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This just started happening a couple of days ago. I can start it and it will idle but when I twist the throttle it just dies. I'm at my wits end. Any ideas?
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Re: My Et4 dies as soon as I give it gas?!
nitegaunt wrote:
This just started happening a couple of days ago. I can start it and it will idle but when I twist the throttle it just dies. I'm at my wits end. Any ideas?
Classic "gunk in the carb" symptoms from bad gas. Try running some SeaFoam through it first. If that doesn't do the trick, a more extensive carb cleaning involving disassembly is probably in order.
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+1, what Dave said.
Your main jet is likely clogged.
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You could also have a vacuum leak. Check to see your hoses are plugged in.

Did this start happening directly after a fill-up?

Did the bike get tipped on it's side for any reason?
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I've actually ran seafoam through it very recently. In the last couple of weeks. But I guess it could be so gunked up that it needs more than that. It hasn't been tipped over and it started just a couple of days ago. I did get gas just before that but I always use the same gas from this place that has 93 octane with no ethanol.
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TechGuy wrote:
You could also have a vacuum leak. Check to see your hoses are plugged in.

Did this start happening directly after a fill-up?

Did the bike get tipped on it's side for any reason?
Also, if you suspect the bike has original fuel lines, the ET-4s were renowned for badly aging fuel lines (crack, crumble, etc) which may be worth a look-see. If the fuel lines are orig., they are likely no longer pliable to the touch, and who knows whats happening inside of them. They are worth replacing.
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My 05 ET was doing the same thing a few months ago - I ran carb cleaner through it and also unhooked the evap hose as I never bothered to in the past - I think that was the real problem. It had run for 5 years and thousands of miles never having an issue then out of the blue it began cutting out as soon as you would roll the throttle. But, after I did those 2 things, I have never had another problem.
You could also replace or clean your air filter.
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I just replaced the fuel line a few weeks ago. Fuel tap was good, also. But the original fuel line was cracked. I was having starting problems before doing that end replacing the spark plug.
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You replaced A fuel line or ALL the fuel lines?

I was just at a supply store and the fuel line I purchased was $1.68 USD a foot. I was buying it for use a break-bleeding hose but...

Pretty cheap to replace all of the fuel lines with new hoses and remove that as an issue all together. I did not know ET's had fuel line issues. With all the new ethanol-laden fuels out there now, many of the older fuel lines are shedding their interiors to your carb/FI and gumming up the works and causing all kinds of havoc.

If the bike had been sitting for while, the evaporation of the ethanol fuel could have been a cause.

I asked if you had just filled as it could have been bad fuel (not common) or your evap system was over-flowed into and it will not run correctly until it is drained or it evaporates enough to breathe correctly (or removed).
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I just replaced the one fuel line that runs from the tap to the carb. I use fuel that has no ethanol from the same station every time and I disconnected the evap as soon as I got the bike a few months ago.
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accelerator pump? that was the issue on mine few months back. if you press the pump on your carb you should hear a "tsst" sound. no sound=bad fuel pump. hope that helps

woocash
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I'm sticking with a clogged main jet. It is the most likely cause for this symptom.
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stinkyjones wrote:
I'm sticking with a clogged main jet. It is the most likely cause for this symptom.
I remember you saying that about my ET4 as well Razz emoticon

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w00cash666 wrote:
stinkyjones wrote:
I'm sticking with a clogged main jet. It is the most likely cause for this symptom.
I remember you saying that about my ET4 as well Razz emoticon
I'm not saying I've never been wrong.

9 times out of 10 on an ET with this symptom, it's going to be a clogged main jet. It's possible that the seafoam and the changing of the fuel line dislodged a piece of gunk.

You can never go wrong with scrubbing down a carb--especially if the scoot has been sitting for an extended period.
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stinkyjones wrote:
w00cash666 wrote:
stinkyjones wrote:
I'm sticking with a clogged main jet. It is the most likely cause for this symptom.
I remember you saying that about my ET4 as well Razz emoticon
I'm not saying I've never been wrong.

9 times out of 10 on an ET with this symptom, it's going to be a clogged main jet. It's possible that the seafoam and the changing of the fuel line dislodged a piece of gunk.

You can never go wrong with scrubbing down a carb--especially if the scoot has been sitting for an extended period.
just a little joke 8)

I have to say that before the fuel pump I have done all that seemed to be logical (changed spark plug, cleaned carb, changed rollers, belt, fuel line, fuel tap) than a REAL mechanic put his hand in my scooter and said: "well, the accelerator pump's buggered"

no offence, mate!

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w00cash666 wrote:
just a little joke 8)

I have to say that before the fuel pump I have done all that seemed to be logical (changed spark plug, cleaned carb, changed rollers, belt, fuel line, fuel tap) than a REAL mechanic put his hand in my scooter and said: "well, the accelerator pump's buggered"

no offence, mate!
None taken. Cheers!
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Well, it seems like the consensus is on the carb being clogged. I don't know. I've never taken one apart so I'm hesitant about trying to do it myself. Where is this pump you were talking about connected to the carb?
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Look at the carb and pull the throttle. You will see it moving. It's on the right side of the carb. It's plastic and it's black.

woocash
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Only thing that fits that description is the thing that has the black plastic cap over it. Can't remember what it's called. It's the thing that has a little pin that moves up and down inside it. Now the bike won't even start. It just tries like it's going to and never does. Like it's not getting gas or something but I don't see a leak.
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That happened to me and I unplugged the evap hose and all was well in Zion. Even if it doesnt work, leave it unhooked. I hate it. Nothing but problems.

