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hard to start
- Thread starter crash
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sparklr
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Phoenix wrote:
Elementary Mr. Watson.
However, somehow I recall from somewhere the choke set-up was askew, or was it the lean factory set-up? Check KLR.net or ADV. Mine is similar, and being less throttle happy seems to help. When you hear it wants to fire, a tiny delivery of fuel seems to help. This all changes if you've drowned your air filter with sticky agent#?. Or worse you just let it sit there for a month without any attention to the battery.
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Phoenix wrote:
Elementary Mr. Watson.
However, somehow I recall from somewhere the choke set-up was askew, or was it the lean factory set-up? Check KLR.net or ADV. Mine is similar, and being less throttle happy seems to help. When you hear it wants to fire, a tiny delivery of fuel seems to help. This all changes if you've drowned your air filter with sticky agent#?. Or worse you just let it sit there for a month without any attention to the battery.
Phoenix
New member
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Use half choke/or less? Is the bike stock ? As per sparklr's sugggestion maybe the choke setup is askew. If still under warranty rant and rave at dealer? Rode with some newer KLR owners this year and didn't hear mention of this specific problem, but maybe they could chime in with their thoughts on cold start procedures.
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Use half choke/or less? Is the bike stock ? As per sparklr's sugggestion maybe the choke setup is askew. If still under warranty rant and rave at dealer? Rode with some newer KLR owners this year and didn't hear mention of this specific problem, but maybe they could chime in with their thoughts on cold start procedures.
sparklr
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I simply cannot afford a new plug for every start.:shock: I do however recall the dealership mechanic suggesting start up ritual of some form, but alas I was too busy drooling over my newly acquired steed that I failed to heed, or rather to hear the suggested implementation. I believe it was minimal gas or 1/2 choke. I've tried them all, with no success, but throttle seems to be the best course of action. I'll query again soon when I have the dreaded turn signal surgery performed. Note: others I know have cold start issues also.
Now I'm not very adept with the fours, I've had mostly 2 Smokes. My last 4 stroke was an inline 4, multi-carbed and never had cold start issues. I wonder if that auto decompression malarky factors in somehow.
For now I maintain my tried and tested theorem of 'sweet talk'. Repeat as needed.
Start you:mad3iece of :mad3:.
Sometimes foreplay pays huge rewards.
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I simply cannot afford a new plug for every start.:shock: I do however recall the dealership mechanic suggesting start up ritual of some form, but alas I was too busy drooling over my newly acquired steed that I failed to heed, or rather to hear the suggested implementation. I believe it was minimal gas or 1/2 choke. I've tried them all, with no success, but throttle seems to be the best course of action. I'll query again soon when I have the dreaded turn signal surgery performed. Note: others I know have cold start issues also.
Now I'm not very adept with the fours, I've had mostly 2 Smokes. My last 4 stroke was an inline 4, multi-carbed and never had cold start issues. I wonder if that auto decompression malarky factors in somehow.
For now I maintain my tried and tested theorem of 'sweet talk'. Repeat as needed.
Start you:mad3
iece of :mad3:.Sometimes foreplay pays huge rewards.
M
Mr. Harrod
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I have a hard starting problem with my 2000 KLR which is when it is coldmeaning frost or iceon the bike it is very hard to start for the first time of the day. Once running then it always starts well. I have had a 98, 02 and also my friends 01 has the same problem. This seems to happen more at high altitude than at sea level. My friend tells me if he puts some hand warmers around the carb and lets it warm up for a bit then the bike starts right away. No combination of choke or throttle seems to work. Letting the bike sit in the sun until the frost comes off the bike is a solution as is cranking it for a while and then waiting and trying again.
I know this is not a solution for your problem but it might imply it is not an 08 problem only.
MH
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I have a hard starting problem with my 2000 KLR which is when it is coldmeaning frost or iceon the bike it is very hard to start for the first time of the day. Once running then it always starts well. I have had a 98, 02 and also my friends 01 has the same problem. This seems to happen more at high altitude than at sea level. My friend tells me if he puts some hand warmers around the carb and lets it warm up for a bit then the bike starts right away. No combination of choke or throttle seems to work. Letting the bike sit in the sun until the frost comes off the bike is a solution as is cranking it for a while and then waiting and trying again.
I know this is not a solution for your problem but it might imply it is not an 08 problem only.
MH
E
EnduroMo
Guest
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I also had the same issues with my bike. :mad3:It was definitely not cold blooded!!! I asked the dealership about it and they said several people had the same complaint.
I played with the idle adjustment slightly and then found a good system of how many throttle wicks to give it before turning it over. After I discovered that I never had problems starting it again. I think it is 4 or 5 wicks and then turn it over.
