cphillips

Member
Feb 25, 2001
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0
I am having some trouble starting my bike after it sits in the garage for a couple days. It takes about 7-8 kicks and then it revs to the moon. After the bike warms up it starts first kick everytime and no high revs. I was told it could be an air leak!!! Any thoughts?
 

drz mick

Member
Jun 2, 2001
112
0
I had a similar experience the other day with my brand new 200. I got it out of the garage after a six day lay off and kicked it over. It started second time but revved its nuts off. I switched it straight off at the kill switch and sat pondering.
I then realised that I'd forgotten to switch on the petrol -spoiled by 4 strokes- but can't quite figure out in my tiny head how this would affect it (???).
I also remebered that the dealer switched the petrol on, laid the bike right over on the chain side almost with footpeg to the ground to 'fill' the floatbowl (a little will spill out of the overflow pipe under the bike) before starting.
I tried this and it now starts perfect every time.
Try it and see !
 

TEXAS KTM

Member
Sep 26, 2000
31
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Okay, try not to laugh when you first read this. I read on a board somewhere that if you do this it would start first kick every single time, and so far it has worked.
1. Turn your gas on.
2. Choke on.
3. Put the bike in first gear and roll it back and forth 4 or 5 times.
4. Back in neutral and kick.

I cannot tell you why this works, and actually looked around to make sure no one was watching the first time I tried this, but my 2000 300mxc starts first kick now every time, regardless of temp. I was having the same problem with my bike not wanting to start before the first ride of the day. It always starts great after its warmed up. Anyway, try it and I hope it helps.
 

yarbonwick

Sponsoring Member
Mar 7, 2000
674
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One thing I always do is open the throttle juuuuust a little bit and slowly work the kickstarter through it's stroke a couple of time. Turn the choke on and first good kick starts her everytime whether it's been a week or a month and half of not riding. Then after a couple whips of the throttle, the choke immediately comes off and I let her warm up before 300' WFO to check things out. It's funny because I see my buddies rappin' away on their kickstarters. Usually followed by sensored language. However, they don't own KTM's.
 

Strick

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 8, 1999
1,782
2
I use the same technique as Texas KTM, but I use second gear to rock the reeds. You can try this, but because of the revving, I would check the reeds. They might be chipped, cracked, or bowed.

I just installed a Delta II in a friends '99 200, who was having the same revving problem at start-up. He had a chipped reed. Man is that 200 sweet with the Delta II!
 

cphillips

Member
Feb 25, 2001
90
0
Strick, the reeds also crossed my mine but would this cause high revs only on the initial start-up of the day?

I tried the rocking techique and it helped alot but there must be a reason why the high revs just started. I really want to find the source and not solely rely on the rocking procedure.
 
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garrym

Member
Jun 26, 2001
6
0
From experience I would be inclined to think that your problem lies in the carby. My first question would be was the carby set up for the alttitude it resides at?
 

Strick

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 8, 1999
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The revving is a lean condition (normally). I don't know the mechanics behind reeds well enough to comment intelligently. Here is a guess - it is affecting the fuel/air ratio in allowing more air in the mixture somehow???

If you temperatures are getting hotter there like most places in the USA, your jetting should be getting fatter not leaner. If you haven't leaned the bike recently, I wouldn't think it is your jetting. I really don't know why this revving occurs, but on my friends 200, when he had the choke on at start up the bike would just rev out.

Let me know what you find.
 

cphillips

Member
Feb 25, 2001
90
0
The bike actually ran a little rich last week. I am going to do some work on the bike in a few days and see what happens. I will let you know.

C.
 
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KDX220rm

Uhhh...
Jun 3, 2002
782
0
1. Turn fuel on.
2. Lean bike on its chain side until fuel pee's out of overflow tube.
3. Turn choke on
4. Start bike.

My 250exc will rev hit for a second or two and then returns to idle.
 

cphillips

Member
Feb 25, 2001
90
0
Really Screwed Up!!!

I finallly broke the carb down (Literally, keep reading) and found a N85D Needle in the top groove, a 42 pilot, a 170 main, and a #6 slide. Like I said in an above post the bike is rich and I have fouled a few plugs in the last couple rides.

Now for the bad part... I striped the threads when fastening one of the bolts on the float cover. All the bolts seem they could be slightly longer becuase they are only latching on a couple threads. Is it possible to recut the threads or possibly use a longer bolt to bypass the striped area? Sometimes I wonder why I even try to work on the bike. I am very disgusted at the moment!!!:(
 

Eyedoc

Member
Nov 2, 1999
24
0
Didn't anyone ever mention that fixing your bike is half the fun of dirtbkes? LOL. I recently broke the clutch cable stud off of the case in my KDX250. I am still trying to decide the best way to fix that.

