Dra O

i only read the top part of your post on my phone - laptop showed me the rest - i'll tackle those steps next. i didn't have to loosen the throttle cable and other piece this time - was able to turn carb on its side to reset the air fuel screw - i backed it out from snug to 2 1/4 turns and the throttle went in almost half way - this is progress. i may back it to 2 and see what it does just for kicks. getting excited about this - will keep you posted

took it to back yard and everything went blank. battery is new - it was a 15 amp fuse in front. thank goodness - was ready to throw in the towel. I ran it around my yard and, after it got warmed up, it bogged down BADLY while pressing the throttle - sounds flooded - had to inch back to workshop... uphill, of course played with the "governor" thing that taps in to carb to rev up/slow down the idle but this didn't help matters. I put the clip at 3 spaces versus 4 and this didn't help. I ran it without the air filter and this didn't help. you think it's still the idle screw on bottom of carb? I did loosen it up a bit like you mentioned - I think I can get a tiny screw driver up under it to adjust needle. ** if I do take the carb off again - not an issue - remember I came out 2 5/8 turns on the screw - do I need to go out to 3 1/2 turns or will this be letting MORE gas in and flood it even more? you're taking a LOT of time with me and I appreciate it, frank - I remain keenly aware that it gets old - but I appreciate your continued assistance. some good news: I may can get the bearings on all tires changed for under $300 at a local Polaris dealer - other mom/pop shops wanted $500

dig it - thanks dave. feel free to add any advice on the topic at hand! i'm a newbie with zero ATV experience

the smoke has calmed down - it's idling pretty good but still rough - no leaking under the machine - engine not overtly-hot after about 10 minutes of running - the whining noise has abated when I press throttle it bogs down a good bit - I even advanced it slowly but it bogged down about 1/4 of the way in -- when I stopped the engine and let it set for 2-3 minutes, it would start w/ no issues, I could open the throttle all the way and it would howl... but then I'd let it idle, try to push the throttle and it would bog down again I let it set for 10 minutes, had to press throttle to get it to run, it idled for about a minute before cutting off to adjust the needle valve, I've either got to remove the carb every time or bend the end of an old slot head screwdriver 90 degrees and hope this works - that's gonna be challenging I was able to open the movie attachment above w/ windows media player - unsure if you'll be able to

sage advice, frank. I was thinking last night I may've hooked a hose up backward but I filmed the entire process. the smoke is white - couldn't discern it having any blue tint but could be wrong. i'll look closer this weekend when it's in my back yard. were you able to see the short video? I can't open it on my work computer.

and I did have to add grease to both ends of the rubber piece between air box and carb - maybe it's this burning off....? i'll get it out from my crawl space this weekend if it's dry and let it run a bit - the wife was pretty angry about the smoke "but honey, I didn't know it was gonna smoke like that!" if it's beyond repair and I can get a few hundred clams out of it, tell me - I can take it. it's a 1999 and has 6100 miles on it

thanks for joining in, spock - yes, I know the part you're talking about - it went back in easily - and I tested it by turning it back/forth to ensure it remained operable prior to starting engine I reattached everything - had to sprinkle gas in air box but it started. it idled pretty rough - but it smokes like rip - white smoke - it also would rev slightly higher without me having touched the gas lever, then would go back to normal idle. it smoked a bit when I got it but not like this... I know it could be several things, but could it be the clean carb being "broken in" - if so, i'd expect the smoke to dissipate after a while air filter is new and gas is fresh the whining noise I am unsure about.... KQ first run after carb rebuild.MOV

I'm guessing the screw under the black hose in the pic is the idle screw - it's the only functional screw on the carb other pic was the junk in the bowl ** was I right on turning the screew 2 5/8" back? should I have screwed it down until I saw the needle, then backed it out 2 5/8"?

