Honda XR 250 1985?

[Kittyhawk]

Hiya I'm new to this site, and I'm working on an old honda XR 250 1985.
I've managed to get it with a spark and I took off the carbi to give it a clean today. I put it back together and now there is no compression when you kickstart.
Could someone point me in the right direction as to what could be the cause, this is my first bike Im practising on before I get a road bike or refer to any good bike manuals I could get out at the local library.
Much appreciated.
Kittyhawk

[Waylander]

Hi there, welcome to the site. Wish I could help ya but I know nothing about kick-start bikes. Some others on here aught to be able to help ya out though. Good luck and enjoy the site and the riding.:2thumbsup

[Kittyhawk]

Hi there, welcome to the site. Wish I could help ya but I know nothing about kick-start bikes. Some others on here aught to be able to help ya out though. Good luck and enjoy the site and the riding.:2thumbsup

That's so cute I like that pic

[Waylander]

Hehe thanks, wasn't exactly what I was looking for when I googled it but thought it was cool. (feel all geeky now for getting it from google for some damn reason. lol)

[Ixion]

Hiya I'm new to this site, and I'm working on an old honda XR 250 1985.
I've managed to get it with a spark and I took off the carbi to give it a clean today. I put it back together and now there is no compression when you kickstart.


Hm. Just removing and replacing a carby would not cause compression loss. Is that all you did ? I assume that you could feel compression when kicking it over before the carb remove/replace ? I realise this sounds a bit silly but can you just confirm what you mean by no compression ? Normally when you kick over a 4 stroke single you will feel some resistance most of the time then at one point a lot more resistance, getting steadily harder to turn over (try pushing the kick start with your hand, it is easier to feel that way). Then quite suddenly the resistance goes away, usually accompanied by the sort of "donk" noise. Is this what you ahd before the carby job ? and now don't ? Or do you mean that you've put a compression tester into the spark plug hole (ridiculous question here, you have reinserted the spark plug ? )

[Kittyhawk]

Hehe thanks, wasn't exactly what I was looking for when I googled it but thought it was cool. (feel all geeky now for getting it from google for some damn reason. lol)
Thanks, is this more like a chat site or how does it work?

[Kittyhawk]

Hm. Just removing and replacing a carby would not cause compression loss. Is that all you did ? I assume that you could feel compression when kicking it over before the carb remove/replace ? I realise this sounds a bit silly but can you just confirm what you mean by no compression ? Normally when you kick over a 4 stroke single you will feel some resistance most of the time then at one point a lot more resistance, getting steadily harder to turn over (try pushing the kick start with your hand, it is easier to feel that way). Then quite suddenly the resistance goes away, usually accompanied by the sort of "donk" noise. Is this what you ahd before the carby job ? and now don't ? Or do you mean that you've put a compression tester into the spark plug hole (ridiculous question here, you have reinserted the spark plug ? )
Easiest way to explain this is I replaced the spark plug, and it sparked when I put the spark plug onto the side of the engine hooked up I saw the spark as I kicked over the engine, there is no compression when you do that, When I put it back in there was compresion, now that I did the carbi it feels the same like when you have a sparkplug out.
I knwo when you kickstart theres' that little harder bit at the start and when you go around in the motion it gets eaiser but that's not happening.

[Waylander]

Thanks, is this more like a chat site or how does it work?
Um, sortof. It sometimes acts like a chat room, no specific rules to it really just go with the flow. It's pretty much what it says it is. A site for Kiwi Bikers to hang out get to know each other and orginize rides and generally bitch about everything those crazy cagers/goverment types do. By the way check out the thread attached to the first announcment on the home page for the Waikato rally. Give it a go and sign up, gonna be alot of fun. Just wish I could go.

[Kittyhawk]

Um, sortof. It sometimes acts like a chat room, no specific rules to it really just go with the flow. It's pretty much what it says it is. A site for Kiwi Bikers to hang out get to know each other and orginize rides and generally bitch about everything those crazy cagers/goverment types do. By the way check out the thread attached to the first announcment on the home page for the Waikato rally. Give it a go and sign up, gonna be alot of fun. Just wish I could go.
I'll check it out. I'm confused with the terms on here, Post threads whats that? and yeah Im all good for hanging out chatting bikes!!!

[Waylander]

I'll check it out. I'm confused with the terms on here, Post threads whats that? and yeah Im all good for hanging out chatting bikes!!!
Well from the look of it, you have the posting thing down. Other stuff will come in time just hang around post in a few other threads and get to know peaple. There are a few to worry about but the majority of peaple on here are cool as and will help with any questions you have. By the way the little thing you have at the bottom of your user CP is called "rep" you get that when someone likes your post or dislikes it. goes either way, red is bad green is good. Light green is so good to the point as to where some will consider you a god, or goddess as the case may be.:niceone:

[Youngjim]

I would presume that you have a decompression lever on the XR, normally on the handlebars and has a cable leading from it to the valves.
Check that when you have been working on the bike that you havent inadvertently pulled or jammed the cable which would cause it to lift the valves and give you the same feeling when kicking it over that having the plug out would.

