2007 Vector Idle Problem

[musselman]

Guys, having an issue with a 2007 rage, the machine came out of storage last year and the idle was quite low and it would stall periodically as it was warming up. It would not accept throttle at all until it was sufficiently warm and it would still bog if the throttle was opened quick.

First thing I thought was dirty pilot jets, I removed the carbs and disassembled, they looked pretty clean and pilots were not blocked but I cleaned them thoroughly and tried again. After putting them back on the sled it ran the exact same, no response and low idle, tried syncing the carbs, they were a little off but not bad, didn't help.

Any suggestions of what else could be causing this? I'm thinking it could be a vacuum leak but not positive how to check for that. I posted a video below showing the bog, the sled is fully warmed up at this point.

 

[DGZRT]

I would try new plugs first and make sure the boots are seated on the carbs correctly. If one of the boots leak it can act like this. Its seems you have done everything correctly . My 09 Vector would Idle fine but would not rev up . I changed plugs and cleaned carbs and now perfect. Make sure you have new gas in the tank ! and I like to run a 4 oz bottle of Mechanic in a bottle

Its great stuff! Most Home Depot's has it in stock

 

[musselman]

Sorry forgot to mention that, after cleaning the carbs once and having act the same I pulled them again and cleaned them. At the same time I also changed the plugs and ran a bottle of seafoam through. After that nothing changed still so I pulled the intake boots on the engine and inspected for cracks or bad gaskets, all were good. I also double checked the airbox boots were properly seated each time.

The sled also performs great after it gets past the initial bog, runs fine when going down the trail.

 

[DGZRT]

I thought you were doing everything correctly ! Someone with more carb experience will join in . Sounds like an air leak in one of the carbs. You could check fuel filter . Air box make sure all hoses are attached and the box not filled with oil . Maybe the coils on your spark plug wires arcing . Wish I knew more to help !

 

[thrasher]

Adjust your idle screw to about 1600 rpm. Then after running a tank of gas thru it see how she behaves. They don't like the warm air.

 

[musselman]

I tried adjusting the idle to 1500 which is the upper spec however after hitting the throttle the idle would hang and not return back for at least 30 seconds. This to me means there is a lack of fuel or too much air (lean), I think I've eliminated the fuel so need to check vacuum leaks I guess. Not sure exactly the best way to test this.

 

[maim]

easy way to check for vac leaks is with a can of brake cleaner. spray it on everything while running and it should raise the rpms when you hit the leak.

 

[musselman]

So I assume I should be spraying around the vac lines that go to the fuel pump and around the carb boots on the cylinder head. Any other areas I should check?

 

[hibshman25]

Have you removed the air fuel screws when you cleaned idle circuit? They are hidden behind a cap and many are not aware of them.

 

[musselman]

Have you removed the air fuel screws when you cleaned idle circuit? They are hidden behind a cap and many are not aware of them.

Yes I have and they were not behind a cap, maybe the previous owner removed them already? I must have removed the carbs and cleaned them about 10 times, the pilots look perfect and the pilot and fuel screw passages in the carb have been blown out with compressed air. Are there any other passages I should be looking at?

 

[aVenture]

Try closing the enrichener faster. You are gas flooding the whole circuit.
3/4 open max when its hot like now, to 1/2 once started, gradually closing to 1/8 during next 20 sec.
Do not squeeze trottle.
Air is not cold yet. learn what she need on warm up. They all do it. Make sure you have good gas too.

 

[musselman]

The sled did it the whole winter last year so it's not the warm weather in the video, It ran fine the year before. Also it's fully warmed up in the video so it's not bogging because it's cold. I appreciate the suggestions though, there has to be something I am missing.

 

[aVenture]

ok then.
There is an air intake pickup to feed the constant velocity circuit at the front intake side. You can see it from airbox when cover removed. A very tiny hole bottom side and really critical. Carb cleaner it using the provided plastic tube.
Top off the the bellows cap of each carb and make sure the equalizing hole where the spring is seating is free of gum. Force of the spring and size of this ventury hole is a first order time constant adjusted for the response of this engine. (conservatively tune for emission ) Gum is no face. Sometime green you can see but also clear as in varnish. Do not rely on eyes only, do a mechanical job.
Make sure bellows have no hole of course.
Now ...one thing much overlooked. Get the spring and needle away. Watch to not loose washer underneat the needle's e-clip if any. Move the metering slide manually. This thing will not be smooth if never cleaned. Both ears on each side get gummed up and become sticky. Clean it with wd40 till shiny again.
You can easily spot sticky carb sliders if you own a sync tool. Not the one from market (absolute pressure), but a home made with antifreeze you can search this site. This is a differencial pressure metering type. Once you get two carb in sync by adjusting level, you think all is good to go but not. Squeeze the trottle just a little and by looking the guage you see one carb is opening before the other. Ohh.... probably sticky slider here..... if not, too bad big sh$t. Bigger prob.
Higher vacuum will occur on the carb that have a lazy carb slide. But once it budge, it tend to overshoot and will open higher than the other one causing a low before equalizing.

Good luck.

 

[DennyTuna]

Has this machine had the updated cam tensioner done? Last year we started an 05 Rage after its summer rest and it would not idle correctly either. Did everything you stated as well, ran fine but eventually the motor broke due to the chain jumping time. Just a thought to make sure this unit has been updated.

 

[grizztracks]

I'd check the timing marks to make sure the timing chain didn't jump a tooth. You'll need to remove valve cover to check the cam timing but it's not a bad job.