klr starting

[fester]

I bought an 03 klr a month ago I insured it last week and drove it a few days. I have put about 100km since I bought it. It has started awesome. Until yesterday.

I was driving home from work and it stalled, I was downshifting and coming to a stop. It was hard starting it then but it ran and I continued home. I stopped at the video store to get movie and came out it started fine. I came home and it stalled coming into the driveway.

It wouldbarely startand notidle properly. I had to keep it reving high to keep it going.

This morning I went out and it started only by giving it gas. and Would not start with the choke applied. I had to adjust the idle thumb screw to about 2000rpm before it would idle and then still it only idled roughly.

What are your suggestions?

It seems to me to be something with the choke.

 

[Island Hopper]

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Sounds to me like your carb may have sucked some dirt out of the float bowl into one of the jets or passageways... A good thorough carb cleaning may be the answer...

 

[fester]

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I just drained the float and then gave it full throttle and cleared it right out while starting. It started without the choke at all. And is idling perfectly, I let it idle for a few mins then put the choke on and just idled at a higher level. around 3500. I turned it off and restarted it and it is idlingfine, but when it started it let out a little backfire?? I am going to leave it to idle for a bit then maybe take it out and see how it does.

I want to check the spark too.

 

[fester]

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so I let it idle for a bit and it is starting fine now no backfire. I shut it off and restarted a few times and no backfire. Test drive once the little guy goes for a nap.

I think a carb clean is definitely a necessity. Do you guys and gals have any other ideas what would have caused it??

 

[Island Hopper]

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Do you know the bikes service history?

Has the doohicky been upgraded?

Air filter clean?

For your particular problem I'm 90% sure it is carb related....
I make a point to pull the carb off every year or 2 to give it a cleaning... Over time dirt and moisture make it into the carb through the fuel line and cannot be fully cleaned out by just draining the float bowl... The dirt can drift around in there for a while until it's vacuumed up into a jet... I've seen it where a piece of slag will migrate into a jet causing the engine to run like crap and then drop out leaving the engine running fine... Only to repeat itself again a time or 2 causing frustration...

Also while you have it apart you can inspect the moving parts for wear like the float/needle assembly, the slide and the jet needle /needle jet assembly....

 

[islandswede]

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A no idle, higher revs only condition is often an indication of carb flooding. Make sure the float needle seats/seals correctly to close the fuel delivery and that the float level is correct.

 

[fester]

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What is the doohickey upgrade??

I thank you for your suggestions. I will have finished my basement tommorrow and then can devote a bit of time to the bike. I will keep you upgraded on my progress.

 

[fester]

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So an update.

I have not had the chance to do a carb rebuild and I think it will wait until the winter. I have under the suggestion mof a buddy drained the carb a couple of times and he said the big thing is too tap it when you do. I have also added a shot of seafoam to the gas. She purrs like a kitten now.

 

[crash]

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[fester]

so yesterday heading home it started doing this again. I was able to limp it home by keeping it reved.
I took the seat and side panels off and tried to start it because it seemed to be leaking, strong fuel smell. There is a air vent hose that runs out of the left side of carb and under the seat. I tried to start it and it would only run or start with the throttle wide open. that air vent hose pukes fuel while doing this. Something in the carb is obviously stuck and preventing the fuel delivery to the engine. I have to take it apart, last night i took the take off and some of the hoses and blew them out and then replaced it and it runs again.
Have I solved the problem???
Any hints for the carb I have never done it.

 

[fester]

i also had a look at the air filter and it is pretty nasty so i will get one tommorrow if the local shop has one. Will this contribute to this problem??

 

[old trials guy]

I took the seat and side panels off and tried to start it because it seemed to be leaking, strong fuel smell. There is a air vent hose that runs out of the left side of carb and under the seat. I tried to start it and it would only run or start with the throttle wide open. that air vent hose pukes fuel while doing this. Any hints for the carb I have never done it.[/QUOTE]

These symtoms would lead me to think you have a sticking float valve. (gas smell, leaking out of hose). My guess is the hose is the float bowl overflow hose and is gas is puking out because the float bowl is overfilling. The usual cause of this is a worn or dirty float valve.

To test the float valve, remove the float bowl (this may call for removing the carb), hook up the fuel line and turn on the gas valve. Gas should pour out so do this in a safe place (no open flames). Gently push up on the float. This should shut off the fuel. If it continues to dribble or it works intermittantly it is likely the problem.

otg

 

[fester]

would i then clean it and it may fix the problem??

 

[Randaroo]

yup, Probbly, but if its real old the float valve rubber will be unsalvagable, should run fine but puke after shutdown if only dirty.
typicaly when you get the sticky float syndrom you whack the carb in a "Fonzie" like way and it corrects itself . If that doesn't work , afetr many attempts, the float needs inspecting and the float valve cleaned or replaced.
my poor ol' truck has the opposite problem, the float sticks shut, so after sitting for a long time i gotta whack the carb in the right spot and the bowl fills and Kaboom, I'm on my way again.

 

[fester]

yup, Probbly, but if its real old the float valve rubber will be unsalvagable, should run fine but puke after shutdown if only dirty.
typicaly when you get the sticky float syndrom you whack the carb in a "Fonzie" like way and it corrects itself . If that doesn't work , afetr many attempts, the float needs inspecting and the float valve cleaned or replaced.
my poor ol' truck has the opposite problem, the float sticks shut, so after sitting for a long time i gotta whack the carb in the right spot and the bowl fills and Kaboom, I'm on my way again.

i have done the fonzie whack now twice. it is working again after, draining it, blowing out some of the lines and whacking it. it seems a rebuild is in order though. i am going to get the parts today if in stock.

 

[Sparkle]

I think OTG is right.....anytime the carb overflow is leaking gas it's a leaking needle and seat, sometimes a lump of dirt, and sometimes it's just plain worn out from thousands of cycles and vibration. It also could be a bad or stuck float, but that doesn't happen very often

An emergency fix that sometimes works on the trail is to shut the gas OFF while the bike is running, and run the float-bowl out of gas (the bike stalls)...then open the valve. Sometimes the rush of fresh gas will clear a lump of dirt etc.

In the old days when the needle and seat were steel or brass, you could fix them...new one's you can't, and taking it all apart and cleaning it only means the problem might be still there. If the bike normally runs okay, a carb rebuild doesn't make sense...just change the float valve. On some bikes you can do this with the carb in place in a few minutes....probably less than 20 bucks.

Sparkle

 

[kawi_klr]

carb rebuild

carb rebuild

there is no question that you need to pull the carb off... and if you only want to do this one time.. id highly recomend the you blow allllll of the little air passages out with compressed air.... youll be sure to see some gunk come out..... another option is to take your carb to a motorbike mechanic or one of the good ole boys that know what and how a carb works...