Kawasaki fires on every kick-then nuthin!

[cave weta]

But won't keep running - every single kick is the same. -just enough to disengage the kickstart. Its a 2003 KX250

heres how it happened. - was out riding, all sweet as. stopped to open a gate and when I got back on it was behaving like it was loaded up. just dumdumdumdumdumdum....no revs

then after I stopped it it has done this ever since. Ive snuck up on it in the shed at random times and kicked it-with the same results. It has a fat spark -I gave it another plug, removed and washed airfilter. changed fuel.

I bow to your superior knowledge... will you tell me what is wrong?




.:yes:

[cs363]

Check that the flywheel is on tight, I've seen them come loose before and stuff the woodruff key on the crank.
Worth a look....

If all else fails, make sure tank is full, remove fuel hose from tap, light then stand well back..... :lol:

On a more serious note, if the flywheel is good maybe PM Scott411, I'm sure he'll know what the deal is.

[barty5]

id take the head off or do compression check 1st sounds like it dosnt have enough to keep it self going. The strange loaded up sound may have been the result of it starting to seize up.

[piston broke]

stuck carb floats?

[krad_nz]

You said you've changed fuel but just wonder if its water in the fuel?
Water in the bowl?

[cave weta]

It was running sweet as it always does - it is a really low hour bike.
it was just sitting idling for 20 seconds then it started behaving like the ignition timing was out. or the CDI unit was playing up- strong and regular spark. But wont quite start
mechanically it is an absolute honey, Its a twostroke- gas, spark, compression, = GO.

Im thinking of putting my money on PistanBroke's analysis. it has a very leany over side stand and it may have encouraged the floats to stick, but thats tomorrows job.
Im off to make a triple cheese and salami pizza- training regime is off for now I need comfort food



@Barty- wow! you are doom and gloom mechanic- im not listening to you lalalalalalalala!

[scott411]

im with colin, check the woodruff key, seen them shear off on KDX's before,

[barty5]

It was running sweet as it always does - it is a really low hour bike.
it was just sitting idling for 20 seconds then it started behaving like the ignition timing was out. or the CDI unit was playing up- strong and regular spark. But wont quite start
mechanically it is an absolute honey, Its a twostroke- gas, spark, compression, = GO.

Im thinking of putting my money on PistanBroke's analysis. it has a very leany over side stand and it may have encouraged the floats to stick, but thats tomorrows job.
Im off to make a triple cheese and salami pizza- training regime is off for now I need comfort food



@Barty- wow! you are doom and gloom mechanic- im not listening to you lalalalalalalala!

I only say that cause if the float was sticking then it would have any gas in according to that theory. Now if it was still allowing a small amount of fuel through slowly if left standing for a while it should fill the carb and therefore run for a while before it cuts out again rather than just firing once. The other reason im not thinking fuel is as they start to run out of fuel they tend to run lean and start reeving high this wasn't mentioned not not suspecting it to be fuel related. And the being under load sound tends to sound more like a motor struggling to run. just my thoughts. I'm use to giving people the worst case scenarios ( poor guy yesterday sorry yah cam chain snapped that'll be a new motor hard to find it'll cost yah 5500 sort a thing )silly thing is he replied with good that i can handle but if it get closer to 10000 ill start to re think it.

[cave weta]

im with colin, check the woodruff key, seen them shear off on KDX's before,

Bugger- cos My flywheel puller does nae fit this flywheel!- it does look very virginal in there - Im sure Im the first to open that cover since it was assembled.

I will have to scout around for a smaller puller. thanks scott

[Ktmboy]

One of our KDX's did the same. Thought it had put a leg outa bed. But it was the fly wheel that came loose.

Had one do the same a few years ago. Long term memory lose:facepalm:

[cave weta]

Good old Mike Ramsey is commin over with his puller, 17mm is the size - its a littley. I have to get it going by sat or I have to put the guy on the CRF450
I would rather not....

Ive stripped and cleaned thecarb and changed plug and cleaned air filter and stood back and looked at it very sternly with my arms folded and it is still the same....

[barty5]

Good old Mike Ramsey is commin over with his puller, 17mm is the size - its a littley. I have to get it going by sat or I have to put the guy on the CRF450
I would rather not....

Ive stripped and cleaned thecarb and changed plug and cleaned air filter and stood back and looked at it very sternly with my arms folded and it is still the same....

I bet yah quietly in side it was laughing at you as you stood there.

[BM-GS]

I bet yah quietly in side it was laughing at you as you stood there.

The Hard Stare technique is well known for making mechanical objects work again. In my experience it works best on outboard boat motors, but you have cover to take off, which gets its attention. It remains to be seen how adding electronics (EFI, etc) will affect this.

[cave weta]

Bugger- KDX still no go.
Ill have to stick the 60 year old on the Crf450 or the KTM 525- I hope he copes...

[barty5]

Bugger- KDX still no go.
Ill have to stick the 60 year old on the Crf450 or the KTM 525- I hope he copes...

so what have you tried in the way of fixing ??

[cave weta]

Cleaned carb - airfilter- tank, changed fuel, plug. Rung Mike Ramsey and Scott Wilkins. they both reckon sheared flywheel key. cant find a puller of the right size, but it is not spinning wildly on the crank. I reckon that my stator has shit itself.
I will find out when I get the flywheel off...

In the meentime- I was worried about putting the 60 year old on my KTM525 0r the CRF450......
well Ive just had my first injury in 5 years of tours... he took it well and we didnt even fill in an ACC form- but he went into a rut with too much speed on and kissed a tree. poor bugger had to ride home with his glasses frame embedded in his cheek ouch! There was a little barb that holds the lens in and that was stopping us extracting it. I had to get the side cutters to his frames and cutt them in to pieces to get his helmet off then do further surgery to dig them out of his face!

<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2zoer87" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/2zoer87.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

[kevfromcoro]

Ouch..
That must of hurt.
Fullface on too

Must of just coped him in the wrong place.....

[FJRider]

Does that model have a decompression lever activated by the kick-start ... ???

[Buddy L]

Ok i think the problem is your looking at the wrong bike??? in the first post, it was a KX 250 and later on it was a KDX. You must have confused your self and be working on the wrong bike.:innocent:

[cave weta]

Does that model have a decompression lever activated by the kick-start ... ???

Its a 2 tanger twofiddy- decompression????

[cave weta]

Ok i think the problem is your looking at the wrong bike??? in the first post, it was a KX 250 and later on it was a KDX. You must have confused your self and be working on the wrong bike.:innocent:

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD- is that enough?:innocent:

[Crisis management]

I'll take it off your hands for $10, think of all the trouble you'll save yourself!


You won't mind delivering it to Auckland will you?:innocent:

[barty5]

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD- is that enough?:innocent:

Any further out come ??