XR400 hard starting?

[GEOF]

I have an easy kick over issue with and XR400 1997 model. Just had a quick look at some Youtube vids and some forums on the XR400 hard starting issues and on the vids people kicking are kicking them over as easy as this one. My XR 200 has massive amounts of compression but these thing are easy to kick over ........so much so that one could mistake it for low compression. I would have thoght the 400 would have twice as much compression during start up but it has twice as less. The trick is certainly in the procedure so it seems. Can anyone offer any assistance or advice and experience with how easy they kick over. I can push this over by hand. I have done the valve clearances and adjusted the decomp lever. Even with the kicker at tdc I would have thought it would have some decent resistance, and it has some but not very much.

Any thoughts?

[Akzle]

crank gently to just before tdc, then give it the curry.

[haydes55]

So the decompression lever isn't stuck on? Does it run fine once it starts?

[Ocean1]

Not one of those with the decomp connected to the kickstart is it?

[spanner spinner]

I have an easy kick over issue with and XR400 1997 model. Just had a quick look at some Youtube vids and some forums on the XR400 hard starting issues and on the vids people kicking are kicking them over as easy as this one. My XR 200 has massive amounts of compression but these thing are easy to kick over ........so much so that one could mistake it for low compression. I would have thoght the 400 would have twice as much compression during start up but it has twice as less. The trick is certainly in the procedure so it seems. Can anyone offer any assistance or advice and experience with how easy they kick over. I can push this over by hand. I have done the valve clearances and adjusted the decomp lever. Even with the kicker at tdc I would have thought it would have some decent resistance, and it has some but not very much.

Any thoughts?

These have a auto decompressor system see this parts diagram for the set up. http://www.bike-parts-honda.com/pieces-honda-detail-6260-13KCYT41-XR400RV-1997-E__0300-XR+400.html . because of this they are quite easy to kick over, but these do suffer from low compression if they have been cooked up by the previous owner. as they are air cooled if they have been worked hard at low speed with a low oil level they can cook up leading to the rings losing there tension and compression suffering, test the compression there is still a reading they should be even with the decompressor system.

The cam has to be in the correct position for setting the exhaust valves or else it ends up being over or under adjusted due to the decompressor system. Might pay to check this as this may be your low compression issue.

[GEOF]

Hey Gents.

I got it going. It was all in the Technique. They certainly don't appear to have as much compression as other bikes I have worked and it is very soft starting but we have got it now I think. Cheers for all your replies.

Kind regards

Geoff.