I do know that she will not start if you are holding the throttle when trying to turn her over.:ted:
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I also had the same issues with my bike. :mad3:It was definitely not cold blooded!!! I asked the dealership about it and they said several people had the same complaint.
I played with the idle adjustment slightly and then found a good system of how many throttle wicks to give it before turning it over. After I discovered that I never had problems starting it again. I think it is 4 or 5 wicks and then turn it over.
I do know that she will not start if you are holding the throttle when trying to turn her over.:ted:
Big Booger
New member
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I have an 08. 30,000km. There is a plastic elbow between the choke cable and the carb body that the cable doesn't like to slide through. Slack off the cable and WD it. Some have replaced theirs with a metal one.It's not actually a choke like a butterfly but it dumps extra fuel in to richen the mixture.As soon as the bike fires and runs turn the stupid thing off,leaving it run like this will eventually foul a plug. they're a pain to change. If you take it to a dealer it will start just great for them.(Murphy's law). Although a good mechanic may hear or see something not right. I found that stock klr run way too lean at idle.My head pipe would glow red at idle for any duration. Drill the plug on the idle jet and back it out some, this will cause idle speed to increase a little, use the idle stop screw on the right side of carb to adjust back down.I found any where between 1000rpm and 1400rpm is ok. As long as its not racing, or chugging like a harley.
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I have an 08. 30,000km. There is a plastic elbow between the choke cable and the carb body that the cable doesn't like to slide through. Slack off the cable and WD it. Some have replaced theirs with a metal one.It's not actually a choke like a butterfly but it dumps extra fuel in to richen the mixture.As soon as the bike fires and runs turn the stupid thing off,leaving it run like this will eventually foul a plug. they're a pain to change. If you take it to a dealer it will start just great for them.(Murphy's law). Although a good mechanic may hear or see something not right. I found that stock klr run way too lean at idle.My head pipe would glow red at idle for any duration. Drill the plug on the idle jet and back it out some, this will cause idle speed to increase a little, use the idle stop screw on the right side of carb to adjust back down.I found any where between 1000rpm and 1400rpm is ok. As long as its not racing, or chugging like a harley.
E
EnduroMo
Guest
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Glad to hear that worked for you as well. Once I discovered the trick it has worked for me every time no matter how cold or damp it was in the morning.
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Glad to hear that worked for you as well. Once I discovered the trick it has worked for me every time no matter how cold or damp it was in the morning.
Erronous Monk
Member
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Cold start? The first thing, it is counter intuitive, but lower your idle screw one half to two turns.(warm idle fully closed 1300 rpm) Start with throttle fully closed and hold the enricher fully on. Run for a second on the enricher only, then roll on a bit of throttle.
*if the throttle stop is too high, the enricher can't function as you need it to on cold starts. For detailed reasoning, you need to look into descriptions of how our carburetors work. Can you say: vacuum?
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Cold start? The first thing, it is counter intuitive, but lower your idle screw one half to two turns.(warm idle fully closed 1300 rpm) Start with throttle fully closed and hold the enricher fully on. Run for a second on the enricher only, then roll on a bit of throttle.
*if the throttle stop is too high, the enricher can't function as you need it to on cold starts. For detailed reasoning, you need to look into descriptions of how our carburetors work. Can you say: vacuum?
H
hez
Guest
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crash,
I also have an '08 and just took it in to get the callback warranty work done. They asked me if it was hard to start and mine is somewhat hard to start. It requires full choke and then still requires a few turn overs before it gets going. They told me this shouldn't be and that it was probably as one else here said the auto decompression, actually the cam that controls the decompression. They are going to file it down and the work WILL be covered by kawasaki.
Cheers
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crash,
I also have an '08 and just took it in to get the callback warranty work done. They asked me if it was hard to start and mine is somewhat hard to start. It requires full choke and then still requires a few turn overs before it gets going. They told me this shouldn't be and that it was probably as one else here said the auto decompression, actually the cam that controls the decompression. They are going to file it down and the work WILL be covered by kawasaki.
Cheers
Erronous Monk
Member
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hez wrote:
I expect that that means your dealer is admitting that they have never checked the valve clearances. If they were properly within specs, then filing the decompression pin would not be necessary. They just need an excuse to get your bike in to do what they have already charged you and/or Kawi for.
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hez wrote:
I expect that that means your dealer is admitting that they have never checked the valve clearances. If they were properly within specs, then filing the decompression pin would not be necessary. They just need an excuse to get your bike in to do what they have already charged you and/or Kawi for.