slide clip from service manual reads 5D40-4th - i'm assuming this is the 4th slot - I reviewed a video of me taking out slide and it looked like 4th slot pilot screw is 2 5/8 out - per service manual - I made it SNUG re: tightening it down - saw the tip in the barrel - then backed it out accordingly the idle screw adjuster you mentioned - this is the adjustable screw on the bottom of the carb? I would think this would be hard to reach once carb put back in but will see getting that beast back in is a kicker - I put forward-most side in first, as the coupling on this end doesn't "give" a whole lot - I may need to heat the air box side rubber connector to get it to soften - that thing will hardly depress enough to let me work with it. could I not simply get a piece of thinner, more-pliable tubing (like from a radiator shop) and clamp it really tight? once it's up and running, my aim is to post a video and have you listen to it at your convenience - unsure if can post videos

carb is out and cleaned - bunch of same crap in float bowl that was in fuel tank (almost sawdust looking crap). many of the holes on some of the internal screws were gummed up. the air/fuel mixture screw had half of an o-ring and no washer protecting o-ring from spring. everything from carb rebuild kit online fit flawlessly. going to be reinstalling carb but had a few more questions: 1) the float height: my manual says 13mm - i'm pretty close to this using calipers and following angle of float bowl body (I hope so, anyway) 2) the needle groove notches - I THINK mine was set on 3rd or 4th groove - I don't remember - any idea the factory setting? I figure the 3rd groove would be safe 3) I think I've read before where it's 2 5/8 turns out (on the air/fuel mixture screw (if that's the right piece) - is this right? 4) people talk of "too rich" or "too lean" - what the world does this mean? i'd like my quad to idle a bit revved up - that's just me - and I think I can adjust this on a piece on the side of the carb (took it off while cleaning carb - the end of it abuts the piece that opens the main valve - turn it one way, valve opens, turn it opposite way, valve closes) 5) after I install the carb, how will I tell if it's running optimally? remember, I've not owned a quad before - this is all new to me. 6) last thing: how long to hose lines last? my quad is a 1999 (300 LTF). i'm worried about crap or build up on the inside of the lines. would I be wise to replace all the lines going to the carb? I figure I could find hose online - like a 50 foot role of it - for cheap. does 0.5cm ID and 1cm OD sound about right? any help/direction continues to be appreciated

got it running today, frank. FINALLY.... 😀 the pump wouldn't prime until I filled up the tank to almost full (over the level of the fuel pump) - oh, and it helps to turn petcock to the, um, "prime" position (I am an idiot). but once I did this the gas spit out the other side of the pump. the engine idled and everything. pretty pumped about this (no pun intended). as luck would have it, however, once I turned the engine off I noticed the carb dripping gas everywhere, especially from the bottom hole - looks like a carb rebuild is next on the list. from what you tube videos I've watched it looks like the floats may be affected. alright, so I changed the oil last weekend - new ring, filter - everything. the oil looked really good in the window after filling. when I started the machine today, the oil in the glass turned light brown, like it had dirt in it. the old oil looked fine, just really dark. when I changed the oil I didn't tilt the machine upward to get ALL of the oil out of the oil cooling lines - could this be it? but the old oil was black.... or could it be simply, I don't know, bubbles in the oil that makes it look light brown while the engine is running? it's been 6 hours since I started it and I just checked the oil window and it's back to brown / normal again. probably worrying too much. I lined the underside of the innermost rubber petcock gasket, the o-ring and outer "bent" ring with a thin film of permatex and it hasn't leaked yet. thank you for helping, man - I may have screamed like a little girl once it idled, but there's ultimately no need to pass this along to anyone, m'kay? you do a great service to folks like me - you oughta have a tip jar or something. with your knowledge base, you ever think of making you tube videos? you'd have a great following. yeah, the one I bought is like half the size of the original and it lacked the valve on the back. I was told the back valve wasn't needed. I was able to salvage the plastic straw-like pieces that draw in the fuel - they fit a bit tighter in my original petcock. with the original I also put a thin layer of Permatex on the underside of the innermost gasket, a thin bead around the o-ring and a bit on the bent circular piece (likely didn't help here but whatevs) - and it hasn't leaked yet (this was about 1-2 months ago with gas in the tank). once I start riding it again this may change, but right now it's tight as can be.

Frank, thanks for the info - I will try to prime the new petcock this weekend with a hose - that sounds like a good idea - will use the existing hose that goes to carb. *** but shouldn't the fuel pump be spitting out gas to the other side when I crank the engine? it isn't doing this....