[Kittyhawk]

Oh ok cool. Yeah I checked out the home page. But I aint' happy. Because I'm a learner I can't go any faster than 70km/hr and I go faster off road than on road supposedly according to the law.
But yeah, this site looks really cool and I think I'm going to love meeting people who are as passionate about bikes as myself.

[Waylander]

Weel you're not alone there are heaps of peaple on here on there learners. Even a few goin to the rally I think so that's no excuse.:2thumbsup Or you could always just ride off to the side of the road should be sweet as lol.:Punk:

[Ixion]

I would presume that you have a decompression lever on the XR, normally on the handlebars and has a cable leading from it to the valves.
Check that when you have been working on the bike that you havent inadvertently pulled or jammed the cable which would cause it to lift the valves and give you the same feeling when kicking it over that having the plug out would.

Yeah, a jammed decompresser would do it, but I don't think the 250's had one (not too hard to kick a 250)

What OP says about the symptoms makes sense. Just don't see how a carb removal can lose compression. Question to OP , was there any reason in particular for removing the carb ?

[Kittyhawk]

Weel you're not alone there are heaps of peaple on here on there learners. Even a few goin to the rally I think so that's no excuse.:2thumbsup Or you could always just ride off to the side of the road should be sweet as lol.:Punk:
Well I got my FXR 150 up to 143km/hr and it didnt' sizzle the engine. So I'm a speed freak when I get the chance.
YOUNGJIM - I pulled out the cables and I got confused as to which goes where back on the carbi :< I'm a girl!!!

[Youngjim]

Yes the 250 XR has a decompressor, or at least the one I had did.
It's not so much for kicking it over, more for clearing the fuel out of the cylinder when you drop it as they are a pig to start when dropped.

[XTC]

From memory the decompressor cable on the 85 XR goes from the head and connects to the kickstart. when kicking this automatically activates the decompression mechanism. The XR should have two throttle cables one for open one for return. Yours should have a twin carb set up. What you have done should not have done anything to the compression unless you stripped the plug thread when putting it back in. 85 XR200/250's were known to crack heads occasionally between the valves and the plug hole. Later models went to a smaller plug to beef up this area. Even if cracked it should still have some compression.

[XTC]

Try here for experts on XR250/400's
http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=26

Good luck. Andy.

[Ixion]

Well I got my FXR 150 up to 143km/hr and it didnt' sizzle the engine. So I'm a speed freak when I get the chance.
YOUNGJIM - I pulled out the cables and I got confused as to which goes where back on the carbi :< I'm a girl!!!

Ahah. Taking that in conjunction with the fact that the beast does indeed have a decompressor - I suspect one of those muddled cables was a decompressor cable and you've got it back in the wrong place.

Quick test , remove all cables that you removed before. Check and see if you have compression now. If so, follow the cables back from the handlebars (or wherever - some research says that they also run to camshaft or kickstart lever ??!!).

Make sure the decompressor cable is not pinched, has some free slack and is connected to the correct place.

Disclaimer here: heaps of experience with 4 stroke singles. None with a XR250.

[BUBBLE]

Hey, check that both the carby slides are in correctly. Has anyone tried to kick a bike with the throttle full open, there is much less of a compression feel to the kick. The slides must be put in with the slot (down one side of slide) lining up with a pin inside the carb. Another check is to make sure the angled bit at the bottom of the slide is facing towards the idle screw. If you can, take the air filter pipes off the carb inlet and make sure the slides a returning to the bottom of their stroke. Keep in touch...tell us how you get on.

[MSTRS]

Yeah, a jammed decompresser would do it, but I don't think the 250's had one (not too hard to kick a 250)


They did. In fact I have a '90's model which has a manual lever on the bars & an auto one actuated by the kickstart as well.

[Motu]

That year XR should have a decompressor activated by a cable from the kickstarter - disconnect it,or atleast back off the adjustment.With one of these you won't be able to feel compression when slowly turning the motor over - responsable for XR200s damaging kickstarter gears,people just slam away on the lever like it's a 2 stroke.One a single you need to be able to ease it up on compression,take it over and kick from there,they should start pretty easy then,just slamming away you won't have much success.

[sAsLEX]

they also have about 3000 turns on the stator so if your going to rewind that, double check you are using the ritght wire, then check again as 3000 turns by hand is boring and takes ages, especially the second time round.

My xr similar year has the decomp connected to the kick.

[Waylander]

Well almost everyone on here has a bit of a speed freak in them. By the way did ya get the problem sussed?