You may be able to use the longer screw trick. Also, you could clean the hole with alcohol, fill with JB WELD. When dry drill and retap.

Good luck

P.S. resist throwing.torching or otherwise destroying your bike when frustrated. It will only end up costing more.
 

Strick

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 8, 1999
1,782
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Which bolts? The machine screws that hold the float bowl to the carb. The threaded portion of the carb itself that the machine screw thread into (the female portion). The screw head itself (the phillips portion).

I have gone to allen head bolts on the float bowl. I am constantly jetting and rejetting, so it made since. You can buy them at Lowe's. They sure are handy.

Did you happen to look at the reeds, since you had the carb off anyway?
 

cphillips

Member
Feb 25, 2001
90
0
Strick,

The threaded portion of the carb. As mentioned earlier, the machine screws were only using a couple of threads to tighten and one slight turn of the right hand striped the threads.

I was on my way to checking the reeds after seeing what jets were in bike, but............you know the rest of the story. I will check them tonight.

Also, I think my four year old nephew has found the idle and air screws. :think They were turned almost all the way in. He likes to help work on the bikes if you know what I mean.:D
 

TexKDX

~SPONSOR~
Aug 8, 1999
747
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Originally posted by cphillips

Also, I think my four year old nephew has found the idle and air screws. :think They were turned almost all the way in. He likes to help work on the bikes if you know what I mean.:D

Gee, bet THAT will make it rev up at startup... ;)
 

cphillips

Member
Feb 25, 2001
90
0
Yea, I think that was the source of all my problems. If I would have only discovered it before I striped the threads. Oh well, live and learn.
 

TexKDX

~SPONSOR~
Aug 8, 1999
747
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Live and learn is right. Just the other day I was riding my 300 in an event and it felt funny. Turns out when my wife put two new tires on it she left the pressure up at 35 pounds to seat the beads and did not drop it to 12 where it belongs. It also had some noise coming out of the back. You guessed it, when she put the new chain and sprockets on she left the chain a little loose. What really got me was when she changed the oil she dripped it all over the clutch cover and didn't wipe it off. The joke was on her though when she had to scrub it to get the dirt off when she washed the bike after I was done riding.

It pays not to let anyone else touch your bike I tell ya...
 

str8polarity

Member
Jan 8, 2001
5
0
This is just a suggestion for your stripped thread problem, never used it on a bike but have used it with good success on other things. Have you thought about using a thread chaser and straightening out the threads? Might be a thought before putting in the longer bolts to keep from messing up the rest of the threads and so the new bolt goes in straight. Like i said, just a thought. don't know if it would work, or if you have enough room to use it for that application.
 

KiwiBird

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 30, 2000
2,386
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TexKDX - what do you charge your wife to let her work on your bike?
 

cphillips

Member
Feb 25, 2001
90
0
The longer bolts worked great. I entered the old bolt from the botton side to see if the threads were clean..they were and the new longer bolts went right in without a problem. If you are familiar with this carb, the bolt holes are open on the end so 5/8 inch bolts acutally work better than the stock 1/2 inch. I bought a high qaulity grade with an allen head, which will make it easier to remove as I play with the jetting.

Now that is out of the way, any comments on the jetting combination I previously listed. N85D needle, 42 pilot and 170 main. I hope the air screw solves the rich problem becuase it seemed to occur at about 1/8 to 1/4 throttle.

Thanks guys and keep the soda off the computer. I recently had to buy a new keyboard due to a bottle of Mountain Dew....told the wife it must have been the nephew again!!!!:D
 

Strick

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 8, 1999
1,782
2
Needles

My suggestion is go to a single taper needle. The recommendation I give for higher altitude seems to differ a bit from James Dean at lower altitudes, but only in the length of the needle. Therefore I would experiement with a 1367J (CEH), 1368J (CEJ), 1369J (CEK). I run a 1367N, but I am at much higher altitude. Needles make all the difference in the KTM 2-strokes! You can order through Sudco for $5 each.

p.s. - good choice on the allen head bolts, they make life sooo much easier!
 

a.ktmfan

Member
Jun 27, 2001
21
0
I have same high rev at start and I have new reeds.
Jetting; I have a 1468N needle 4th position (also tried 1366n 3rd position) bought from Fred @ 425-774-3938
Pilot 48
Main 190
Slide modified to around 6.5
Air screw 1 1.5 to 2
Runs awesome
May try 3rd position when I go up a little in elavation.
 
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