Author Topic: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two  (Read 8443 times)

FL350fan

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FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« on: April 06, 2013, 04:21:09 PM »
Hey all, I am new to this forum. Every question I Google brings me here, so I thought I better join.

I have had my FL350 for a little over 20 years. It has been dormant for about ten years now. I had bad fuel in the tank so I took the tank out and cleaned the fuel out and reinstalled. I put new lines and a clean filter. After buying a new battery, it fired right up.

I was tearing around the neighborhood for about a half hour then it died. It was running great for that time. Now after running for a minute or two, the engine dies like it is running out of gas. After sitting their for a few minutes, it will start back up with the choke on. I take the choke off and I can get up my driveway and then it will die again. The fuel filter is full. I just put a pressure tester on it and it pumps at about 5 PSI idling and pumps up to 10 PSI when I rev the engine. It has loads of power while it runs for a couple of minutes. It then just dies.

I took the carb apart yesterday and blew air through it. All the passages look good. This has me stumped. Is there an electrical part that overheats?

Here is a quick overview of what I have done.

1. cleaned tank.
2. new K&N air filter and new gas filter
3. checked fuel pressure (5 to 10 psi)
4. new gas lines
5. blew out carb and checked jets. Looked good
6. New spark plug
7. New fuel
8. New battery

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
David
« Last Edit: April 06, 2013, 05:03:41 PM by David »

hoodlum

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2013, 06:44:49 PM »
My first bet would be the fuel filter...The canister will be full, but still be clogged...This is usually caused by the fuel gumming up from setting so long, or your tank has rusted from setting and flakes of rust have stopped it up...Take it off and spray carb cleaner through the "out" port of the filter...This should back flush it...Do it on a towel so you can see what comes out...If it looks like rust, check your tank...If it's just gummy sludge, you may get by with just getting it out and trying again....
Hoodlum

FL350fan

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2013, 08:26:31 PM »
Thanks Hoodlem,

I just tore the carb down completely, cleaned and blew out all passages and put it back together. I have a clear fuel filter that I can take apart and clean, which I just did. There is a small amount of rust coming out of the tank, but I still get 5 to 10 psi gas pressure after the filter.
After all this I test drove it again. It dies at the same places which really seems more of an interval. I tried just putting and i still get the same result. I sit there a minute and then I can start it again. It runs strong for another minute and dies again. this really has me perplexed. It has great power and speed when it runs.
I suppose the next step is to jury rig an external tank to completely eliminate the dirty tank as the culprit.
David

hoodlum

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2013, 09:01:30 PM »
Rig a way to remove the fuel line quickly...Run it again and when it dies, quickly remove the fuel line,hit the starter, and see if it's pumping fuel...I have also seen the pick up tubes inside the tank become clogged as well...
Hoodlum

FL350fan

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2013, 09:57:04 PM »
You were right Hoodlem,

It is a fuel problem. Check out my jury rigged tank. I am going to have to take the tank out and have it hot tanked. There is a place locally that does it. I had to have this done when I first bought the ody. It was $40 bucks back then. I bet that has changed. The reserve tube is completely plugged. I think I like the stock tank option better than the spun aluminum tanks. Plus cleaning this one will be cheaper.

After jury rigging a tank on it, I immediately saw a difference in fuel color. I thought the color was from the two stroke oil. It did not die on this trip. I guess the dirty fuel was enough to plug the filter very quickly. What threw me was the fuel pump pressure I was getting. Anyways, I would say this problem has been solved. Thank you for your input, it really helped.

David

hoodlum

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2013, 11:15:07 PM »
I love success!!!! :)
Hoodlum

LiveWire

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2013, 08:29:21 AM »
Good call on restoring the stock tank. The spun tanks cause several problems.

FL350fan

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2013, 01:47:27 PM »
Livewire,

Thanks for the input on the problems with the spun tanks. I was all gung-ho to do some basic modifications. At first the spun tanks seem like a good idea and look cool, but I try to come back to if it ain't broke don't fix it. I like the way the tank is tucked away and low. At least within reason. I don't like the idea of the gas spilling out of the cap. I will definitely do the air box modification. Otherwise, I love how it runs. I can't believe that these tires still hold air after 28 years. Yes, they have never been replaced. Maybe next year I will buy a new set. The desert season is basically over. It is too hot for me and for air cooled engines.
David

Athis

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2013, 03:59:01 PM »
Glad to hear you isolated it down to the gas tank. I had the very same issue....did everything you did....but I noticed a little black plastic 3 or 4 way manifold on the side of the tank while starring at it. Not knowing what this was I looked it up. The manual calls it a 1 way check valve....and it suggests how to test it to make sure it's working properly. I removed it....gently blew air as the book suggested....and found it was clogged.

This condition allowed my Ody to run for a few minutes then die. And as you described....start up again after a few with the choke on.
Once I cleaned it out....no more issues.

my 2 cents. :)

LiveWire

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2013, 05:51:25 PM »
I don't know why they call it a check valve. I think it is a translation thing. It is a blow off valve, sort of a pressure regulator. When the pressure exceeds a certain point, it presses the ball into the spring and off the seat. The extra fuel travels back to the tank.

Athis

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2013, 08:44:23 PM »
Yeah strange. I found it on page 4-3 (Item #8) on the little schematic. I cleaned that little thing out which was caked with dirt....and no more issues. :D

FL350fan

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2013, 02:15:28 AM »
I should have added that to the things I tried list. The check valve is working. That problem has been solved. Now I have a new one. I will look around and see if it already has been discussed. I took it to the desert this weekend and I have two problems. When it gets hot, it has no power and acts like it wants to die unless I just put slowly. The second problem is I have a good battery but the starter turns slowly and acts like it is low on power.

LiveWire

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Re: FL350 dies after running hard for a minute or two
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2013, 09:36:42 AM »
I would suggest doing plug chops to determine where you are at on jetting. You want a chocolate brown color on the plug porcelain with an air cooled engine.

Your starter likely needs a rebuild.