we have a 1994 xlt that doesnt run very good. we've got new spark plugs for it, cleaned the carbs and changed the gas in it. after of few pulls it will backfire and smoke will come from one of the carbs. when we get it running it doesnt want to idle, and its really bogey, it also backfires when it runs. does anyone know what could be wrong. :help:

how does it start? Hard lot of pulls or easy just accouple. And when you took ther plugs out were they dark, tan/brown or white?? Im gessing it is to rich or maybe even a blown piston. If you can try to do a compression check.

it takes alot of pulls to get it going. it pulls kinda hard to. the plugs were tan they werent very dark. tomorrow ill be doing a compression test.

tested the compression today and it was between 110-115 in all 3 cylinders

Take the carbs off and look in the intake at the pistons skirts. If they are scarred badly, or a piece gone, it will not run properly. On a piston port engine, a compression check only checks the ring sealing, not the suction it needs to transfer fuel into the cyl from the crankcase.

I had that happen to my xlt and the crankshaft was out of time.

UPDATE: so we cleaned the carbs out again, they were pretty gummy. one of the cables on the choke cable was broke. so we replaced that. so now its starts pretty easy when its cold, usually on the third pull. but when i drive it for a while and let it sit for 20 minutes, ill go start it and it takes alot of pulls to get it started, and you have to hold the throttle wide open. also when it runs the throttle response isnt very good. if i open the throttle wide open it usually takes a couple seconds to get going?

The carbs must be synced properly, air screw all set the same, usually 1- 1-1/2 turns out from lightly seated, needles in middle clip, spark plugs as shown on the decal under the hood, the decal will also tell you the air screw settings. The idle should also be set to 1800 rpm with a warm engine.

How does it start after sitting all night? We have seen a problem with bad needles and seats on XLT's, after a few years old.
Performance Parts

it idles at about 2 grand, it idles nicely. if i leave it sit all night and go out to start it it starts on usually the third pull with full choke.

Needles and seats are typical on these. Mine was done around 6 years ago. No problem since. My compression was the same in all three as well. Doesn't seem to run as strong as it used too, but it has about 10,000 miles on it. Used to have a Chopper City Sports clutch kit which worked real good, but I wanted to update the cltuching a couple of years ago and Chopper City didn't know anything anymore. Might just be the clutching. Might just need the top end refreshed. Not worth it on something this old though I'm guessing......