1980 Intruder motor....rarely starts

[cspaghetti97]

I bought a 1980 Kawasaki intruder snowmobile...the frame and body was junk but the previous owner claimed he had rebuilt the motor the previous year. So I took the motor and put it on my go kart.... I had it running in the sled before and now that it is on the kart...it won't start, it will only start every once in a great while with some starter fluid. The only thing I have changed since I took it out of the sled is now the gas tank is above the carbs so I took off the gas pump.... Also I haven't made an exhaust pipe for it so there is only a y pipe on it right now....so the only thing that is different is...there is no gas pump, no exhaust pipe, and there is no airbox on it either....would that effect the motor that much to make it not run?...any help would be appreciated.

[mswyka]

Sounds like a lot of horsepower for a cart.  I am sure you know that not starting can be the result of multiple issues.  Generally if you have spark, gas and motion on a 2 stroke it will go.  So my guess is that you either don't have spark or don't have fuel.  I would first question removal of the fuel pump.  The other thing that I would initially question is whether or not the spark coil has broken down.  We have had plenty of sleds run one minute and then not run the next because the spark coil quits.  After that it is pretty much trial and error.  The other question is whether or not anything has changed with the wiring harness as part of the swap.

[cspaghetti97]

It had done that to me many times...where I would have spark one second then wouldn't the next...does anyone know where I could buy a replacement one?

[Trucker]

If you removed the pump did you plug the pulse line?

[cspaghetti97]

Yes I did plug the line

[jimvw57]

I would suspect the plug coil.  Might have enough spark to fire without compression on the plug but not when the plug is in the motor.  A common part available at most sled parts places or online from Dennis Kirk, etc.

[cspaghetti97]

Ok....got the new coil.....put it in yesterday. The spark is now fixed it is always there and a lot stronger than before. But, it still is having trouble firing....i couldn't get it to fire once after i put the new coil on.

[Checkmarks]

Sounds simple if you have spark...  You must not have fuel.  I suspect you are spraying ether in attempt to start your motor.  Have you replaced the seals yet?  Seals are mighty important double especially when you are trying to start a motor!

[jimvw57]

did you just say Crank seals crank seals crank seals??

[gixxer6]

You mentioned it running on ether but not without.  That points toward not getting fuel.  Are you sure you have fuel in the carbs?  After changing the coil, with it start on ether?  (I highly recommend using some premix in a squirt bottle instead of ether).  How's the compression? 

[kawhead]

one more time jim....

[kawhead]

and i agree with gix6....a small bottle of pre mix is waaayyyy better

[jimvw57]

one more for the bottle of premix... either or starting fluid will dry out a wet cylinder, also will strip off the oil on the cylinder and inside the crankcase. ( yes, crank seals crank seals crank seals)  also a place to look is the rubber carb adapter boots, they can deteriorate and cause problems too.

When all else fails, go back to the basics.  Fuel, spark, compression.  Start with a compression check and see where you stand.