I thought a petcock was a petcock (for a king quad 300). I got it on ebay for about 10 clams. it is different from original - the anchor holes line up on the tank perfectly but the diaphragm on the new on is slightly smaller than the original - and the rubber gasket on new petcock is just a hair too large for the original petcock, so much so that i'd have to splice it, defeating the purpose of the gasket and risking a leak. I put original petcock back on today and it was leaking at the switch side (the on, prime, reserve side) - it seats well at against gas tank but the diaphragm, being 20 years old, is flat. i didn't want to spend 100 clams on new, crazy-expensive petcock to fit my specific machine but I may have to (120 on amazon and ebay - can't return it if used - lovely). I watched a youtube video of a guy "fixing" a petcock on his Harley (similar carbs, apparently) - he elongated internal spring AND warped the inner metal piece even more (to increase tension/pressure behind the switch side) but this didn't work to remedy the issue. this is getting frustrating, especially having a funky model x mukini and not the y version - there are plenty of parts for the y version. might oughta consider selling the beast as is - it didn't cost me anything. or take it to a shop and spend a few hundred clams - I don't know if it's even worth that much.

posted a while back - it was running at one point - I have all the plastic shroud off - it's down to frame and engine now -fuel pump: when line from petcock is attached, no fuel comes out other side to carb; the line to the carb is open (can blow through it); I thought when I cranked engine that the pump would spit out fuel on other side but it does not; I removed fuel pump and opened it up - diaphragm looks good - but internal areas had lotsa calcification build up - I cleaned this out and dried it good - the clear plastic pieces (?diaphragms) aren't broken - the spring w/ steel ball on end moves freely; am putting it back on tomorrow; but can anyone answer about the pump? isn't it supposed to pump fuel through it... to other side... to carb? puzzling -along with fuel pump: I replaced petcock 3 weeks ago (gas tank had rusty fuel in bottom - cleaned it out prior to new petcock); when I turn petcock arrow NOT to on or reserve, fuel comes out of line; when I turn it to on or reserve, fuel doesn't come out; puzzling -I don't know what's on back of fuel pump - it's a valve that has a hose coming out of it - looks like it goes to engine/carb - I haven't traced this out yet - what is it? -can squirt gas on air filter and engine will run for 2-3 seconds then stop - fuel in top of carb (under diaphragm) does same -it likely needs carb rebuild - will get to this - but something isn't allowing fuel to get from fuel pump to carb -I THINK it has a mikuni model x carb - diaphragm is ID 26mm OD 68mm - hard to find inexpensive diaphragm, I guess because it's a model x -last thing - I replaced solenoid due to old one clicking; I HAVE to be charging the battery or it won't start/turn over - battery just goes dead; but if charging, it'll turn over nicely; i'm guessing it's a bad battery -any help appreciated - I've never owned an ATV before - inherited this beast from grandparent in-law

It was, as some mentioned, the battery. I had a cheap, tiny battery from Academy - worked only a few times - likely not enough juice but it was rated for atvs. recharged the old one fully and it is working. ordered some back 25x10x12 tires from ebay tonight for 115 clams - not a bad price - old ones worn nearly flat. Are there any heavier duty batteries you guys recommend? Are foreign batteries decent? Big differences in prices. And: taking off the fenders - there are Phillips head screws on outer and a nut of some sort inside fender wells. I nearly stripped the outer screw at one place earlier. What's an easy way to take off the screws? Might need to bite the inside nut w/ a wrench....

I’ll get the o-ring - thanks for the advice. Was hauling brush today and the Quad stopped. Made a clicking sound while trying to start. Is this the starter? Can a layman with a bit of small engine repair experience change it? Battery is new. Hate to be throwing a thousand questions at this forum since I’m new....

Thanks for replying AJ. The oil actually looks pretty good per finger dip from back pan - air filter and spark plug very clean. The video covers a lot. Thanks again.

1999 King Quad - recently inherited per grandfather in law's death - has 6100 miles (or hours... likely miles). Brakes work, forward/reverse operable, lights intact, pulls bad to the right but has good general power. Tires are literally bald. I don't see any general leaking of fluids around engine. Will only be using it for general things around my land - no racing/mudding. Since I don't know the maintenance schedule (likely maintained fairly routinely), what things should I be looking for? 1) I want to look at/change oil - can do that - but was looking at youtube video - is that a rubber gasket i'll need to replace where the oil filter goes? Is there a chance I won't have to replace said gasket if I'm careful? It's no problem getting one online.... 2) Will pull/inspect spark plug - likely replace. 3) What other general things would you guys recommend I focus on? Or maybe I should just wait until something happens! Any advice appreciated.