1994 yamaha kodiak 400 wont start

[tony72346 10]

I have a 1994 Yamaha Kodiak 400 4x4 and it turns over but won't start unless you hook a rope to it and pull it then it starts right up every time and runs fine. At first after you pulled it the first time then run it a while it would start back on its own until it cooled down then you had to pull it again. I noticed that it was putting a little black smoke out of the muffler so we cleaned the carb adjusted it and put a new spark plug in it but it still won't start. What could be wrong with it

[Ajmboy 508]

Do you mean towing it in gear to start it? I'm confused about the rope pulling...

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[tony72346 10]

Yeah we hooked my buddys four wheeler to it and put mine in gear and pulled it down the road and it starts right up everytime

[oxidized_black 78]

could be valves need adjustment ...

[Ajmboy 508]

Could it be you are running too rich? How's the air filter and try adjusting your mixture screw. Also is the battery good/correct? How's the cranking with the starter? The revolutions may be too slow to get it going so when you pull it in gear it starts up because its faster cranking. Just some ideas.

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[tony72346 10]

Adjusted valves still don't start I adjusted on the mixture screws still the same the starter seems like it is turning it over good and fast but might not be fast enough we tried spraying starting fluid in it and it still wouldn't start off it