1985 Spree with starting issues

slmullen7514 · Post by **slmullen7514** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:05 pm

We inherited a Spree and here's what we need to do to start it after it has sat for a few hours. Remove the spark plug, squirt about 3/4 - 1 ounce of gas into the cylinder, replace the plug and crank. In this situation it starts fine, and keeps running.

Our second problem is that when running, you turn the throttle, but it is topping out at 5-7 mph.

Anyone able to help?

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:10 pm

The bystarter is jammed and the carb is dirty, clean it all and i bet it will run.

slmullen7514 · Post by **slmullen7514** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:20 pm

What's a bystarter? I've cleaned the carb, but will dig deeper into that.

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:03 pm

The electric choke that bolts on the carb. Measure where the needle is, attach it to your battery, wait 5 minutes, the needle will move if its working properly.
What color is the insulator inside your sparkplug?
Do you have a air filter? If not, buy one, if you have one is it half an inch thick and spongy(if its all thin and dryrotted replace it)?
Is the air filter dirty?
Are the 2 holes going into your air box plugged?
Did some dumbass drill holes in the air box?

tru72 · Post by **tru72** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:39 am

make sure your jets are clean and free of debris. I use a unwound wire strand to get into the pilot jet"slow jet" You can see if the bystarter is working by either checking to make sure it warms up or add current to it and you should see the needle move. You might want to check the reeds too, There should be no gaps in them
good luck!

slmullen7514 · Post by **slmullen7514** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:43 pm

Here's what I've done so far. I took off the bystarter and cleaned it thoroughly - hooked it up to an ohmmeter and it checked out, ran 12V across it and it moves in and out - so I think that is good.

I took the carb apart and shot gumout everywhere, but didn't manually clean out any jets - not even sure how to do that.

I shot starting fluid into the air intake and it runs fine for a few seconds.

Thought the auto fuel valve might be the problem, so I played with that. The engine doesn't seem to have enough vacuum to open the valve, because when I use a syringe to create a vacuum I have gas flowing like crazy. So is the problem with the vacuum or with the valve?

When I shot gas through the fuel line into the carb with the syringe the engine didn't seem to want to take hold and fire. Does knowing that help at all?

hondaman · Post by **hondaman** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:52 pm

You have to take out the jets and look to make sure you see light through the little holes in them. You just unscrew them, use carb cleaner or a very tiny wire, smaller than the holes themselves , until you see light through them. Your fuel valve is probably stuck closed if you do not have gas going to the carburetor. Just loosen the drain screw on the carb and see if gas comes out. If not than your fuel valve is shot or gummed up with old gas.

slmullen7514 · Post by **slmullen7514** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:40 pm

I cleaned the jets and that certainly has improved the situation. The motor will now start and run for a few seconds on it's own IF i block the air intake about 90%. When I remove my thumb it dies and some gas pours out. I'm assuming that now I'm getting too much fuel. Any ideas?

hondaman · Post by **hondaman** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:27 pm

You have to have your air filter assembly all connected with a clean air filter for the bike to run.

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:45 pm

Yea, this is a really picky engine, runs best stock unless you really really know what your doing.

mopedman · Post by **mopedman** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:46 am

yea they don't like to be messed with

slmullen7514 · Post by **slmullen7514** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:18 pm

Thanks for the pointer on the air cleaner. That was part of my problem.

There is a small orifice in the bottom part of the carb and I cleaned that out and now the Spree will sluggishly start and run for 10-30 seconds or more before dying. After a few seconds of running I have gas dripping out of what appears to be some kind of drain on the backside of the carb. The spark plug ends up looking black and wet and I get an occasional black oily drip out of the muffler. On the carb, I've got the middle screw out about 1.75 turns as per directions from people here and the upper screw is probably out about 2 full turns and that is where it's been running the best (if you want to call what it is doing running). What should I try next?

I'm slowly getting closer with the help I'm getting here and do appreciate it!

patrickthenomad · Post by **patrickthenomad** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:28 am

Sounds to me like you need to clean your muffler. Carbon build up.

justinnielsen01 · Post by **justinnielsen01** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:37 pm

find the eletric choke and follow the wire and unplud it you dont need it mine did the same think you choke dosent work right mine works great with out it

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:40 pm

justinnielsen01 wrote:find the eletric choke and follow the wire and unplud it you dont need it mine did the same think you choke dosent work right mine works great with out it

Your just lucky your choke is stuck in the unchoked position. If the choke is in the choke position and you unplug it your bike will run like s*** till you hook it back up/replace it.