By Jamie Edwards (Jamie642) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I have an Argo Bigfoot with eleven hours on it. Whenever I ride it for a little while and then turn it off, it backfires. Is this normal? Anything to worry about? Anything I can do to stop it? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!!

By mike martindale (Wetsu) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

if you take it back to the dealer and tell them,they should get you a bigger muffler,with a larger exhaust pipe.if this doesn't help...try adjusting the carb. but it is normal for both argo's and max's to do this.mine finally stopped doing it after about 200 hrs.but when my dealer replaced the muffler with this alleged new and improved one,it did slow down on the backfiring considerably.
this is what worked for me i'm sure there are several people on this board who have other methods that have worked for them.

By RickMoMoBigfoot on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Let it idle for about a minute and shut it off without giving it gas.that will stop the backfires .Someone told me and it worked on my bigfoot. Rick

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I was told that a backfire is caused by extra unburnt fuel in the system at shutdown. If you rev up your engine and abruptly shut down, you will probably get a backfire. Similarly, if you are out running at full throttle, and you just shut the engine down and not release the throttle, you will get a big one. I did that once at the cottage when I saw a neighbor. I stopped but didn't do it properly and it backfired so loud, that a flock of birds flew away and the woman claimed that I made her "kidney's" jump. I thought it was usually your heart that jumps but oh well. Anyways, just let it idle for a bit after you are stopped as rick said. That should take care of it. I have also noticed that in my machine, if it hasn't been run for a while and then it gets just up over the first notch on the oil temp gauge, and you shut down quick, it will fire. It scares the hell out of everyone, and gets a bit annoying, but its nothing really serious.

By David Johnston on Unrecorded Date: Edit

You did not say what ALTITUDE you are at. That makes a big difference...If your Argo is set up for standard sea level altitude, if you are at higher altitudes, backfire could be a problem. Then again, engine timing is important... You did not say what kind of engine you are running.. As much as I hate to say it, our engines are behind the times in regards to electronic controls... If you have an engine using points and plugs.... timing could be off. Make a LOG of exactly when you have the problem and take it to the dealer...There is a warranty after all

By Roger Smith on Unrecorded Date: Edit

All right, let's think about what's happening here. You turn off the key, the spark plug stops firing, the engine is still turning. Fuel and air is still flowing in and out of the engine like it was before the plug quit firing. Something is lighting the fuel/air mixture in the muffler, like a piece of wire fed welder wire from muffler construction protruding inside and glowing hot. Or carbon deposit that's red hot.

That's why it happens more in hotter weather. Same reason cars "dieseled" in hotter weather. Fuel mixture and ignition can affect combustion chamber and exhaust temps while running, but the spark plug's doing nothing after the key's turned off. If the carburetor had an idle circuit solonoid shut off like some cars had that would cure it. Maybe a solonoid on the throttle plate would do it.

Lean mixtures or too much ignition timing raise temperatures.

Like the guys said, a replacement muffler(if that's the cause) or letting the thing idle for a moment before shutting it off will work. I like the let it idle strategy, that's a hot air cooled engine, and letting it idle pulls in cool air and fuel internally, and the engine fan cools it externally.

By David Johnston on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Whow... IF you have an electric fuel pump...when you turn off the engine...the pump stops...minimal fuel flow...minimal backfire... but if the engine uses an engine driven fuel pump, then if the engine continues to run, it continues to pump fuel. So what does yor machine have? Consider the old lawn mower trick of stopping the engine by SHUTTING off the gas. Put a gas line control lever in. Instead of turning the KEY, just shut off the gas. That should definitely take care of the run on problem... Also it will help prevent theft as they thief will not know about the gas line control.. HUM...not a bad idea...

By P.J. on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Idling before shut down is the way to go. When I first got my Response I went on a moose hunting trip. On opening day I travelled about 2 miles on a pretty rough trail at 5:00 am to get to my watch before daylight. When I arrived at my spot by a remote lake it was a beautiful scene. DEAD quiet and still. That was, of course before I shut the motor off without idling first. POW! It echoed for miles and (big surprise) I didn't see anything that day!

By jdrummond on Unrecorded Date: Edit

If you have problems with your argo backfiring, all you have to do is email argo, refer the message to drew and he'll tell you how to fix it

By terry harrison (Th3) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

i had a problem with backfires when i turn off my max IV 900T. i started killing the motor with the choke and the backfires stopped.

By Mike Stettes on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I installed a fuel shut-off valve in the fuel line. Also put a gas primer bulb in the line for restarting. Bought it at a boat store. Before this, I started using 93 octane gas and it seemed to backfire a lot less. I decided to cut it out altogether. Installed the above right after fuel line leaves the tank, as it curves with the body-can't see it.

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I know this is the wrong section, but is their anything wrong with adding an octane booster to the gas in the ARGO??

I did this recently, don't notice a huge difference, but definatly some. However, it feels like something is lacking now. I don't really know what but it feels like it has slightly less power but at the same time it is smoother.

By jdrummond on Unrecorded Date: Edit

if your argo backfires, you can email argo and refer it to Drew. he will tell you how to fix it

By pressman on Unrecorded Date: Edit

a very hot engine will back fire. argo's has a very small engine compartment and so the engine will run very hot. let the engine idle for about a minute and then turn it off. you mite also try using an engine cleaner to get the carbon build up, cleaned out. the hot carbon is what makes the engine fire the gas after the engine is turned off. good luck.