[retired]

Hi all, new guy here with a problem. I have a 2005, Honda rancher 2wd ES that will start but when you try to give it gas it stutters and dies. This is intermittent. Sometimes it runs like nothing is wrong and then... here it goes again. If I hold the choke wide open it will run while throttling up when it's having it's bad days. I've ordered a new fuel filter (should be here this week) because I believe I could have had some bad gas but wonder what else I should check?

Thanks,
Wayne

 

[Pain]

Definitely sounds like the carb needs to be cleaned. You can remove the bowl off the carb and spray it out, and also spray up around all the guts of the carb. If that doesn't work, you'll probably need to remove the carb and give it a good cleaning.

It could be the filter and it's worth replacing it first just to be sure. Might want to drain the tank too, if you can.

 

[retired]

Thanks for the reply...I had planned on draining the tank and have bought some Seafoam (I read the stickeys). I've never pulled the carb but will do that if necessary. What is that knob that is on the drivers side of the carb, down low and horizontal, that has spring action, that can be pushed and then it restores itself?

Wayne

 

[Pain]

Not sure, but I can guess that is probably a bowl drain. You can shake the machine around a little and then drain the bowl and see if it removes any trash that is in the bowl. Likely won't help, but worth a shot, if that's what that is.

If you leave your machine sit for long periods between rides, you should always turn the fuel off and drain the carb. I just shut the fuel off and then let it run until it dies to drain mine, but you can also use the drain plug to do it. I just don't like to make a mess to drain my carb.

 

[retired]

I found out that the knob I was referring to is a priming pump for cold starts. After pumping it a couple of times, the problem cleared and it runs fine. I'm sure the probem will come back but perhaps keeping the choke on to keep it running or priming it to temporarily clear the problem is pointing at some specific problem....I just don't know what. Hopefully, draining/cleaning the tank, pulling and cleaning the carb will solve it. Any other ideas?

Wayne

 

[Pain]

It's not really a good idea to run the machine choked. If you need to choke it to keep it running, it points to a dirty carb as the most likely cause.

After replacing the filter and draining the tank, cleaning or rebuilding the carb would be the next step.

 

[retired]

It's not really a good idea to run the machine choked.

I agree completely....that's just something I discovered while trying to figure out the problem.

Wayne

 

[Pain]

Once it warms up, if you can choke it, then open up the throttle and release the choke, and it remains running, then it's the idle or low jet, whatever it's called. Obviously by choking it you are forcing it to run rich, so there is a clogged jet causing the problem.

It might be the filter clogged or some other clog somewhere, or a combination.

 

[Helmut]

I agree with Pain, the carb needs to be taken off and cleaned good. And yeah, the knob with the spring is the primer pump.

 

[temmorg]

did you check your air filter, it sounds like a problem my friend was having on her banchee a few weeks back, i pulled the filter off [it was bad] and the bike ran great maybe youll get lucky and it could be that

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I haven't worked much on bike carbs but I've done a fair bit on auto ones. Most of the carbs I worked with had an accelerator pump to counteract the leaning of the fuel air mix when the throttle is opened up from idle. Basically it squirts a shot of raw fuel into the venturi when the throttle is actuated... I had the same problem on a Suzuki SJ410, if you slowly increased the throttle it would be fine but if you put your foot to the floor from idle it would just die. Ended up being "wax" in the Acc pump.

 

[polska12345]

Today I was riding ( 06 rancher AT 168miles) playing in loose sand hard and than it died. started and ran good but no power when gassed/ wouldn't move. friend started towing me and I was messing around when towed started it and gassed it and it works fine. I wonder if they have an over heat sensor I had same problem. weird always used best gas

 

[sandy8366]

I have this problem also on my 2006 rancher, I have replaced the carb, and still have the same problem. Still searching.

 

[retired]

I just cleaned the air filter and don't think it had any oil on it. I let the shop change the air filter the last time it was there. Should there have been oil on the filter?

Wayne

 

[polska12345]

i think it should have / also i have put oil on mine so the dust particles don't go into motor.

 

[polska12345]

I have this problem also on my 2006 rancher, I have replaced the carb, and still have the same problem. Still searching.

I am just going to keep riding and hope it don't do it again. if u find it let us know what it was. I wonder if they have a rev limiter when they over heat ?

 

[ostrx250]

welcome retired keep us informed

 

[retired]

Late yesterday I got the spark plug changed, the gas tank cleaned out as best I could by swishing new gas around in it and then draining, cleaned/oiled and reinstalled the air filter, installed new gas tank fuel filter, added new gas mixed with a little seafoam and then started her up. Seemed to be running fine. Restarted this morning and still runs good. Since this was an intermittent problem guess I'll have to wait a few days to pronounce the problem fixed but for now at least it's looking good. Hopefully, with the seafoam I won't have to go into the carb. Thanks for all the help and ideas.

Wayne

 

[polska12345]

Late yesterday I got the spark plug changed, the gas tank cleaned out as best I could by swishing new gas around in it and then draining, cleaned/oiled and reinstalled the air filter, installed new gas tank fuel filter, added new gas mixed with a little seafoam and then started her up. Seemed to be running fine. Restarted this morning and still runs good. Since this was an intermittent problem guess I'll have to wait a few days to pronounce the problem fixed but for now at least it's looking good. Hopefully, with the seafoam I won't have to go into the carb. Thanks for all the help and ideas.

Wayne

seafoam? what is that ? thanks

 

[Pain]

Fuel additive. You can find it many places, and walmart carries it.

http://www.google.com/search?q=seaf...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a