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Won't run, cleaned carb now won't Start

20K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  pondtunes 
#1 ·
Hello all, looking for some assistance...

I have what I believe to be a 99 Arctic Cat 250 4x2. I say I believe it to be a 99, because I purchased it off craigslist from a guy that said it was an 86 but I looked up the vin, and best I could tell it is a 99.

But the problem is that it has set for about 4 months and when I went to start it, it would fire right up, but only run for a few seconds. Each successive start would run for about have the time as the first until it would not run at all.

I figured that it was not getting any gas because it would run for like 5 seconds the first pull, 2 seconds the second maybe 1 second the third and not run at all the fourth.

If I let is set over night, the next day I would give it a pull (battery is dead) and it would fire up, run for a few seconds and die, and repeat as above.

I figured that maybe the float was stuck, the carb was clogged and not getting gas, or the fuel filter was clogged and gas was slowly filling up the bowl over night alling it to run for a few seconds.

I replaced the fuel filter, took the carb apart and cleaned it, but now it is back together and the best I can get out of it now is a soft cough, like maybe I might have imagined it tried to fire, but it will not.

The only internal screw that I could find that had adjustment was about 1 1/4 turns from fully seating/tightened, and that is how I put it back.

I noticed that the thumb screw (idle/throttle?) at the top of the carb was completely out of the carb when I went to clean it, so I tightened it completely tight, and then backed out 4 turns (complete guess) but have backed it out a turn each pull when trying to start it, so I am about half way in I would expect at this moment.

If I pull the plug it appears to be wet and if I pull start it with the plug out against the cylinder I can see spark.

I have compression (finger in the hole test :)

Also starter fluid into the air filter does not make a difference

It ran well enough to go around the block, into my truck, and into the back yard under a tarp about 4 months ago when I purchased it, but it will not run now.

Please help, any ideas?

Thanks,
Josh
 
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#2 ·
Fresh gas?
 
#3 ·
Try holding the throttle half way open when starting.
You can't really tell compression by the finger test IMO, you really need a gauge, but if it ran even for a minute prior to cleaning the carb I'd say it should run again. That black thumb screw is idle adjustment and screwing it in will raise the idle. Try holding the throttle open when starting the motor.
 
#4 ·
Valve clearances?

Still no luck starting, going to go get a compression and feeler gauge this weekend to check compression and valve clearances to make sure they are good.

Can anyone tell me what the valves are suppose to be set at for a 99 250 2 wheel drive 4 wheeler?

Thanks,
Josh.
 
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