? crf450r 04 hard starting issues

fiejasgr

Member
Mar 23, 2005
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I just bought an 04 crf450r from a friend who races and gets a new bike every year, he just had the valves adj. a few hours(of riding time) before I bought it. everything was fine and dandy.
Now I am having starting issues, just before I had issues I reoiled the air filter, and accidentally left the gas on for about 7days without realizing. Take into account that I live in SD and it is pretty cold here, although I do keep the bike in a heated garage kept at 50 degrees F. I did also hit the rev limiter a couple of times when riding the first few times, the bike is a screamer, very happy with it otherwise, except the weep hole leaks a little coolant, hopefully just a seal.

Should I reheck Valve clearance? Could it be a decompression adjust? I does pop while kicking and kicking and kicking to get it started.
Or could an over-oiled air filter cause all this?
I ussually have to hold the hot start lever in to get it started.

Changed plug. checked Pilot screw adj. runs fine when you finnally get it started, exceptwhen cold it will of course sometimes die with a loud clatter when it does.

Rich you know your stuff help please

Thanks
 

Ray3667

Member
Mar 20, 2004
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Sounds just like my 04 right before I had to have the intake valves replaced...If he raced the bike and never had the head rebuilt , you probably need new valves...Get kibblewhite SS valves and the spring kit and you'll be good to go.
 

fiejasgr

Member
Mar 23, 2005
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Thanks for the reply Ray, Valves is kind of what I guessed but I just don't want to replace them if I don't have to. I hear of so many going for years without needing replaced. Will check the valve clearence tell me if I need them replaced, If I have to replace them is this a good time to rebuild the motor?
 

fiejasgr

Member
Mar 23, 2005
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ss vavles

where can I get ss ferra vavles for my 04 crf450r (not sure on the spelling of ferra oops) do i need to have the seats machined or replaced who does this, and how much does it cost?
 

Rich Rohrich

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All the things that you described could cause hard starting, so go back to the basics. Remove the air cleaner, put in a fresh plug and see what happens. On a bike that has some time on it checking the valve clearance and decompressor setting would be a very good idea.
 

fiejasgr

Member
Mar 23, 2005
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New question how hard is it to check vavle clearance and decomp clearance, do I need any special tools other than a wire feeler gauge, low profile sockets or allen head sockets, etc. This bike is still new to me, I have the basic tools.
 

fiejasgr

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Mar 23, 2005
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cool thanks alot Rich, I have read alot of your replies on different threads you are very knowledgeable, hope someone is paying you for all this knowledge. I have learned alot from reading what you type.
 

SFO

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fiejasgr said:
cool thanks alot Rich, I have read alot of your replies on different threads you are very knowledgeable, hope someone is paying you for all this knowledge. I have learned alot from reading what you type.



Rich has walked me through hades gates and back in my pursuits.
HP is its own reward.
 

fiejasgr

Member
Mar 23, 2005
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follow up on crf450r hard starting

I checked valve clearence.

Left exh. .012 right exh. .013
Decompression lever .008
Intake on both sides have no clearance

Adjusted decompresion lever, but is it nomal to have side to side freeplay? Not sure where to start on intake valve shims. Is there a kit of shims that I can buy that will have a number of shims? Any Ideas?

Should I adjust the right exh. a little tighter or let it do it on its own since that is the way they work themselves?

Thanks for the replies, with a little tinkering it will be a screaming machine in now time. :yikes:
 

Ray3667

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Mar 20, 2004
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rich is right a shop manual is greatly more informational than the owners manual...but I did all the adjustments with just the owners manual and mine came out fine!...I found Ferra ss on e-bay. but I had already ordered the kibblwhites
 

Rich Rohrich

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Jul 27, 1999
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fiejasgr said:
Intake on both sides have no clearance

Which means it's time to replace the intake valves, the valve springs and do a valve job. No amount of shimming is going to bring this back to life. Welcome to the wonderful world of OEM titanium valves running on hard valve seats. ;)

Skip the Ferrea valves and go straight to a full Kibblewhite kit with stainless steel valves, titanium upper retainers, and their racing double valve spring set . The full Kibblewhite kit along with a good valve job will give you a valve train as durable as the old XRs used to have.
 

fiejasgr

Member
Mar 23, 2005
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That really sucks, honda should fix this problem in their new machines especially if the ss valves don't affect performance. They have produced how many years of this machine with the same exact problem I hope the rest of the machine is better produced, but who knows the weep hole is leaking, A little frustrated since I just got the machine

Thanks everyone with the replies

Where can I have this kit installed? What is turn around Time? etc.
 

Okiewan

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