225dx No Power...

[splangeland]

Alright guys, I have a 225dx. Everybody that has one seems to be pretty fond theirs. Me... not so much. I replaced my head gasket hoping that would solve some of my problem since it was leaking. This thing just doesn't have the oomph people talk about. Sometimes it will run great, It will pop wheelies left and right. It always starts about first pull but just doesn't have the power I feel it should. Does anybody have any ideas of whats going on here? I am trying to get this ready to go ride trails on Memorial weekend. Honestly I'm thinking of selling it to buy a 200x. This thing just has nothing on my YTM 200 that I had. Any help would be awesome. Oh, and I also put a coil on it.

[dougspcs]

Way too much here to start listing possible causes of your issue..

Things you could do to give us place to start helping you..compression test numbers, cam timing double check, carb condition...

[El Camexican]

It will pop wheelies left and right. It always starts about first pull but just doesn't have the power I feel it should.

What do you want it to do? If it's lofting the front non-stop I'd say it's running pretty strong. As far as comparing it to a YTM200 I can tell you it won't out run one simply because the 200 weighs less, but it’s a lot more fun to ride in the rough stuff thanks to the rear shock.

Now when I say the 200 is faster I mean by about one trike length in an acceleration contest and a couple miles per hour in the top end. I know this from personal experience. If yours is that far off what your 200 was it likely needs a rebuild. Start by checking your compression ratio and if that’s good set the valves and cam chain, gap the plug and clean the air filter and any ducts that it draws air through. Make sure the carb is spotless and that the jetting is correct, or at least stock. Do you have the correct height tires? If you have oversized tires they will suck the life out of that little engine.

[splangeland]

I can double check the timing tonight. I checked the valves while the engine was out. I unfortunately don't have a compression gauge, and the carb should be all set. I had problems with it overflowing so I cleaned it out and it is set to stock as far as adjustments go. I don't know how to tell if the jet is so if somebody knows how I can check that too. Carburetors are the area I have about zero skill or knowledge so anything there will be helpfull. Tires are 22x11x8

El Camexican: sorry, I should have said when it is running good it will pop wheelies but most of the time its just slow and when I say slow I mean slooooow, I'm thinking my mini bike from Tractor Supply could just about out run this thing... Not quite but you get the idea. It also doesn't burn oil or anything so I was thinking it hopefully doesn't need a rebuild

ColtonGG33: My exhaust is basically a straight pipe. The baffle was hacked out and where the muffler meets the headpipe is not really connected... that's my next project

[El Camexican]

Sound does not equate to power kids. Running an open pipe on a gas powered single cylinder engine adds no more power than putting playing cards on your bicycle spokes. In fact it will slow you down in most cases.

Fix your pipe before you bother doing anything other than checking your compression. Any good tuner will tell you that you can’t properly tune a vehicle with a poor exhaust system and unless you are running alcohol or nitro for fuel you need some backpressure. If your exhaust is indicative of the general condition of your trike you could have a number of problems that are combining to cause your power loss.

[splangeland]

Yeah I was hoping to get a new muffler for it because I know wide open is less than ideal. I wanted to put a DG system on it but they don't come with a spark arrestor and you cant get one for them, which I need in order to ride trails in MI. I am currently trying to find an OEM muffler for it but that is proving to be a challenge, there is a couple on ebay but they're all in about the same shape as mine. As for the rest of the trike, its actually in pretty good shape... well it was until I trailer-ed it down the highway and cracked my plastics. But other than that it seems to be good. Headlight/taillight work, Electric start works. It was a major step up from my YTM 200

I just found that the Oreilley's by me has a compression gauge in their loan-a-tool program so if its in tomorrow I will pick it up after work.

I double checked the timing, it was good.

Checked my spark plug. I thought it was running rich based on how black it is so I leaned it out and that made pop really bad. This is my plug before adjustments

[El Camexican]

I just found that the Oreilley's by me has a compression gauge in their loan-a-tool program so if its in tomorrow I will pick it up after work.

Perfect!

How exactly did you lean out your engine? Leave no details out. BTW, No point to reading your plugs with that pipe on there.

[splangeland]

I pulled the throttle cable from the carb and raised the clip on the needle 1 notch. But with how it was popping I switched and lowered it a notch from factory sttings. The biggest difference I noticed between stock and 1 notch richer was that it didn't take so long to warm up. Its still cold blooded but nothing like it was before I lowered the clip a notch. I forgot, I also put a moose, I believe, air filter in it, but that's about the only mod I've done

[El Camexican]

Stock was likely in the middle of the needle on that trike, please confirm.

Also:
- Is it always cold outside when you notice the power storage?
- Is the power shortage intermittent, or constant?
- Have you looked at your intake manifold to see if it is cracked?
- Is that air filter you on oiled or dry?
- Have you checked your valve clearances?
- Did you remove the pilot jet and clean it? (small brass tube about 1/8" diameter and about 3/4" long located in front of the main jet, has about half a dozen holes in it)
- Did you do anything else to the carb when you had it apart?

