never had a problem except for that dead battery that needed replaced. I replaced it with factory new... I ran the juice down on it far enough yesterday trying to start it that I had to put the charger on it. Even with the 50 amp booster, I couldn't get the thing to start. It will turn over, and sounds like it's firing, but it just won't catch and light up.
I wonder if the gas is bad or may have water in it, and whether I may need to re-build the carburetor already on the machine. What do you think??? I appreciate any thoughts you might share!!!
:wall:
j400
11-20-05, 09:28 PM
after trying to start it with the choke on throttle open for a few seconds, remove the spark plug, check for gas on it, if it sat up for a while with fuel in the carb the its probably gummed up
ToadMan
11-22-05, 08:08 PM
Yeah, I think the last time I ran it was in Spring, or maybe once or twice over summer just moving it. I did pull the plug after trying the test you mentioned, and there IS gas going in, but not as much as I thought there should be. However, the plug was badly carboned up. I did get a replacement plug, gapped it properly, and installed it. However, it still does exactly the same thing.... it doesn't start!!!
I'm almost wondering if it's fuel related -- the primer pump isn't "resisting" being pushed in like I thought it has in the past, and it takes a few seconds for it to return to the "out" position -- is it possible there is something wrong with the primer? Either way, I probably need to pull the carb and open up the bowl to see if it's gumming....... I'm pretty sure I never put any gas preservative in the tank (thinking I'd be using it MUCH MORE last winter!) -- or if I did, it was just before plowing with it this winter (I don't go through a tank plowing the driveway in the winter, anyway), and the "effectiveness" went away after a few months....
So, how hard is it to pull the carb on this thing??? I've done this before on an older outboard motor (that was pretty easy, actually!), but never on an ATV... Looks like a pretty tight fit -- does anything else have to come out before I can get the carb out?
I'm almost wondering if it's fuel related -- the primer pump isn't "resisting" being pushed in like I thought it has in the past, and it takes a few seconds for it to return to the "out" position -- is it possible there is something wrong with the primer? Either way, I probably need to pull the carb and open up the bowl to see if it's gumming....... I'm pretty sure I never put any gas preservative in the tank (thinking I'd be using it MUCH MORE last winter!) -- or if I did, it was just before plowing with it this winter (I don't go through a tank plowing the driveway in the winter, anyway), and the "effectiveness" went away after a few months....
So, how hard is it to pull the carb on this thing??? I've done this before on an older outboard motor (that was pretty easy, actually!), but never on an ATV... Looks like a pretty tight fit -- does anything else have to come out before I can get the carb out?