2003 LT160 Quadrunner Cold Start problem

[copedaddy]

Just joined the forum and was hoping to get some advise on a problem Im having with a new quad I picked up for my son.

Its a 2003 LT160 Quadrunner. When I bought it the guy said it ran fine and was riding it when I got there. It ran great, good power, idled fine, etc. and restarted easily. when I got it home (90min ride) it would not start and killed the battery (which I knew was weak already)

The next day I charged the battery up and still could not get it to start. I tried choke on and off and throttle one and off with no real difference . The very 1st crank it sounded like it wanted to fire, but after that it just turned (does not sound like it is firing). I removed the air cleaner and gave it a shot of starting fluid and it started right up and kept running great!

Let it sit a week, got a fresh battery in it, topped off the fuel and got basically the same thing. 1st initial crank it tried to fire and nothing after that.

Any ideas what might be going on that would cause it to not start unless I use Starting Fluid?

So far I have not taken apart anything to troubleshoot.

Thanks!

Edited September 22, 2013 by copedaddy

[marioweldinginc]

Did you change out the gas? might be skunk gas in the tank. Also the carb might need a good cleaning

[copedaddy]

Gas is fresh. Called the seller and he said the dealer just did oil change and inspection on it before he sold it. Only thing I can think of is somehow a piece of trash came loose in the carb during the trip home and somehow if preventing gas from getting to it.

Does this make sense?? How will it run fine after starting on ether, but wont get enough gas to initially start?

[moderateatvrider]

I would check the choke parts fisrt:make sure its working properly, i have a couple machines that dont have a choke and i have to start them with ether..If no problems there i would then say its a fuel delivery issue: an idle set too low for cold starts, or a problem in the small/idle port in the carb. Hope this helps..(also check the spark plug make sure its clean and working properly, sometimes we over look the simple things)

[Mudflap64]

Yup, think simple. I went round & round with mine once only to find the plug was bad.

[chris5503]

we are in the same boat here, I have a 2003 lt 160 also and cant get it to start without fluid. maybe I can save you time, I have replaced battery and spark plug. tore the carb apart and cleaned it. replaced both jets in the carb also. I put gas treatments in it, new air filter. nothing has worked. my choke is broken so im going to try to work on that next. this is all new to me, got tired of paying labor prices.

[AshlyDavis]

I had that issue happen with me not long ago. I took the tank off and started running vinegar, baking soda and dawn in it and I found a bunch of crap in the tank that you can't see on the quad runner 160's. I noticed when I turned the petcock valve on all kinds of black stuff was coming out of the tank stopping up the petcock valve. The cleaning solution started out strong and shortly after I noticed while cleaning the tank the flow would get weak. Ive had my tank off a handful of times cleaning it trying to make sure all that crap it out. I don't currently have choke on my four wheeler so I have to let it warm up for a bit before riding it. Both of my 160's are cold natured so it seems to me that it's become a common thing.