spits sputters, dies and an occasional backfire!!

Message

moto440 · #1 Post by **moto440** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 5:43 pm

my dale does this!! i am thinking bad gas, any other thoughts, keep in mind i have never ridden this thing just trying to get it ready for the upcoming season, the gas has been in it for around 6 months i think and it smelled a little funky to me i have drained the tank and am going to get some 110/93 mix for it, also any other thoughts on what kind of octane it should have? is straight 93 ok for it?? also is there any fuel injection cleaner i should consider running through it since it sat a while before i got it?

cdrookie · #2 Post by **cdrookie** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 5:47 pm

93 is fine. check your electrical connections and battery cables/grounds, spark plug, etc...also you might have some bad quick connect orings, check for nicks or slices in them. flywheel might be cracked, check that to.

welcome to the world of cannondale troubleshooting!!!!

moto440 · #3 Post by **moto440** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 5:55 pm

thanks, when i first got it , it was missing a fuse so i fixed that and hooked an unhooked vacuum line up and it wouldnt start just crank and fire a minute but never really run, the tank was like half full, so i had some 93 it a gas can and i dumped some in and then it fired up and ran good, the next day i went to try starting it again and it would run but it backfired and sputtered and stuff, so i figured the gas was bad and when i dumped fresh in it got some of it and ran ok, so i drained it and all just figured i would check for any other ideas before i put the tank back on and put fresh fuel in

i also think the battery is shot but my 400ex used to go through a battery almost every year till i started using a tender so thats nothing new

cdrider02 · #4 Post by **cdrider02** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 5:57 pm

Fouled plug?

moto440 · #5 Post by **moto440** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 6:00 pm

how do you access the plug, the tanks off and i see a black plug thing on top and assume that the plug boot also what kind of plug does it take?

cdrider02 · #6 Post by **cdrider02** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 6:38 pm

I run a CR8EK pull the tank and the brace that runs across the top of the coil, you only have to remove one bolt and loosen the other, flip it back, unplug the coil and pull.

moto440 · #7 Post by **moto440** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 6:56 pm

its an ngk plug i assume, i will pull it tonight and see what it looks like. although ti have heard not to hit the gas when it is first started and i did this and wonder if that contributed to it getting worse!!

jacobw · #8 Post by **jacobw** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 7:03 pm

YEP! that will do it evertime never hit the gas when you are starting it.

moto440 · #9 Post by **moto440** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 7:17 pm

so always when starting cold let it start on its own and idle a few minutes and get warm up the go, right, and when hot let it start on its own. ok cool also why does it seem to have 3 key positions?? or is it just me??i turn it all the way to the right but it seems like it has a middle position too whats that for if it has one!

thomez · #10 Post by **thomez** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 7:20 pm

It does have 3 key positions

left = off
middle = on
right = on and LIGHTS on too