Put in wrong gas... Now won't run right, backfire, wont start

[joebowlin]

I just picked up a 2002 Lakota Sport 300. It has been running/driving great until today. I topped off the tank with 87 octane instead on 91. It was running fine for a few minutes, then at higher rpm's/throttle it started bogging or missing. After a few minutes more it would die, then be very hard to get started again. It backfired a couple times very loud. I kept trying, then realizing I used 87 octane, I syphoned as much as I could out, and topped off the tank with 91 octane gas. Quad still wouldn't start. I checked the plug, it was very black, but not wet. So I put in a new plug a couple hours later, drain the bowl of the carb, and a bunch of dark brown stuff (dirt/mud?) came out of the bowl. I drained enough gas to flush the carb out, and the lines, and it fired up great.

I let it warm up for a few minutes, then do some laps around the block. The first lap it ran great. The second lap about halfway through at high rpm's it felt like it was losing power for a split second a few times. Then I get it in the garage, turn it off, and then back on, It died after a few seconds then wouldn't start again.

Do these symptoms sound like just a dirty carb? or did I do some damage by running it with 87 octane gas for 20 minutes of riding?

The carb was cleaned a week ago, but I checked the air filter today and it was pushed in a little where dust could get in through it. I'm going to clean the carb tomorrow, and hopefully that is it, but i'm worried that something else is wrong... hard/no starting, backfires a couple times etc.

I've been around dirtbikes alot, and this is my first quad, but I've never done this before.

[freightshaker]

Sounds more like bad gas. Siphon as much as possible out, put in fresh 91 from a different station and add about 2 or 3 ounces of Sea Foam per gallon. Also avoid getting gas from any station that just received a load of fuel for at least a few hours. Dumping fuel stirs up all the sediment & water in their storage tanks.

[joebowlin]

It was a very cheap gas station... Don't even know the name. that seafoam stuff sounds pretty amazing. Where do you put it on a quad? Gas tank, Oil, and carb?

[joebowlin]

Also, do they sell seafoam at pepboys, Kragen, etc?

[freightshaker]

Originally Posted by joebowlin

Also, do they sell seafoam at pepboys, Kragen, etc?

PepBoys, AutoZone, Wallyworld, Advanced etc.

Seafoam site

Here is a how to from another forum

The SeaFoam site is also a good source with instructions & suggestions on it's use. FYI, it's also a fuel stabilizer as well!

Basically dump extra in the tank with fresh fuel and run it. Then run about 1oz per gallon from time to time after all is well.

[rod indian]

sounds like you need to drain tank and clean carby .......rod......

[86klf300guy]

take the tank off also and clean that out with denatured alcohol and clean the fuel petcok.sedimint has built up in the bottom of the tank and when you filled it up you ajetated it and caused it to get in the carb.so do a complete fuel system clean out and put fresh fuel in.it doesnt matter about the octane but you may notice a change in performance with 87-91-corey-

[freightshaker]

Originally Posted by 86klf300guy

take the tank off also and clean that out with denatured alcohol and clean the fuel petcok.sedimint has built up in the bottom of the tank and when you filled it up you ajetated it and caused it to get in the carb.so do a complete fuel system clean out and put fresh fuel in.it doesnt matter about the octane but you may notice a change in performance with 87-91-corey-

So he was running it fine and dandy all along, now on this particular day he agitated it? I'd say maybe if the bike was just sitting or something jolting happened (like a drop) but just getting gas, well I checked with Lt. Columbo, he said it sounds like the gas.
Besides it's easier to start with the simple fix first, dump in the SeaFoam, run it for a bit to get it in the carb and lines, then let it sit for an hour or two, then run it and then take it from there

[86klf300guy]

well the sidiment may have been there for a while it just decided to let go and get into the carb"he said he opened the fuel bowl drain and the fuel came out dirty mud lookin color" that is why i suggested to do a complete fuel system clean in stead of just a drain and refill and seafoam add.

maybe im just wrong for goin that extra step in order to correct the whole issue and not just waste money and time when the problem can lye in a dirty tank that has to be taken off to clean the proper way.-corey-

[freightshaker]

Originally Posted by 86klf300guy

well the sidiment may have been there for a while it just decided to let go and get into the carb"he said he opened the fuel bowl drain and the fuel came out dirty mud lookin color" that is why i suggested to do a complete fuel system clean in stead of just a drain and refill and seafoam add.

maybe im just wrong for goin that extra step in order to correct the whole issue and not just waste money and time when the problem can lye in a dirty tank that has to be taken off to clean the proper way.-corey-

I didn't want it to sound snippy but the way I read it it sounded like all was well, until the fill up.
However rather than go through the rough stuff first, dumping in $9 worth of SeaFoam might or might not cure the problem. But even if it doesn't then it will at least loosen gunk up. Also using alcohol destroys some rubber, that's one of the reasons using E85 on older cars is not recommended.

