My buggy is bugging me - won't start
 

Hello all,

Just joined the forums because I'm having trouble getting my 2007 Hammerhead 250 SS to start. I took my wife for a good dirty ride, and after I washed it the issue began.....won't start. I replaced the fuel filter, air filter (was filthy) had the carb serviced locally (they said it was fine) and replaced the spark plug. It was running at one point so I should have left it alone, but I noticed it was really slow to respond to the throttle so I tried adjusting the carb some more to fine-tune it.....and I really shouldn't have because nothing I do works now. I can get it to start if I spray the air filter with Quick Start but it won't stay running. I have a video that I thought I might be able to post here, but it doesn't look like I can. If you want to see the video I will send it.

Please help......the nearest service center is a 7 hour drive from here.

Hey Termit,

I dont have any expereance with the hammerheads i own a helix 150cc, but in my opinion because it will start with "quick start" starting fuild and will not stay running or start by itself, it sounds like your carb is not getting gas, i would recheck everything from the carb all the way to the tank. Im sure someone else with more experance may respond as well but that should put you in the right path.

I was wondering the same thing. I'm not overly inclined mechanically, but it's worth a shot I suppose. Having the carb cleaned was the only thing that made it run, then I made an adjustment and pooched it. I'll try this weekend and let you know.

Thanks!

First thing I would do is scrap the petcock in favor of a 3/8 ball valve and a 3/8 to 1/4" barb fitting. Sometime I have to prime our 250 by taking the vacuum hose off the intake giving it a healthy spray of carb cleaner, then replace the hose and try to start it and feathering the gas so it will prime up when it fires off. The petcock should be the first thing replaced on ll buggies as the stockers are essentially crap and restrictive.

Well I tore the carb down and cleaned it out, there "may" have been a partial blockage in one of the jets but all good now. Also noticed that the air box between my air filter and carb was full of grass...luckily the mesh screen caught it. Cleaned them both out and it still wouldn't start. I had filled the gas tank a couple weeks ago when I was trying to figure it out, and it hasn't been running since then, so you can imagine how suprised I was to see NO FUEL going through the fuel filter. Checked the tank and found it BONE DRY. After scratching my head as to why a full tank can go bone dry without ever driving the buggy I topped it up and noticed a cracked fuel line was pissing out gas. Bingo! It all made sense. Replaced the fuel line with some clear surgical tubing so I could see what was going on and it starts no problem now. A little slow to respond to the gas pedal at idle/low rpm but seems to respond great at higher rpm. Only other issue is that there are occasional backfires from the exhaust. Is that an adjustment on the air/fuel mix on the carb or an adjustment of the idle?

Thanks for your suggestions guys!!!

EJ Mac,
How is the petcock bad? Doesn't that just allow fuel out of the tank like a funnel?

Replaced fuel lines and filter. With some quick start it started and idles great but when i took it for a test drive it was sluggish. Every 5-10 seconds when the rpm get higher it gets sluggish to where it nearly stalls then rpms climb and it does it all over again. Is it a fuel/air ratio setting on the carb? maybe the autochoke?

i think the petcocks on some of these are not too good in that they have small diameter passages, restricting the flow rate. once you're running at higher rpm, you can't get enough fuel in fast enough. do like ej recommended and try eliminating the petcock or finding one that has 3/8ths diameter and feed the fuel through that size line and filter system.

I'm no expert but if it runs well and responds well in neutral is it still a fuel issue? I sprayed carb cleaner on it to see if the Rpm's increased and it didn't change. Did some research today and found that my carb MAY have a separate adjustment screw for air and another for fuel mixture on the carb. That might be the problem - I don't know how I missed it before but I won't know for sure until I remove it. Anyone know if there are actually two screws?

Cant say on ur 250, but my 150's have only one screw, then my little 110 has 2, so obviously varies by mfg.?

Also don't have your model but I believe that you should turn the screw in all the way slowly until it stops (don't force it) and then back it out 2 and 1/2 turns. If it starts try your fine tuning again...you can always reseat the screw and try it again.