Troubleshooting - THUNDER TIGER ER-1 Instruction Manual

Description Problem
Engine will not Out of fuel ................................................................. Fill fuel tank
start Contaminated fuel .................................................... Replace fuel
Glow plug igniter not charged ................................... Charge glow igniter
Glow plug bad ..........................................................
Fuel not getting to carburetor ................................... Open and close fuel tank lid twice.
Engine flooded .........................................................
Engine overheating...................................................
Carburetor incorrectly adjusted................................. Re-adjust carburetor, see "Fuel Mixture" or
Exhaust blocked ....................................................... Check exhaust, remove blockage.
Air cleaner blocked ................................................... Check air cleaner, remove blockage.
Engine starts, Idle speed set to low.................................................
then stalls
Air bubbles in fuel line............................................... Check for leaks in fuel line
Glow plug is fouled.................................................... Replace glow plug, see "Glow Plug Problems"
Starter rope will Engine is flooded....................................................... See "Flooding" section below.
not pull Engine is seized........................................................ Examine engine for damage
Glow Plug Problems.
The glow plug in your engine must be replaced
periodically to maintain peak performance and easy
starting. Most starting problems or erratic performance
can be traced back to the glow plug. The easiest way
to check for a faulty glow plug is to simply install a new
one and see if the problem is
corrected. However, to test the
glow plug, remove the glow
plug form the cylinder
head with a 8mm nut driver
(make sure there is no dirt
on top of the head which could
fall into the engine. Do not lose
the copper gasket which seals the glow plug.)
Connect the glow plug to the glow igniter. All of the coils
should glow bright white. Sometimes, the first few coils
will not glow, while the rest are bright orange. This
indicates a bad glow plug or low igniter battery. Try
recharging the igniter, or replacing the glow plug.
Flooding
Symptoms of a flooded engine include difficulty in starting,
muffled sounds coming from the exhaust, pull starter
won't operate, and excess fuel draining from the exhaust
outlet. Remove the glow plug with a 8mm nut driver and
also remove the air cleaner. Turn the car upside down
and pull the starter a couple of times to drain the excess
fuel out of the engine and carburetor. Re-install the glow
plug and try starting again.
Fuel Mixture
The fuel mixture is controlled by three different
adjustments on the carburetor, and should come preset
from the factory (see photos below). Your engine should

TROUBLESHOOTING

If you have trouble starting or keeping your ER-1 running,
here's a quick checklist of what to look for first.
Solution
Replace glow plug, see "Glow Plug Problems"
section below.
See "Flooding" section below.
Allow engine to cool, richen fuel mixture,
see "Fuel Mixture" section below.
Adjust idle speed screw, see "Fuel Mixture"
section below.
Section below.
start and run slightly rich with these settings (rich is
good for break-in). Tuning Tip: Always make sure
you can see some exhaust smoke coming out of the
exhaust outlet during operation. This is a good sign
that enough fuel is getting to the engine.
Factory Carburetor Settings.
Idle Screw
Idle Screw
Low Speed Screw
Low Speed Screw
0.020" (0.5mm)
0.020" (0.5mm)
Leaner
Leaner
(Less Fuel)
(Less Fuel)
Richer
Richer
(More Fuel)
(More Fuel)
"Factory Carburetor Settings" section below.
Richer Richer
Low speed mixture
6 1/2 turns out
Leaner
Leaner
Clockwise=Leaner
Counterclockwise-Richer
Idle speed:
.020" (.5mm)
Adjust Idle Screw until
.5mm is obtained.
High speed mixture:
2 3/4 turns out
Clockwise = Leaner
Counterclockwise-Richer
JD6664