07 RS Venture starting problems.

[elyislander]

Have had some problems with the new (used) venture. Cold starting is a problem, sled would start and run with choke on, then die out. Crank it again, it runs for a little while, then die out. Did this until it would idle enough to back it out of the garage. A couple of loops around the yard and it ran great, once it warmed up.

After reading the posts re: carb cleaning on this site (thanks, by the way, great stuff!) I figured that the pilot jets needed cleaning. I did this, they look really good now, but now I can't get the sled to start. It will crank and crank but no start. It will backfire once in a while. I'll list below what I have done over the past few days:

Day 1. Removed bowls and pilot jets. Tried to clean with carb cleaner only since I did not have my air compressor. Reinstalled pilots, sled started, still had cold start problems, but got it warmed up and went for a spin around yard.

Day 2, part a. Tried to clean thru ? jets (the holes at 3 and 9-oclock on the airbox side) with carb cleaner and blow compressed air thru them. After this sled cranked but no start.

Day 2 part b. Removed bowls & pilots, used carb spray and comp. air. jets look much better now. A little gas spilled out of bowls when they were removed. Reassembled, crank but no start. Tried blow in the vent line trick. No start. Sled backfires. Battery died out from too much cranking. Charged it.

Day 3. Removed bowls and float. A little gas spills out of bowls when removed. cleaned needle valve and seat area. Reinstalled, Tried blow in the vent line trick, cranks, backfires, no start.

At this point I am ready to let someone else fix it but if it is something simple I am not doing that would be stupid. Oh it also has fresh plugs, and the gas was new in Nov. I'd assume that the gas is OK because 2 days ago it did run.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[gcr3903]

Did you clean the pilots or the mains? I do believe the pilots can't just be screwed in all the way. You may want to do a search and re-read. If I'm wrong, please, someone let me know.

 

[elyislander]

I cleaned the pilots, and yes I did screw them in all the way snug, not too tight since they are brass. I believe they were in all the way when I removed them. The first time I removed them and cleaned with carb cleaner only (no air) I screwed them in all the way, and the sled did start. The second time I removed them I used air and they got a lot cleaner. Reinstalled them the same way and no start.

 

[corvette327]

Not sure if you have cleaned the pilot screws and passages.
They are located outside the float bowl cover under the carb on the engine side.
My 06 RS Venture had metal caps about 3/16 in diameter pressed into the carb body to prevent adjustment of the pilot screws.
I think this was done in 06 up to prevent the user from exceeding EPA pollution limits.
I removed the caps by drilling a small hole and screwing in a small self tapping screw then pull with pliers.
This screw is attached to a needle that adjusts the idle mixture.
The Yami service manual gives a setting of 2 turns out for the pilot screw.
I had a problem this fall with the sled not running with out choke and a cleaning of the carbs and pilot screw passages fixed the problem.
I also syncronized the carbs but if you do not have the tool you will need to take it to a shop.
Not sure why you are having more problems starting after your cleanings but I know it takes a lot of cranking to fill the bowls.
It is also possible to foul the plugs if you run with too much choke.

 

[corvette327]

Forgot to warn you the pilot screw has a spring, small washer and O ring on top of it .
Be sure to remove all the components including the
O ring which will stick in the carb.
If you spray carb cleaner into the housing with the O ring in place you may launch the O ring and have a problem finding it.

 

[TrailxRider]

Not sure if you have cleaned the pilot screws and passages.
They are located outside the float bowl cover under the carb on the engine side.
My 06 RS Venture had metal caps about 3/16 in diameter pressed into the carb body to prevent adjustment of the pilot screws.
I think this was done in 06 up to prevent the user from exceeding EPA pollution limits.
I removed the caps by drilling a small hole and screwing in a small self tapping screw then pull with pliers.
.

No wonder why I can't find my pilot screws. It's been driving me nuts bc the service manual shows them but on my carb theres just a flat gold looking tiny circle plate there. When you checked your screws were they to spec or were any of them off at all?...I'm not sure if I should just leave them the way they are.

 

[kyzer]

Do you have a tank of fresh gas in the tank..the Gas these days goes bad within a couple months.. I know my sled does not like old gas it will back fire, sputter, stall, and is a bitch to start, but as soon as it gets the fresh gas no problems at all...Just an idea before you spend any money on it... If the carbs are clean like you say they are could be out of syn..

 

[corvette327]

My pilot screws were set at 1 1/2 turns out.
Manual gives setting of 2 turns.

 

[elyislander]

Thanks guys for the replys. It does have *relatively* fresh gas in it. In late Oct I put 91 Octane Non-oxy, with a can of seafoam. I can't see how it is a bad fuel problem since it ran just a few days ago, before I applied compressed air to the carbs.

With the pilot jets out, I sprayed carb cleaner and compressed air into the hole where the jet goes and get it back out of one of the holes on the airbox side (9-oclock hole I think) so I don't think there is an obstruction there.

What do you think the chances are that I damaged one or both fuel pumps by putting air to the carbs? That is when the no start problem seemed to happen.

My next step is to try to put gas directly in the cyl or into the carb throat, just to satisfy myself it will fire. I am reasonably confident that I am getting good spark since it does backfire when cranking once in a while and once a flame shot out of the RH carb throat. (Won't try that again...)

Another thought is to get a squeeze bottle of gas and put into the lines that run out of the pumps and to the carbs, kind of like priming it.

 

[elyislander]

I will give the pilot screw setting a try once I get it back up and running, hopefully I don't F it all up again!

 

[elyislander]

Its running good now. I had to put fuel into the carb inlet lines and it fired. It idles a whole lot better at cold now that the pilots are clean.

 

[gcr3903]

GREAT!!!

 

[fingerz]

Not sure if you have cleaned the pilot screws and passages.
They are located outside the float bowl cover under the carb on the engine side.
My 06 RS Venture had metal caps about 3/16 in diameter pressed into the carb body to prevent adjustment of the pilot screws.
I think this was done in 06 up to prevent the user from exceeding EPA pollution limits.
I removed the caps by drilling a small hole and screwing in a small self tapping screw then pull with pliers.
This screw is attached to a needle that adjusts the idle mixture.
The Yami service manual gives a setting of 2 turns out for the pilot screw.
I had a problem this fall with the sled not running with out choke and a cleaning of the carbs and pilot screw passages fixed the problem.
I also syncronized the carbs but if you do not have the tool you will need to take it to a shop.
Not sure why you are having more problems starting after your cleanings but I know it takes a lot of cranking to fill the bowls.
It is also possible to foul the plugs if you run with too much choke.

I removed the gold colored plug and there was no screw under it just a bunch of small holes.. I taped the plug back in hopefully it will be ok as I used an ez out to get it out leaving a hole in it. The hole is not all the way through though. Now where are my pilot screws? 07 venture gt

 

[corvette327]

Dont know if it is changed for 07.
If you have the carb upside down looking at the bottom of the float bowl cover with the carb inlet toward you.
The pilot screw plug is centered on the carb body above the float bowl cover
The screw is in the same orientation as the float bowl cover screws.
My plugs were a silver color.
My carbs are back on the machine or I would post a picture.

 

[fingerz]

Dont know if it is changed for 07.
If you have the carb upside down looking at the bottom of the float bowl cover with the carb inlet toward you.
The pilot screw plug is centered on the carb body above the float bowl cover
The screw is in the same orientation as the float bowl cover screws.
My plugs were a silver color.
My carbs are back on the machine or I would post a picture.

Man I see the silver plug now what the hell is the gold one I hope I didn`t #*$&@ up my carb by pulling the gold one.