[86klf300guy]

ohh no you dont run alcohol through the engine or carb.you just take the tank off take the fuel petcok off and tape off the hole .then use denatureed alcohol to rinse the tank out.this alcohol will dry the tank out of any moisture and get rid of the gunk build up in the bottom of the tank.

we use this denatured alcohol to flush brake lines out in cars.

but i just re read the post and the plug was black(carbon) so the sea foam will help that out alot if used regulary.it wil help break up those carbon deposits and make the motor run more gooder.

if i had this machine in my shop id do the tank and carb claen and a engine decarb.then make sure that carb is set correctly with excess carbon it may be running a tad on the rich side.

by the way i dint take it as you were being snippy sometimes i do not know how to explain things correctly my brain works faster than my hands do these days -corey-

[freightshaker]

Another member here in another post had an issue with having only a high beam. He checked all the wiring, controls, contacts etc, turned out it was just the bulb, low filament was shot.

[86klf300guy]

lol.well never hurts to make sure lol -corey-

[joebowlin]

Well, finally got working on it, I had a car to work on in the mean time. I kinda figured out my problem. I think it was a couple problems that were throwing me off. I cleaned the carb, drained the tank and refilled with good gas. Did some other little stuff too, put in a clear fuel filter, etc etc.

It fired right up. Then the next day it didn't. I checked spark and all was good. Then I'd check spark 5 minutes later and none/intermident spark. Start messing with wire connections, making sure they're tight and clean. Finally get around to the CDI and when ever I would touch the wires going into the box, it would die. Tried it a dozen times to be sure, and as soon as I would mess with it, it would die.

So, Needs a $140 part and then from what I've been reading need to replace the regulator rectifier also.

Anyone know a cheaper alternative to the $140 ones? Any comments/suggestions? Why all of a sudden? These things just go out on the fly? Never had a bad CDI on my bikes, always been stator issues.

Thanks everyone

[86klf300guy]

that might explain the black sooty colored plug huh?not gettin a good burn on the plug.

as for that cdi i have only seen em ebay,and thats not really that bad of a price.

have you tried to repair the connector?terminals become lose you maybe able to tight em up (or closein the terminal up).and clean them and see what happens.

i guy has repaired a cdi for a bayou which is the same thing a lakota.i wonder if you may find that post and follow what he did it will only cost like i think 20 bucks.he posted back and said it was dion well after that repair.-corey-

[joebowlin]

It isn't a connector problem. Where the wires go into the CDI itself there is a problem. Shaking the plug doesn't do anything, but touch it right where the wires go in, and she dies.

I'll search for the post about fixing them. That would be great.

If I can't fix... Anyone put a performance CDI on their quad? The engine's stock all the way around.

Thanks

[86klf300guy]

"performance cdi" no havent done nothing like that to my bayou still have oe electrics but not so much in the top end lol.i have no issues with the cdi performance on mine plenty of spark no rev limiter life is good-corey-

[joebowlin]

I'm going to go pull my rectifier and see how that looks too. Reading all the bayou posts, they seemed to have issues with them burning out too.

[joebowlin]

I'm just going to replace the CDI I think. One of the wires on the CDI, when you tug on it a tad it would just shut off. So I think it was just a bad solder joint I'm guessing.

Do you think I should do the regulator rectifier also?

I found a performance CDI for $118, and a regular one for $112
Cheap Cycle Parts - Rick's Motorsport Electric Hot Shot Series CDI Box - $118.96

[RCW]

Only replace the parts that are bad. The rectifiers do not just burn out, they usually fail when the owner insists on running with a bad battery. That causes the alternator to overcharge and overload the rectifier and also will burn out the ignitor from too much current.