LT80 Compression/Crankcase Seal

[Katamaniac]

I just got my son an LT80 and it runs very poorly. It's very hard to start and you have to choke it even when it's warmed up. It wouldn't idle unlesss it was choked.

I spent a few hours researching through all these threads Friday night.

This is what I have done so far:
I cleaned the Carburetor extensively, ensuring to get every port cleaned. I have a lot of experience with Motorcycle carbs.
I ran a compression check and it came up with 95 PSI. From what I gather, that is a little bit on the low side.
I have tuned the Carburetor until I was blue in the face.

Now after all the work that I have done, it is still hard to start, but now it will idle, but it idles like it has a vacuum leak. It will rev up, then I have to apply the brakes (it's on a stand) to bring the RPMs back down.

My thoughts are that it has a bad crank case seal. I know the compression is a little low, but I don't think it's low enough to cause the problems that I am having.

I have never had one of these apart. How hard is it to replace the crank case seal?

[LT80]

They are easy. You just dig the old ones out and push the new ones in.
Left side you have to remove the front clutch, might as well service the clutchs. Right side you have to use a puller and take the flywheel off. Sand/clean the stator/flywheel while your in there.
Spray wd40 around the carb and such to see if it's sucking air from up there.

95 comp isn't the best. Your down 20-25%.
I'd be getting a shiney new suzuki piston for it. :)
Might as well make it 100% for your son.

[Katamaniac]

Thanks for the reply.

I don't think this little ATV had very much TLC in it's life time.