go away *note that some words are actually links when it comes down to being to it actually being published.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The main causes of a Spree not working are:
1. Dirty carburetor.
2. Fouled, or not properly gapped sparkplug.
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Visually inspect the spark plug, if it is wet, black or gummed up, it will not spark. Its smart to just buy a new one to start out with; you can always save the new one if the current one turns out to be good.
Check to see if you get a spark at the spark plug. Pull the sparkplug out using a deep socket, spark plug socket. Reconnect the coil to the sparkplug and hold it firmly against a metal spot on the bike, and either use the kick-start or electric starter. If you use the kick, and it doesnt spark, then it is the spark plug. If you use the electric start and it doesn't spark, it could be due to a dead battery, bad wiring, and finally the spark plug. Be careful not to zap yourself. It doesn't hurt much but you may drop the sparkplug accidentally.
If it sparks and still doest run, check the fuel flow. Do this by taking off both red fuel hoses that come out of the fuel valve, on the underside of the tank. Put the upper hose into a clean bowl, and suck the lower hose (you will not get fuel in your mouth). By doing this you will create a suction that the engine is supposed to make. If gas flows into the bowl then your fuel valve is clean, but most likely your carburetor is dirty, that or your missing compression somewhere and the suction never takes place while hooked up.
Check to make sure you have an air filter, and that there are no holes or missing clips on the lid. Check the whole intake system for cracks or anything that would make the bike run too lean. Clean the air filter properly.
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Now your spree should at least turn over and turn on. If it doesn't or if it runs poorly or doesn't idle, read on.
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More uncommon, but still very real problems:
1. The muffler might be clogged with carbon.
2. The exhaust port might be clogged.
3. The rings or cylinder might be worn out or damaged and don't have enough compression.
4. Your head gasket might be leaking.
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Clogged muffler and exhaust port would cause a bike to run, but really poorly, no uphill power, etc.
Take a look down the muffler of the bike, if there is carbon build up right at the tip, usually the whole exhaust is clogged and should be cleaned.
Take off the exhaust and look at the connection point of the head to the exhaust, look with a flashlight at all the walls of the port all the way down to the cylinder head. But usually if the exhaust was clogged, chances are that the port is clogged up too.
It is quite difficult to take out the cylinder head and cylinder then clean the port with a wire brush, so just try to get out as much as you can without doing that. Use a wire brush, not a dremel ever. Have the bike on its side so you don't get any carbon down into the cylinder/piston area.
A quick way to do an easy test for compression is to remove the spark plug and start the motor while you hold you finger FIRMLY over the spark plug hole... the piston and rings should compress the air enough to blow your finger right off the spark plug hole... if it doesn't you need to remove the head and cylinder and look for scuffing and scoring on the cylinder and piston skirt. If there is no scuffing and scoring you need new piston rings.
On a leaky gasket, you can usually hear compression escaping through the head gasket. Or look close between the cylinder and head for oil leaking. Take off the head and install a new one, they cost about 6 bucks.
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