Why Is My Dirt Bike Backfiring-Causes & Fixes(Solutions)2023

The annoying sound that accompanies a dirt bike backfiring is more than enough to make the rider as himself, whether or not the dirt bike’s engine might get damaged.

A dirt bike, for that matter, any dirt bike, backfires when there is a problem with the vehicle’s emission system when the required amounts of fuel and air aren’t passed onto the engine, resulting in incomplete combustion.

A backfire on a bike can happen at any given moment, whether you are accelerating or decelerating, starting the bike up, or bringing it to a halt.

Is it backfiring badly for my dirt bike?

If our dirt bike experiences a singular backfire, then the chances of your engine getting damaged are slim to none. However, if the backfiring persists, then that’s a serious problem. Persistent backfiring, either due to the fuel-to-air ratio being wrong or due to any reason explained below, can not only cause significant damage to your engine but can also harm your exhaust, which is expensive to repair and replace.

Reasons why your dirt bike is backfiring

· Engine running too rich or too lean

As mentioned above, backfiring is the result of your bike’s engine either receiving too much or too little fuel than required. An engine running rich means that there is more fuel than air in the combustion chamber. Having little air would lead to the required (in order to push the piston back) explosion will not happen, and so the fuel will then be pushed out of the chamber and into the exhaust. Once reaching the exhaust, the fuel will react with the heat of the exhaust and explode, and that is what you hear when your dirt bike backfires.

On the other hand, an engine running lean means that there is more air present than fuel, and similar to the engine running rich, the explosion in the combustion engine won’t happen (due to improper quantities of fuel and air); the fuel will be pushed out and into the exhaust, where it will explode (because of the exhaust heat), and a loud bang would be heard.

The fuel-air mixture can be adjusted at home when the engine is hot enough, usually while it’s running. Using a screwdriver, the two screws present on the carburetor can be twisted a quarter turn at a time. Continue this until the engine starts to run smoothly again.

· Not enough compression

The piston is responsible for causing the explosion in the combustion chamber. If your dirt bike cylinders have irregular compression or there is a leak in the exhaust valve, then the explosion won’t take place, and the process of the fuel reaching the exhaust pipe will come into effect.

· Fuel choice

If the fuel you pump into your bike isn’t up to the standard, then it can also be behind your dirt bike backfiring. It is, so, highly recommended that you only use high-octane fuel of the appropriate standard in your dirt bike.

· Faulty spark plugs

Your bike’s spark plug can also be the reason behind your dirt bike backfiring if it doesn’t spark after the exhaust valve opens. A faulty spark plug can ignite the fuel at the wrong time resulting in either the fuel being ignited too quickly and the explosion not taking place or igniting it too take, which can damage the components part of the chamber, especially the plug itself.

· Dirty jets

A carburetor has four elements, a jet needle, main jet, needle jet, and pilot jet when needed to be dirt free at all times. If any of the aforementioned elements are clogged, the functionality of the carburetor will be affected.

· Dirty air filters

Clogged air filters are usually the reason behind a bike backfiring. The filter is responsible for keeping the air required by the engine clean. If the air filter gets clogged, then the needed air will not reach the combustion chamber, thus misbalancing the fuel-to-air ratio, and the process of fuel reaching the exhaust and igniting will continue.

It is therefore recommended that the air filters be regularly cleaned to avoid such a scenario and to have to pay a hefty sum of money if the damage gets serious.

• Dirty carburetor

A carburetor is responsible for combining the air and fuel present inside the combustion chamber. If your bike isn’t used for a long period of time, then there are chances that your carburetor has collected a lot of debris, which will block the carburetor from doing its job properly and result in the bike backfiring.

A dirty or bad carburetor can also be the reason for your engine being too lean or too rich, which, as mentioned above, is a major reason for your bike backfiring.

Can I prevent a dirt bike from backfiring?

To answer your question about how to stop your dirt bike from backfiring, you need to follow these instructions.

• High-grade fuel

Using high-grade fuel ensures that there is no buildup of gasoline inside your engine, and your engine will be cleaner (from the inside) in comparison to if you were using low-quality fuel. The best fuel to get would be the one recommended by the manufacturer.

• Clean carburetor

You can buy a carburetor cleaner to clean up a clogged carburetor. Remove the jets along with the housing and spray them with the carburetor cleaner.

If, on the off chance, your bike had a fuel injector, then you will need a high-grade cleaner.

• Clean air filters

As explained above, clogged air filters can stop the inflow of air and cause your bike to backfire, so ensuring that your air filters are clean reduces the chances of your dirt bike backfiring. Your filters will get clogged up more swiftly if you ride your bike through muddy or dusty tracks.

Fortunately, air filters are quite cheap in comparison to other dirt bike parts, so changing them once they wear out (given that they wear out quite quickly) is no serious issue.

Conclusion

When a backfire takes place, using screwdrivers and wrenches, you can conduct a quick analysis to diagnose the problem. Blockage in the carburetors, jets, or air filters is the common reason for a dirt bike backfiring. However, if the above-mentioned components have no blockage, then you, grudgingly, would have to hire a professional to fix your precious belonging. Keeping your dirt bike clean and periodically unclogging the jets, air filters, and carburetors should keep your dirt bike from backfiring. Furthermore, avoid using low-grade fuel in your dirt bike as it, too, can be the cause of a backfire. Following these steps should, hopefully, help you avoid any major expenses at the mechanic shop.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What causes a dirt bike to backfire?

The prime reasons for dirt bike backfiring are loose exhaust pipe, too little fuel, too much fuel, a bad fuel pump, using aftermarket exhaust, a bad fuel filter, airbox leakage, and a dirty carburetor.

• Does backfire hurt dirt bike engines?

Backfires seriously hurt a dirt bike engine by decreasing fuel efficiency, power loss, and engine damage. It is essential to pay attention to backfires and consult your bike technician immediately.

• Why is my dirt bike backfiring when kick-starting??

If your dirt bike is backfiring when kick-starting, it means excessive gas in the engine, and the engine is trying to ignite but is unable to do so due to too much gas.