Good Luck.

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nitegaunt wrote:
Only thing that fits that description is the thing that has the black plastic cap over it. Can't remember what it's called. It's the thing that has a little pin that moves up and down inside it. Now the bike won't even start. It just tries like it's going to and never does. Like it's not getting gas or something but I don't see a leak.
I think you are talking about the auto choke, mate. The pump is beeing pushed by the idle screw when u adjust it. if you pull the throttle you can see it pulling on the carb. that's where the pump is. Maybe somone here has a photo. Maybe the one on your scooter is different to mine. I really don't know. hope that helps

woocash
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The photo below shows the accelerator pump (not the same as a "fuel pump" used in a fuel injected scooter) outlined by the green box. The accelerator pump provides that squirt of fuel needed to get the motor going as it comes off idle. If you twist the throttle and you don't see or hear the squirt of fuel, then 1) You don't have fuel or 2) your accelerator pump isn't working properly. Check the pivot point on the accelerator pump lever that I circle in red. Sometimes this part gets gummed up and the black plastic lever can't rock back and forth to activate the accelerator pump.

You mentioned that you replaced the fuel line. There are two lines going to the tap. One provides vaccum to open the tap, the other brings fuel from the tap to the carb. Make sure you don't have these lines reversed. See the second picture below... red circle is where the fuel line goes, green circle is where the vaccum line goes.

-Craig

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text
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[quote="caschnd1"]The photo below shows the accelerator pump (not the same as a "fuel pump" used in a fuel injected scooter) outlined by the green box. The accelerator pump provides that squirt of fuel needed to get the motor going as it comes off idle. If you twist the throttle and you don't see or hear the squirt of fuel, then 1) You don't have fuel or 2) your accelerator pump isn't working properly. Check the pivot point on the accelerator pump lever that I circle in red. Sometimes this part gets gummed up and the black plastic lever can't rock back and forth to activate the accelerator pump.

You mentioned that you replaced the fuel line. There are two lines going to the tap. One provides vaccum to open the tap, the other brings fuel from the tap to the carb. Make sure you don't have these lines reversed. See the second picture below... red circle is where the fuel line goes, green circle is where the vaccum line goes.

-Craig

Thanks for that, mate. I knew somone had those photos somewhere. It's so much easier ...

woocash
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Wow! Thanks for those photos. I'll go out and have a look in a bit and then post back.
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Ok, I had a look. It appears that I did change the correct fuel line and the vacumn line doesn't seem like it has any cracks and it feels secure. Also, it doesn't feel brittle like the fuel line that I replaced did. As far as the accelerator pump goes, the rocker arm seems to be working and makes a little sound when I twist the throttle while the bike is off. It does look pretty dirty though. I bought a can of carb cleaner. Can I spray some on it? How could I use it without removing the entire carb? I've never done that before so I'm a bit hesitant.
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nitegaunt wrote:
Ok, I had a look. It appears that I did change the correct fuel line and the vacumn line doesn't seem like it has any cracks and it feels secure. Also, it doesn't feel brittle like the fuel line that I replaced did. As far as the accelerator pump goes, the rocker arm seems to be working and makes a little sound when I twist the throttle while the bike is off. It does look pretty dirty though. I bought a can of carb cleaner. Can I spray some on it? How could I use it without removing the entire carb? I've never done that before so I'm a bit hesitant.
Yoy spray it (aerosal carb cleaner) through the carb as the bike runs...it'll choke and smoke and thats the cleaning process at work. Disconnect the air filter intake so the cleaner doesnt contact the rubber intake hose. Spray directly into the carb body. You will have to work the throttle linkage to keep the bike running as you spray through.

Position yourself upwind of your scooter....the stuff is noxious.
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Well the scoot won't start so can I still spray it in there?
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nitegaunt wrote:
Well the scoot won't start so can I still spray it in there?
DOH! Well, you can, but it won't be very effective. Is it not starting a new developmemt?
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It won't start at all. Just tries and tries but it seems like it's not getting gas or something. I just changed the plug so I know it's getting a spark. I'm getting really frustrated and I'm thinking the longer I let it sit the more problems I am gong to run into like the battery running down for one thing.
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Def-
get the battery charged up if you've not done so already, so at least the electrickery side of things should be ok. Then if you get it running, spray the carb cleaner into the carb while you have it running at a fast idle. It'll try to stall, so be ready to blip the throttle.

If there are clouds of white-grey smoke out the exhaust, there's every chance that some crud that shouldn't be in the carb has been dissolved and blown away. Carb cleaner is cheap, so go for the spray job first, then if not, you may need to to remove the carb and get up close and personal with your cleaning project!

Good luck! Geeza
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