LT80 Hard start

[racer514]

New to forum. Found it searching for advice on my son's 2003 LT80. It is difficult to start. More so when warm. It cranks great and sounds like it wants to fire every few seconds but takes a long time to finally start. When it starts, it runs great. Any advice?

[racer514]

Also, it just about will NOT start without the choke. Even when it is warm. It is still very difficult even with the choke on, but basically impossible with the chok off. It is a RARE occasion that this quad will ever start without the choke on. I just tried the petcock (put it on prime) to see if it was easier and didnt really notice much difference. Still impossible without choke and difficult with. Any advice would be helpful.

[LT80]

Sounds like a plugged Pilot jet.
Have you cleaned the carb?

[racer514]

I tried that with no change. It has kind of been difficult since it was new but gradually gotten worse since as it got older. Maybe I'll try a larger pilot jet. Do you know what size is in there and how much I can go up without going TOO far?

[LT80]

The Main jet is too big as is. 92.5 is stock and a 90 or 87.5 is OK.

Do a compression test please.
If that's fine, we will look at a posible stator/coil problem.

[racer514]

You mentioned the man jet is too big but isnt the pilot jet the one responsible for starting?

Just did a compression check and she is about 155psi.

-Keith

[LT80]

Yes the pilot is for starting.
Sorry. I read it wrong. I saw main not pilot. LOL
You don't need to adjust the pilot. it's a 17.5 and is fine.

Have you done anything to the motor? 155 seems high for a stock motor (fine but high).

Starting w/o the choke rarely works on any LT80. I understand that yours isn't correct.
The LT80's usually fire right up.

Some thoughts...
Clean air filter, remove and make sure the lil holes are open in the pilot jet, spark plug cap conected to spark plug (the stock caps suck), spark plug cap on the coil wire correctly (not loose),
Ground wire on motor (I make a extra)..
Removing the flywheel and sanding the stator has helped alot if you think it's been thru enough mud and such.
Cracked reed or a carb o-ring not there..
The coil could be bad.

At this point, I'd check all the above but for what I know of this thread, I think it's in the carb.

[racer514]

Air filter is cleaned regularly and nothing changes. Everything is completely stock except for my homemade kill switch which I will remove but it always had the problem before I made the switch. Which o'romg are you referring to? I have taken the carb off in the past to clean it out when it was hard to start and could have lost it or something butlogically, I only ever took it apart to see if there was an issue because of the starting. (but ill try again)

[LT80]

There is a o-ring that sits in the lil black plastic piece behind the carb.

[racer514]

Checked the air filter, it was still clean (only one ride on it). Cleaed the carb with a fine tooth comb and allwere clear. Removed my home made kill switch (auto fuse drilled and attached to a clip to my sons chest protecotr that would kill the ground to the coil if he fell off). Still requires choke before it will start even when is warm but it seems a little better. I still keep thinking I should try a larger pilot since the choke makes such a difference)