2019 Coleman 550 Hard to Start

[joe1]

I have a 2019 550  Coleman side by side and it is starting to be hard to crank in the mornings but when it's warmed up it runs fine it's changed plugs filters for the inline gas filter in checkers temperature sensors map sensors and don't know what it could be any help would be appreciated

[Rainman]

I have a 2021 Coleman 400 that is just starting to do the same thing. Used to start on the first try, but now I have to try about 3 times before it starts and when it does, it runs rough, sometimes stalls and a couple times when I step on the gas pedal it would backfire. But once I get it started and let it st and run, all is good.

I'll be looking into this myself and will update with any information. Never a dull moment with these UTV's ...

[joe1]

Rainman I found out that it was my valves needed to be adjusted so I adjusted them to the specs which was.005 and I will fire up perfectly like new hopefully this can help you 

[Rainman]

4 hours ago, joe1 said:

Rainman I found out that it was my valves needed to be adjusted so I adjusted them to the specs which was.005 and I will fire up perfectly like new hopefully this can help you 

Thank you. That makes a lot of sense, as I now remember I had a garden tractor doing the same thing and after a valve adjustment, it ran like new. It would be strange though in my case, since I only have 11 hours and about 24 miles on the machine. But seeing how these units were produced with a lot of malfunctions, it's no wonder this would happen early on. I will have to check the valve lash and thank you for the update.

I found the procedure here, so if anyone else needs instructions, they can follow this link:

 

[Rainman]

Joe. I looked over the instruction link I posted above and it just states the following: "Next up we need to spin the motor over to top dead center. Grab each rocker arm and give em a little wiggle up and down. Spin the engine over by grabbing the fan with your other hand. Spin the engine over until both rockers have some wiggle and are loose."

From my experience, TDC would be when the intake valve is at it's highest point and not spinning the engine until the rocker arms have some wiggle.

What procedure did you use to find the TDC?

[joe1]

Yeah get the piston tdc and then adjust them but that was the problem with my 2019 550colman

[Andy Dickerson]

https://motorcycledoctor.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Valve-Adjustment-HiSun-2.pdf

 

This should do it.

[Rainman]

So as an update to my UTV having starting problems, it went from three try's to get it started to not starting at all. Before approaching any valve adjustment, I decided to check the spark plug, as I was now smelling some flooding.

At first, while I was trying to fit the right socket size to remove the plug, I noticed it started getting wet around the plug. Gas seemed to be leaking out around the plug. When I removed the plug, it turned way too easy, which was telling me it wasn't installed properly and may have been too loose. When removed, it showed signs of flooding, probably from trying to start it so many times. The plug also had carbon buildup and the gap was too small. (Note: the manual I have states in one spot that the gap should be 0.8mm, then elsewhere it states between 0.6-0.7mm. So which is it?)

I installed a new plug setting the gap to 0.8mm and on the second try, it fired right up. I let it sit for a short period of time and the same thing, it took two try's but started right up every time thereafter. We shall see what happens today and at a later date, recheck the plug.

I know that the gas that came with it had been a problem, as it was sold to me new, but I know it was used (long story). It is a 2019 and I just purchased it about 3 months ago. Tractor Supply stated they added some gas and fuel treatment to help with any water that may be in the tank. Although I added plenty of non-ethanol gas and when the tank was down to 3/4 I added more plus some Seafoam, but that's when things got worse.

So now I'll probably let it sit and run to use up the gas so I can start with a good tank. Then I'll change the fuel filter and hopefully not have to go as far as a valve adjustment. We shall see and hopefully it was just bad gas causing carbon buildup. I will update as I go along.

[Rainman]

On 10/2/2023 at 9:24 AM, joe1 said:

Yeah get the piston tdc and then adjust them but that was the problem with my 2019 550colman

Quick question - What was your method of finding TDC?

I seen a diagram in a manual that stated the following:"turn crankcase counterclockwise ... to mark the dead spots of crank box, namely the dead point position is compressed."

Another post on UTV Board stated that he spun "... the motor over to top dead center. Grab each rocker arm and give em a little wiggle up and down. Spin the engine over by grabbing the fan with your other hand. Spin the engine over until both rockers have some wiggle and are loose."

I've done this before on a garden tractor and had to spin the engine until the intake rocker was at it's highest point by sticking a small screwdriver in the block where the spark plug goes. That was how I found the TDC on that engine.

So what method of finding TDC did you use, because the first two methods above and I know without finding the TDC properly, the valve adjustments will not be correct.

Thank you for your help.

[joe1]

Take the spark plugs out and turn the engine over by hand while doing that get a screwdriver and stick it in the spark plug hold and fill for the piston when it comes to the top that is tdc then adjust the valves 

[Rainman]

5 hours ago, joe1 said:

Take the spark plugs out and turn the engine over by hand while doing that get a screwdriver and stick it in the spark plug hold and fill for the piston when it comes to the top that is tdc then adjust the valves 

Thank you. I appreciate the detailed instructions.

[Rainman]

UPDATE - So here is the update on my no-start, carbon fouling Coleman ...

I started the process to adjust the valves as others with similar problems had recommended, but stopped due to lack of time. So I decided to just drop it off to my mechanic, who stated that he works on UTVs.

After about 4 days of him having it there, he narrowed the problem down to contaminated gas, which he said had a lot of water in the tank. After cleaning out the gas tank, replacing the spark plus and fuel filter, my Coleman starts up every time without any problem.

He couldn't figure out how that much water had gotten into the gas tank, but I did tell him that when I purchase the Coleman, it had no gas cap and the store had a rag stuffed into the filler tube (long story).

In any case, that is what fixed my problem, a big weight off my shoulders for sure.

[NewtoUTV]

Rainman the gap you set did it work out at .8mm,  I have this issue all the time with the plug being covered with carbon.  I have been setting thye gap at .6.

[Rainman]

17 hours ago, NewtoUTV said:

Rainman the gap you set did it work out at .8mm,  I have this issue all the time with the plug being covered with carbon.  I have been setting the gap at .6.

It was a couple months ago and looking over my previous post, I'm not sure exactly what I did or if it was actually .8mm. Doesn't seem that is what I would have done, but instead I would have adjusted the gap somewhere in between the .6mm and .7mm. Sorry I can't remember exactly, but I can say that the plug, inside the tailpipe, as well as the OS2 sensor, were all carbon covered.

In my case, the starting issue I was having and the carbon buildup was due to water in the gas tank. According to my mechanic, he stated that there was enough water in the tank to cause my starting issue, as well as the cause of carbon buildup on the plug, OS2 sensor and tailpipe.

After being repaired, so far, my UTV is starting and running great since the water was removed and the tank filled with fresh gas. I haven't checked the plug or sensor as of yet to see if carbon has reappeared, since the UTV was repaired and now running good.

Are you having other issues, such as hard starts, stalling etc.,?