Why does my atv backfire

However, if there is too much fuel and consequently too little air being supplied, then it is likely that the excess fuel will leak outside of the chamber. When this happens, the excess fuel will become ignited by the spark plug- the igniting will just take place outside of where it is supposed to the combustion chamber.

Then, you will feel the effects of this minor explosion occurring in the wrong location as the sudden pop causes you to startle and your vehicle to jump along with you. What this really means is that the equilibrium that is needed to cause the vehicle to work properly is off, and you will likely experience the resulting backfiring.

However, too much fuel could indicate a fuel leak, and too little air could indicate a clogged component of your vehicle such as the air filter, exhaust, or beyond. In addition to there being too much fuel, you may also find that there are too little fuel and too much air. To function properly, remember that the engine needs to have both the fuel and air at the proper proportion. If you find that not enough fuel is mixed in this ratio, then this could indicate another issue.

Either way, this main reason why your ATV is backfiring can be broken down into a few more reasons that will be shared below. If you are finding that your ATV has begun to backfire rather frequently, then you are going to want to check a few top concerns out.

One reason that your ATV could backfire regularly, especially if your ATV has been sitting in storage for a while, is that the carburetor is clogged. When your ATV is left sitting at bay for long periods and goes unused, the fuel can begin to degrade and clog up the carburetor. Consequently, a clogged carburetor will not allow the appropriate amount of fresh air into the intake portion of the engine.

With this, the air and fuel ratio will become imbalanced, and you will likely find that your ATV is backfiring regularly. Backfiring on your ATV due to a faulty or clogged carburetor can be something that begins to occur more and more frequently. In essence, once the degraded oil begins to compile, it is not as likely that you will burn through it without experiencing the jolt of an ATV backfire in the process.

Not only are you experiencing the physical jolt of your ATV when it backfires- potentially throwing you or your friends and family members off of the vehicle- but a minor explosion is taking place outside of the combustion chamber. I recommend having some Gumout Carb and Choke Cleaner link to Amazon handy if you plan on cleaning your carb.

However, keep in mind that when this is causing your ATV to backfire, you will at least know the root cause and be able to move on from there. For starters, a faulty ignition could simply mean that you need new spark plugs. In this instance, if your spark plugs are not igniting the fuel inside of the combustion chamber, and instead continue to ignite the fuel in the intake or exhaust, then you will notice your ATV backfiring pretty frequently.

Fortunately, replacing spark plugs is not the end of the world, and these are just small components of the entire ATV. Next, a faulty ignition could mean that the timing is delayed for the ignition to light the fuel.

This means that there could be a slight gap from when the ignition is intended to begin when the fuel chamber is closed and when it actually happens when the fuel chamber is open. When this occurs, your ATV is not able to properly engage in the way it was designed, and your ATV will backfire quite frequently. This could also be the case if there are parts of the ignition that are broken or not functioning properly.

If the ignition coils, for example, are broken, then the ignition will not be able to operate as it was designed to do. Then, your ATV is at a high risk of backfiring. Along these lines, a faulty engine could mean that there is something wrong like a leak, bend, or break in the components of the engine. Consider if there is a crack in your muffler or exhaust, for example. A dramatic pop. And while many things can make your ATV engine run too rich , the most common cause is a clogged up air filter.

Yes, having an influx of fuel is often the result of air scarcity. Meaning that air flowing into your engine is getting chocked off somewhere. So if your ATV keeps backfiring, first check the air filter. Normally, the block and head should resonate concurrently so that the strokes occur at exactly the same time.

In other cases, the problem may emanate from:. Even the slightest of air leaks will dramatically increase the likelihood of an ATV engine popping. Take note that most ATVs source fresh air at the junction of mufflers and header pipes. In some instances, a popping exhaust system indicates that the engine has an extremely lean idle circuit. As soon as you get back on the road, the degraded fuel clogs up your carburettor. That makes the ATV run a little rich on air for that moment.

In rare cases, a backfire pop when accelerating. While backfiring comes with an explosion in the exhaust system, spitting leads to a reaction in the carburettor. Spitting actually begins when a spark is out of turn, which creates pressure from the burned fuel. Since this pressure needs to go somewhere, it leaves as soon as the valve opens for the next stroke.

The pop is quite loud and usually precedes a flame that can emerge from the exhaust after the engine backfires. On the other hand, a strong backfire can result in serious damages like cracks in the exhaust manifold. Delayed Engine Timing This is also known as retarded timing, implying that the intake-compression-power-exhaust strokes of your engine are not in sync with the strokes of the cylinder head.

Backfiring Vs Spitting These two terms are somewhat synonymous but technically different. Tips To Prevent Backfire Regularly clean your air filter — clogged up air filters will have a significant impact on how rich your engine operates. Having an overly rich fuel mixture not only causes your machine to burn through more gas unnecessarily, but it also affects acceleration and performance.

How dirty are they? Common sense is your best tool here, but if you need others you can find them at most automotive shops near you. You can go with sophisticated, expensive equipment that checks the firing of your spark plugs, or you can purchase much simpler tools like a quick probe. It has a circuit that measure the solenoid clicking on and off in the fuel injectors.

Add fuel injector cleaner — a high grade cleaner will help clean out any debris and gunk buildup found in your injector lines. Check your owners manual for specific restrictions and recommendations for your particular model. Is Engine Backfire Bad?