Another frustrated 80,s Liquifire owner

[I500]

So everybody knows i,m not exactly the biggest fan of the 80,s Liquifire but i decided to least try it myself. Bought an 80,s Liquifire, tore it down for a rebuild and said to myself . This aint to bad. Project was completed last June. Looking pretty good too i might add. Started up at second pull and ran great. About every couple weeks started it and always ran perfectly......................................But wait, during the last couple weeks i have a rough time getting this thing started. Its acting like what kept me away from these in the first place.. Runs super rich if you can even get this thing sarted, smokes up garage, leaves oil/gas mix all over the floor and fights you every step of the way. Is it the power jets or is it something else that causes these to become absolute frustrations... Any experts on these things around my are.... Jack Durand???? Where are you Jack

[harleysportster]

Chuck,
It's funny that you posted this and I am having the same problems. I was scyronizing the carbs on my '80 the other day and discoverd that I needed new carb boots. After installing them I can't get this beast to run. It fools out the plugs and is acting like it is too rich. Would the fact that it is close to 50 degrees outside have anything to do with it? I noticed the tubing for the power-jet is full of gas. Is this normal since the power jet is in the bottom of the bowl? My choke plungers look good but they may need replaced as well.
Pat

[TOYMECH]

Chuck & Pat,
I strayed away from owning one when i heard all of the issues with them until i got brave 5 years ago and bought one. Did an complete engine overhaul with crank rebuild and everything else and she's been well behaved. In fact, i have to say it's the most well behaved of all my Deeres.
A couple of winters ago, it got into a snit like you are both describing, fouling up one plug and heaving big clouds of smoke and raw fuel all over the place. I found that one of the choke plungers had developed a little bit of corrosion and was sticking in the bore. Pay close attention to the choke settings as they seem pretty sensitive to it.
Every year, like my other sleds, i pull the carburetors, soak them in carburetor cleaner and make sure they are DEAD clean. Another little trick that someone taught me is to use a small amount of low-temp grease or anti-corrosion spray on the choke plunger - this keeps it working well and prevents corrosion between the brass plunger and the choke plunger bore. Been doing this ever since and never a problem.
Hope this helps out.
Greg

[Mr. Deere]

See I'm not the only one with these problems! Mine does the same thing. Takes forever to get it running then smokes likes hell! Almost as if the oiler is pumping way to much! I wonder if it is just the warm temps. Mine also bogs wicked and kinda runs at 1000 rpm and dies out when you try to restart it.

[JD600]

Have you all installed new needle and seats? I'm wondering if that is the common denominator here....

DE

[liquifire1]

I have had the same symptoms on my 80 liquifire, I find these sleds are fussy about having clean carbs and also do not like to be run on a stand. If you can run it out properly on a trail or field it will sometimes clear itself out (maybe a stuck float or something??) That is my experience with them.

[Danzig]

Drop the pilot jets down 2 sizes to start with...polish the choke plungers with polish nevrdull, make sure the plungers are sealing and set correctly not by the manual...the manual only gets you close. Remember you start the sled on the pilot circuit and choke....warm temps are a huge factor 20degrees and below is ideal in my opinion. I would pursue the needle and seat by taking the carb off and checking how the needle is seating.....been there and done that like all you guys are seeing now....after all this is done...cdi is next

[I500]

I had to walk away from this beast to do a frustration post but i went back for another beating with this thing..... Guess what? It started and ran really good until it warmed up. Once warmed up it decided to run on one cylinder. <weak stator?? >. Shut it off and walked away from it for about an hour, came back and started it again.... Ran extremely strong and was clicking on both cylinders even when i let her run hot. Couldnt of run better..........................Is this what i need to get used to?. If i sart it up tomorrow will it run on one cylinder or maybe not at all...... Lots of bugs to work out with these things for sure.

About the oil/gas all over the floor...... The cable that goes to the fuel pump, i adjusted it so there was a little free play before hitting the throttle. Oil mix was everyplace.

I adjusted it as tight as i could make it before i ran out of cable. Oil/mix stopped.... Seems like this is backwardes to me. Adjustment seems like it would of been the right way by having free-play.. Did a gear get turnedc arounds some how? is it possible.?

[Danzig]

Not having a tech manual here....i think there are marks to align the pump settings

[Danzig]

I have also ran across poor quality plugs too....ngk br9es is what i run and found them to be crap right out of the box

[Norton]

Chuck,
It took 3 seasons with our 82 LF it before it started to run like a champ. Course I am not as commited as most of you guys but the biggest issue was ignition. Stator and CDI both needed replacement. Hard part was they worked "sometimes"! I had bad coolant leaks at the pump seal and head bolts too. Have not had it out this year (no snow either) but was playing in deep snow last year at Detroit Lakes, full throttle for an hour in kinda a final test. I figured I would smoke it or have a another project sled. You will love it when the bugs are out!!

keith

[sledder670]

check needle and seats, air screw should be 1 1/2 turns out. If the side fouling out is the fuel pump side it could be time for a rebuild or new fuel pump. I have seen LOTS of JUNK spark plugs lately all NGK BR9ES, I had probably 6 out of one box last year and have had 1 this year already. But my 80 has been sitting for 10 years for the same reason haha

[Invader440]

About the oil/gas all over the floor...... The cable that goes to the fuel pump, i adjusted it so there was a little free play before hitting the throttle. Oil mix was everyplace.

I adjusted it as tight as i could make it before i ran out of cable. Oil/mix stopped.... Seems like this is backwardes to me. Adjustment seems like it would of been the right way by having free-play.. Did a gear get turnedc arounds some how? is it possible.?

If you mean the oil pump, should start to move as soon as you get on the throttle with no free play.

[I500]

Yes i ment oil pump. Sorry for the typo. The way i adjusted the cable doesnt make any sense and i have a manual that also tells me this. Many bugs to work out.... it will get there in time. No racing this year for this sled. Growing pains

[Mr. Deere]

Mine is adjuster all the way out. If you ask me its almost like they made the threads on the cable too short. I500 when you restart yours does it putt at like 1k and die out when you give it gas? Mine is a bear to restart warm. Almost like you have 2 pulls then its like flooded and your back to pulling plugs and either.