800cc flooding out

Posts: 198

Ever since I had my 800cc Roketa Buggy it always started poorly when cold. It would sputter alot and I have had to hold the throttle slightly to keep it alive until it gets a little warm and the idle stabilizes. I figured it was the stupid chinese electric choke making it run rich.... but I dont know much about carbs (used to dealing with EFI) so I wasnt positive....
But now Im definitely not sure cause today I could barely get it to start at all. I had to really crank on the starter and push the gas pedal a bunch of times to get it to finally catch and it almost died out. The worse trouble I ever had starting it yet. However once I got it running it seemed to be a pretty stable idle right away. But once I started driving up the hill near my house it was sputtering and backfiring a little and no power. It seemed to be running very rich and so it shut it off to checkout the carb. Since I dont know much about carbs I didnt really do anything tried to start it again and this time it just turns over and floods out more. So I got my dad to start it while I fiddled with the choke manually. When I turned the choke all the way while he was cranking it would ignite once and fire a big a$$ cloud of fuel vapors out the exhaust and into my face. Oh man one little spark and it would have been a flash fire for sure Shocked

and the end of my face (as I know it anyway)

I have some ideas as to what it could be but like I said earlier, I dont know much about carbs but I do know some of you guys are experts with this engine... some starting Q's:

How do you drain the carb bowl?

Where is the fuel adjust screw? The screw that I thought was it doesnt really want to turn open or close and that seems kinda strange.....

Anybody rig up the manual choke themselves yet? I see they made a mount for the cable on the bracket...

Thanks to anyone reading this long post and helping me out Very Happy

Posts: 273

It sounds to me like lack of fuel. If it only runs and starts with the choke on that is because the choke is resticting air and giving or trying to give more fuel. Check the in line fuel filter or remove it. Also check the small screen in the top of the carb where the fuel line enters. Not where the excelerator pump is. Uncscrew the fitting and check inside. If all else fails remove the top of the carb. and check the jets. The idle screw should move easily, the screw on the carb has a spring on it ,Tighten it all the way and back it off about 2-3 turns.

A manual choke does work.

Posts: 313

I have never seen one with an electric choke. I have a cable running all my manuel choke lever's , just a push pull type you can get from any parts store. NONE of my 800's will start cold without a little choke and I meen NONE.
I would check the float bowl for crud inside it and check the float level first. The float would be the most likely source for flooding.
You will find the choke lever has an adjustable high idle ramp so the engine runs about 2000 rpm with the lever pulled.

As for the idle mixture screw, you need to cut off the white plastic cover " pictured " then you can adjust the mixture.
Take note of where you move it and move it a 1/4 turn at a time till you find a good setting.

Posts: 198

I went out to look at my Buggy again about 10 mins ago and there is two puddles of oil under it. oh no at first I thought I blew my crank main seal, but when I look closer I can see the oil is leaking from the seal between the oil pan and block, on the side towards the front of the Buggy. Its also leaking from the oil drain bolt. I smell the oil and it reeks like gas and is quite thin. Also the oil evaporates away like the gas leaving clean spots on the oil pan. I think I flooded the engine so bad it pooled in the cylinders then drained past the rings and into the oil. then the gas ate away the seals on the oil pan and the o ring around the oil drain bolt. It only started leaking after I let it sit for a while. The oil level has been increased considerably by the gas so it leaks out the side seals on the pan on the side that faces the front of the Buggy (because the buggy's 'stance' tilts the friont lower). What do you guys think?

Posts: 313

DO NOT RUN THE ENGINE!!!!!!! Shocked

Drain the oil, reseal the pan and plug. Definitly sounds like a stuck float, which then lets fuel bleed thru the jets and past the open intake valve seeping by the piston rings and into the oil pan, WOW not good!!
Darn good thing you caught that ,gas doesnt make a good lubricant for sure!! After you fix the problem you should run with new oil and filter for several minutes the change the oil again just to make sure you got all the solvents out of the crankcase. Three quarts of oil and a filter are cheep compaired to a smoked engine!

Later W.C.

Posts: 198

Yes I am very very glad that I did not get it started again (although I was ticked at the time) because I would have probably drove off like an idiot and fried everything. I shut the engine off as soon as I noticed it sputtering while it drove. then I pushed it back home (short distance). OK then my question is did the oil pan seal and oil drain seal get "fried" by the gas?? or is the fact that the oil is so thin the only reason it leaked?? How about the oil pump, would gas cause any damage to the pump??

Posts: 313

The leak was most likely caused by a combonation of thin oil that was ouer the height of the pan gasket.
Gas is a very hard thing to seal with a gasket.
It shouldent have hurt anything if you shut if off in time.
You probably will need a new plastic washer for the drain plug.
You should be ok with a good flush of clean oil.

Later W.C.

Posts: 273

I guess the over flowing oil pan gave it away. He's all your's
Greg.

good luck

Posts: 198

Well I drained the oil and holy crap there was ALOT of fluid in there at least a gallon and a half! it just came gushing out like a stream of water for like 15 seconds straight Shocked

Good news is I didnt see any metal flakes or even a glitter whatsoever. I need to take a better look tomorrow morning tho and check the oil filter for metal too. I probably emptied a bunch of my gas tank into the block. I accidently left the fuel switch at the tank on after the major flooding and it kept draining I think. what a doofus Rolling Eyes

Posts: 198

Ok I need to know the specifics on the oil filter. I read I can use one from a sprint or swift etc. but I need to know which year?