[aaronw]

I replaced the new carb with the old one because it seemed like it ran better with the old one. The jet may or may not be plugged I don't have a way to tell since I can't get it out without destroying it. I can use an easy out to take it out and check. Last night I went to start it and it acted like the battery was dead, then I kept turning the key and wiggling it around and it started fine, thinking the key switch may have a bad connection.

 

[CUAD4U]

I had a similar problem with a 2002 6X4 Gator I bought last year.. I am new here so take what I post for what it is worth. It looked like the previous owner "serviced" it just before he put a FOR SALE sign on it. It had new oil new oil filter, new fuel filter, new spark plugs (wrong heat range - 3 ranges too cold), new anti-freeze, etc. My engine would over heat after 15 minutes or so. After many months I found air in the cooling system. The service manual has a section on refilling the cooling system and how to bleed the system to get ALL the air out of it. Right behind the carb in the intake manifold is a bolt with a BLACK head on the bolt. On the Gator I bought the BLACK had come off the bolt. After replacing the coolant you MUST remove this bolt and run the engine and add new coolant into the cooling system through the bolt hole into the intake. When you cannot add any more coolant through the bolt hole loosely replace this bolt and run the engine until ALL the air is out of the system by noticing NO air bubbles coming out around the bolt threads. Then tighten the bolt. This was my problem. Even though the cooling system seemed to work properly, the air in the system caused the engine to over heat after running for 15 minutes or so. I hope this helps.

 

[aaronw]

I ran the gator up to operating temperature and loosened the bleed bolt and antifreeze came up around the threads, I would assume that means the system is bled. The black mark was also gone on my bolt. I also removed the original carburetor and the exhaust doesn't seem as gassy smelling and I ran it up and down the trail about 4 times and it ran perfect it didn't bog down like it had in the past, with the other carburetor it would bog down in about 1 or 2 trips. I will wait and see if it stays running good.

 

[aaronw]

So the gator has been running fine but now it seems like there is a new intermittent starting problem. Today I went to start it and the solenoid clicked like it had a dead battery but I held the key to start and it turned over normally after about 5 seconds and started. The next time I went to start it it did the same thing but wouldn't turn over, so I jumped it and drove it to the shop about 5 minuets of run time and I shut it off and checked to see if it would start and it started twice. Let it sit a few hours on the battery charger, came back out and it did the same thing but after it started turning over it did each time I tried. I would suspect the battery but it's strange that it turns over at normal speed once it starts to turn over.

 

[200mph]

Your diagnostics could benefit from quantifiable data in the form of voltages and voltage drop data.

another option would be to clean every junction within the starting circuit to shiny metal and perhaps use dielectric grease starting at battery.

 

[aaronw]

It did it again this morning, so I grabbed my tester and I had 12.68v at the battery turned the key to start and it went down to 5v. I kept turning the key like I did the other day and it started. I took the battery out and put it in my 71 GMC manure truck and the first attempt the solenoid just clicked, the second turn the truck turned over normally and started. I think I'm in need of a new battery.

 

[hillbillybubba]

It did it again this morning, so I grabbed my tester and I had 12.68v at the battery turned the key to start and it went down to 5v.

If the 5v was measured at the battery, then yes, you definitely need a battery. Depending on the battery and engine, 9ish volts should be about the lowest you ever want to see at the battery when starting a vehicle. 5v is wayyyy too low!