2002 suzuki king quad will not start????

[smoke eater]

hello to all
i'm sure i'm not the only one waiting for this heat to go away. anyway, i was thinking about starting up all my machines in the garage yesterday. i usually do this with all my stuff to prevent starting problems after sitting for so long. up first, my atv. it cranks, but no start. i tried everything, but it will not start. my list of everything-
fully charged battery
checked for spark- yes
new plug with correct gap
fuel could be a few months old, but it has sta-bil
tried starter fluid in plug hole-starts then dies in 1 second
fuel valve "on"
i think i have fuel, not sure, in cylinder, light smell of gas
think its the carb?

i'm trying to figure out where the drain screw on the carb is. my manual says to drain it, try to start again, then drain to see if fuel is present. with a recent back injury, thats not too easy. i see the carb kind of burried in rubber lines, etc. i do not want to turn the wrong screw-idle, mixture, etc. can anyone help with this? should i get a new carb? remove and clean? this is my splitter hauler, so it needs fixin. thanks to all who can help

 

[lukem]

If you have spark and it won't start, you most likely have a fuel issue...with a remote chance you aren't getting enough air.

First, I'd check the air filter to make sure everything is flowing freely.

From there, work it forward on the fuel system. Is the gas tank switch in the "on" position? If yes, is the fuel line from the tank getting fuel to the carb?. If yes, you're carb might not be getting fuel to the engine for a number of reasons that will most likely involve removing and cleaning.

Start with the easy stuff...working toward the harder stuff.

 

[smoke eater]

thanks for your input. tried fuel valve "on" and reserve. don't think i can handle removing the carb. might have a pro do it.

 

[mellow]

The drain screw should be on the bottom of the bowl, if you search google you can find the service manual for that quad and it will have a breakdown the carb.

 

[MasterMech]

Any chance the petcock has a "Prime" position? Vacuum petcocks on some ATV's are designed to allow fuel flow only if the engine is running. The "Prime" position (or "Pri") will bypass that feature and allow fuel flow with the engine off as long as the carb isn't full.

I'd locate that drain screw, put your hand on the opposite side of the carb and press the screw driver into the screw firmly because some of these things get stuck in there pretty good and the heads usually strip out easily, and drain the carb. Leaving the screw open, either use the "Pri" position on the petcock if it has it or crank the engine for 5-10 seconds to check for fuel delivery. Then close the drain screw and try to start it. It's possible the fuel in the carb has gone south (even with stabil), dumping that and allowing fresh fuel from the tank to fill the bowl might get the machine going again. Good luck.

 

[MofoG23]

Having wrenched on ATV's since I was 15, it sure sounds like your carb is the issue if I had to guess.

Before you look at the carb, start with simple items. Check your fuel tank and make sure fuel is draining out - pull the fuel line off the carb and make sure fuel is getting there. Is there an inline fuel filter? That could be clogged...

If you are getting fuel into the carb (filter and line are not the issue), then you should drain the bowl - should be a very simple process. If that does not work, I'm betting you have a jet(s) that are clogged up. It does not take much to clog a jet, especially if there is not an inline fuel filter combined with the risk of using today's junk fuel...

good luck!

 

[smoke eater]

thanks for the replies. i tried to take the carb off, but i aborted. handed it over to a buddy that knows this stuff. he could do this with a blindfold and he has all the tools.

 

[JeffRey30747]

On my Suzuki quad, I'll usually squirt the starter fluid in the carb intake from the air cleaner assembly with the element removed rather than the spark plug hole. Sometimes multiple applications of starter fluid will move enough fuel through the vacuum operated pump to get things going. you may have to remove the carb and clean it though. I've BTDT too.

 

[rkshed]

I have worked on more bikes and ATVs this year that have carb issues than can be imagined.
The etanol in the gas is destroying carbs and fuel lines, even fuel tanks. I have seen the fuel eat a hole through a float bowl.
Ahh, the greening of America is causing more problems.
Anyhow, pull your pilot jet and blow it out with compresed air. It will be a VERY small hole but when clean you will see light through it.
Also, clean out the yellowish gunk in the float bowl that seems to always be there over the last 7 years. (ethanol came out in 05 I believe). That is the degrading gasoline.
Stabil was great stuff years ago but everyone should be treating their fuel with Startron or a similar product.
Your small engine will thank you.

 

[mellow]

I have seen the fuel eat a hole through a float bowl.

Metal float bowl?? Now that would be a picture, never heard/seen that happening before. Seen some floats get eaten up good but never a hole in the bowl.

 

[rkshed]

Metal float bowl?? Now that would be a picture, never heard/seen that happening before. Seen some floats get eaten up good but never a hole in the bowl.

It attacks aluminum.
Float bowls are smooth from the factory and after a few years with the new fuel just sitting in them, they look like they have been sand blasted. Just take a look at the carbs on a barn fresh bike that has been sitting for 20 years and although the carbs need a good cleaning, they generally will not be as pitted as one sitting for 2 years and full of Ethanol fuel.
As an aside...
Not that long ago I learned that Pressure treated lumber had changed the chemicals to a more envirimentally friendly version and now OTRs that haul it with aluminum flatbeds are seeing damage from the chemical laced rain runoff.

 

[MasterMech]

It attacks aluminum.
Float bowls are smooth from the factory and after a few years with the new fuel just sitting in them, they look like they have been sand blasted. Just take a look at the carbs on a barn fresh bike that has been sitting for 20 years and although the carbs need a good cleaning, they generally will not be as pitted as one sitting for 2 years and full of Ethanol fuel.
As an aside...
Not that long ago I learned that Pressure treated lumber had changed the chemicals to a more envirimentally friendly version and now OTRs that haul it with aluminum flatbeds are seeing damage from the chemical laced rain runoff.

It's not the ethanol itself that corrodes the aluminum. It's the mixture of ethanol and water that kills. Figure out where the water is coming from (condensation/humidity, poor storage/open/vented containers, etc.) and the corrosion problems go away.