Make sure you take your plug with you when you go to borrow that compression gauge so they can match the threads up to an adaptor if need be.

[barnett468]

Hello


It's late so I'll be quick everyone needs every question answered in detail to be able to best help you. Please check what everyone asks to get the best help.


1. Your plug may be misfiring trust me, you need a new one anyway to test jetting. I personally would not do anything other than what's been suggested above without a new one. It looks carbon fouled, this can cause spark to fire between porcelain and housing to create a misfire. It is typically not possible to get it all off by cleaning.

2, What color is gas coming out of fuel hose, apple juice color is bad near clear is good.

3. You say it runs fine then runs poorly please explain in detail.

When you accelerate from a stop or cruising speed does it "burble/sputter" [rich]or does it have a flat spot, or just "pop". Lean jetting jetting will rarely if ever make an engine pop if it is lean enough to cause this it will be a consistent problem not an intermittent one plus it will have a major flat spot upon acceleration.

[ColtonGG33]

Sound does not equate to power kids. Running an open pipe on a gas powered single cylinder engine adds no more power than putting playing cards on your bicycle spokes. In fact it will slow you down in most cases.

Fix your pipe before you bother doing anything other than checking your compression. Any good tuner will tell you that you can’t properly tune a vehicle with a poor exhaust system and unless you are running alcohol or nitro for fuel you need some backpressure. If your exhaust is indicative of the general condition of your trike you could have a number of problems that are combining to cause your power loss.

Are you sure about that? Because it allows the trike to flow better which essentially give it more power, and trust me it did, I had the old stock exhaust on it and when I did the new one it you can just tell my trike was running better

[Vealmonkey]

As usual, but people rarely mention it, Have you adjusted your clutch lately? Also, did you put your trike up in the air and made sure your brakes aren't dragging or that your front and rear axle bearings aren't binding? Checked your chain adjustments and oiled your chain? Try those too please.

[fabiodriven]

Are you sure about that? Because it allows the trike to flow better which essentially give it more power, and trust me it did, I had the old stock exhaust on it and when I did the new one it you can just tell my trike was running better

He is sure about that Colton. There are many men on this forum who have been there and done that. We were all kids once too. We all did what you are doing now. Do yourself a favor and don't perpetuate the stereotype of your generation. Read, watch, and learn. You think you're going faster because you're making a bunch of noise now. I can pretty much guarantee you're not going any faster and you've probably cost yourself a ton of very usable low-end power.

[El Camexican]

Are you sure about that? Because it allows the trike to flow better which essentially give it more power, and trust me it did, I had the old stock exhaust on it and when I did the new one it you can just tell my trike was running better

I'll give you this kid, you ain’t shy about opening yourself up to ridicule, but hey, what better way to learn.

FYI: There are only two reasonable ways I can think of to measure power changes. Timed 1/4" or 1/8" runs under similar conditions (that’s a long topic) and comparative dyno pulls on the same dyno. Anything else is folklore and bench racing BS.

PS. I think it’s cool that you appear to be scratching you head in your thumbnail, it suits you perfectly!

[splangeland]

El Camexican: Yes, stock is with the clip in the middle.
- I have noticed problems in all temp ranges, I cant say cold was worse or hot was worse.
- Power is sometimes very intermittent. I was trying to race my brother on his dirtbike and when I was running wide open in fifth gear just on a straight shot down a dirt road, I could feel it cutting out. It would be running great then slow down then back to great again all without moving the throttle. When it slowed down the best way I can describe it I guess, it felt like it just wouldn't reach full rev's if that makes sense.
- By intake manifold do you mean the piece between the carb and the engine? If so, the most I have done was sprayed carb cleaner all around that general area to make sure I didn't have a leak.
- It's an oiled filter. I poured oil on it and kind of squeezed it around, then rung it out to make sure there wasn't excess oil.
- I checked valve clearances when I changed the head gasket.
- I didn't remove anything from the carb, other than the float and needle when I cleaned it. I just gave everything a good blast best I could multiple times. Taking them apart makes me nervous. I can take apart a lawnmower carb to clean it... but there's nothing to those.

barnett468:
1. I will to make sure and pick up a plug when I get the compression gauge tonight.
2.It's pretty close to clear. I do lawnmower repairs at the hardware store I work at and bad gas is the #1 problem so all of my gas has stabil in it ass soon as it comes from the pump.
3. The second dash under El Camexican's hopefully explains it a little better for you.
When I am cruising and rapidly let off the throttle, sometimes its a few really loud pops, sometimes it sounds like a machine gun going off. From a stop it sounds normal, just doesn't have the get up and go.

Vealmonkey: I just adjusted the clutch last week. As for getting it up in the air and checking the things you mentioned, I have not done that. I will do that tonight.