my trike runs perfect for about 3-4 minutes then it starts making clatter noise then slowly dies and wont start for hours. checked the obvious plug, unhooked kill switch, oil even replaced with new coil. same problem with new or old coil

IT WAS RUNNING PERFECT FOR MONTHS AND THEN EVERY NOW AND THEN IT WOULD ACT LIKE THIS NOW ITS EVERY TIME IT IS STARTED FROM SITTING A DAY ANY IDEAS WHATS WRONG

 

I would check the tank and carb vents.

 

Could also be a blocker muffler, had an old 200 do me that before

 

i have totally taken air cleaner off shot starter fluid in and still won't start unless it sits for many hours . i will disconnect muffler and see if it stays running for mor than 5 minutes. What reason would the blocked muffler have on the engine not starting for few hours?

 

After the muffler got hot ( a few minutes of running ) it would sound like it started clattering and just die off, like it was choked and wouldn't start back up a matter of fact it was hard to pull till it cooled down. I don't know the technicalities of what was happening inside the engine, or exhaust system but I do know after I took the old muffler off it ran fine.

 

When was the last time the valves were run? I would check those too.

 

I PULLED BAFFLE OUT RAN PERFECT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES THEN IT JUST SHUT OFF . tRIED TO START NOTHING . tHIS TIME PULLED PLUG NO SPARK. tRIED USING NEW COIL THAT I ORDERED MONTHS AGO NO HELP. a FEW MINUTES LATER CHECKED PLUG FOR SPARK IT HAD A LITTLE BLUE SPARK BUT WEAK. iT RUNS PERFECT FOR 5 MINUTES OR SO THEN SHUTS OFF. ANY HELP PLEASE

 

If the valves are out of adjustment, as it gets warm, they will grow longer and you will have the problems you are seeing. As the bike ages, you need to do valve adjustments. So, I'd check that.

 

So if the valves lengthen this would cause the loss of a spark or near no spark at all?

 

No, sorry, I guess I missed that part. So, no spark. Something is breaking down after getting hot. Does that bike have a CDI? Also, try a new plug. I once had an old quad that wouldn't run and when I checked for spark, I had a weak one. I figured it was fine but it wouldn't start. Put a new plug in and it ran like new. Sometimes a plug loses it's ability to fire under compression but will fire in the open. That's because it's harder for the spark to jump the gap when there's a dense, compressed mix of gas & air in there. For a few bucks, it's worth a try.