honda big red dies every couple min

[jawalth6]

When I got it it ran OK but leaked gas out of the overflow. i Iinstalled a new spark plug and a brand new carburetor. I also cleaned the fuel tank and put in new gas. Now it still had an issue. Every couple minutes it dies and won't start. it appears to be fluded. After a wile it will start back up and run like a champ, for a few min... Why would it still flud with a new carb and gas?

[Flyingw]

Try popping the gas cap off when it dies and see if it starts right back up. It sounds like the gas cap vent is blocked. Give that a try and report back.

[jawalth6]

Already did. I even tried a smaller tank with a large vent tube, still the same.

[82 250r]

Stator could be bad.
The stator is shorting as it warms up.
I had this happen and swore it was a carb problem...replaced the stator and it has ran perfect ever since.

[Flyingw]

Ok, rule out the cap vent. You said you bought a new carb. Was it one of the Ebay carbs? 82 is right, when it dies on you, put a meter on the black/red wire coming out of the stator and measure the resistance and see what it is. This will tell you what condition the exciter coil is in electrically at the point of failure. Its also possible you CDI may be bad although CDIs tend to work or not work. You might also try clipping off about 1/4 inch of your spark plug wire and put the boot back on. Its not uncommon for the end of the wire to get burnt causing an intermittent connection. Check your frame ground where the main harness grounds to the frame. Be sure its a good clean connection. Left side of the tail by the battery box.

[djm0242]

I agree probably exciter coil (stator inside left engine cover $30) or spark plug, coil wire etc. If anything ever goes wrong on an ATC250ES electrically it's been my experience that it's stator or CDI box.

[barnett468]

hi

check the wire with eng cold then warm.

lay plug on head with cold engine and kick it over and look at spark, tell us if it is a crisp tiny blue spark or a lazy yellow spark.

do this again immediately after the bike dies, if the spark looks noticeable weaker then you have an electrical prob in the ign at the very least. if the spark looks the same it is most likely not the prob and is more likely flooding.

remove the plug quickly when it dies, if it is wet but dries off if you plow on it then it is gas. if it also has good spark when you clean it off then it is a carb prob.

if it looks wet but dies not evaporate then it os oil and it is oil fouling most likely from bad rings.

oif it is gas then try adjusting the fuel mix screw, most are around 1 1/2 turns out from full in.

if this does not help it then it might be a high float level and i would lower it around 3/16".

if it still gas fouls then it is likely too big of a pilot jet and i would go down 2 sizes.


how cold is it there?

how much choke does it need to start?o

how much throttle?

how quickly does it start?

if it is arund 60 degrees or less and it starts quickly with 2/3 choke AND little or no throttle then it is likely too rich on pilot jet and/or too high a float level.

[jawalth6]

I am gone for awhile. When i get back I will do those things

[jawalth6]

And yes it was an eBay carb.

[djm0242]

I use an eBay carb and have been perfectly happy with its performance for over a year now. Of course you'll want to be sure that there's no trash from your tank clogging up your carb. You may want to let it drain and maybe blow it out if you aren't certain it's clean.

[jawalth6]

I cleaned out the tank and put a filter on before I put the new carb on. It also has a clear gas line, I dont see any gunk

[jawalth6]

Its fixed!
I adjusted the valve gaps. The correct but the intake was too small of a gap. Which I wouldn't have thought would make a diferance but I corrected it, and I also put a new sparkplug in. It runs good now. I might put the old plug back in just to see witch one it was.

[Flyingw]

ALRIGHT Brother!!!!! Good job.

[djm0242]

Right on! Good thinking.

[jawalth6]

I finally got around to playing with it more. It was the spark plug.

[DohcBikes]

Hey, I think it might be the spark plug....:lol: Just kidding, glad you got it running good!

Where in Nebraska are you from? I lived in Kearney for 32 years.

[jawalth6]

By Ashland in between Omaha and lincoln

[jawalth6]

that sparkplug fouled out after about an hour of riding. And so did the next one. And on and on. Why do they keep fring? It doesn't burn oil, and the carb is new. It runs great for about an hour then it starts to die. I have used NGK DR8ES-L, DR9ES-L, D7EA, and some champions.

[tri again]

I got a sparkplug cleaner from HF, air compressor and sand required ..specifically for the old atc 90's.

Always fouling plugs with 5 or 6 or those machines running.
Never figured out why.
My 250 models can use the same plug for years.

[DohcBikes]

What does the plug look like when it dies? Is it all black and sooty, smell like fuel, look normal?

And what does it look like when its running well? Maybe check the plug at a half hour of run time.

[jawalth6]

It is black with a little brown burnt color to it and yes its wet with fuel. You can start to smell fuel in the exhaust 10 min before it goes bad. After 30 min it just looks half as dark black as it does when it dies.

[DohcBikes]

Then you are extremely fuel rich. Read some jetting threads and report back. Maybe someone else will take the time to go through a rich running issue with you but there are many good jetting threads and tips on the site.

Already knowing that you are fouling from a rich condition will make it easier.

First thing to check would be the intake though, for blockage or a dirty filter. You aren't leaving the choke half on are you? Did you order the right carb? Check the jets against stock specs. Also float height is critical.

Keep us informed.

[Chopsaw]

Its a 250es ? Check the starter valve ? The valve itself and make sure the cable is working .

[oscarmayer]

lower the carb needle 2 spots. this is the the eclip you raise it 2 notches. make sure the mixture screw on the bottom is only 1 and 1/4-1 and 1/2 turns out.

[tri again]

Silly Q, I know but how old is the gas?

Shelf life of this new gas is about the same as milk these days.
Just a thought other than all the other suggestions.

Good to check hard stuff, timing and valves before mixing the carb but I always go with whatever is easiest first.
Yeah, Please let us know what you find.