Courtntan

Member
Sep 28, 2003
4
0
Need some help getting my wifes 2001 xr200 running right. It blew a head gasket earlier in the year that was repaired at the dealer. It ran good for about 5 hrs after that then we started having problems getting it started and keeping it running. I could get it to start by leaving the choke on 1/2 way but then you had to stay on the gas to keep it running, as soon as you let off it would die. I figured that it probably has something to do with the jetting but I don't have a manual and can't figure out how to adjust the carb ( can't find the mixture screws, only the idle). Any help would be appreciated as I hate pushing her bike through the trails for her.
 

Uchytil

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 29, 2003
814
9
XRs are usually bulletproof, I'm surprised it blew a head gasket. It sounds like you just need to check the basics, ie. valve adjustment, jetting (I'd clean the jets), float height, etc., spark plug. These things are usually hard to kill. If you are mechanically inclined get a manual, if not get a mechanic to look at it. I just drove out to Maine to look at my Dads John Deere and he did not have a manual, even though I'm a mechain it took me a lot longer to figure out why it was back-firing. It turned out to be the fuel shut off solenoid sticking intermitently. If he had a manual I would of been done in half the time and been able to perform a basic tune-up which I could not do caise I didn't have the specs. Good luck!
 

slideways11

Sponsoring Member
Apr 18, 2000
411
0
Clean the carb and put in a new sparkplug. Also dump the fuel out of the tank to see if there is any water or trash in it. The least little bit of trash in your fuel will clog up the carb and make the bike run ratty. Also you might want to put an inline fuel filter on it.
 

Courtntan

Member
Sep 28, 2003
4
0
Thanks guys, I'll have to get the manual, the dealer was supposed to get me one but has never got around to it. Thanks, Jason
 

maco

Member
Apr 16, 2003
101
0
You can get the OEM manual on line at www.helminc.com.If your bike ran good for 5 hours then the jetting is doingOK for now.Like the others said do the basics.For now there's a drain screw at the bottom of the float bowl.You colud drain the fuel out into something and check if there's any gunk.Your pilot screw is on the exhaust side of the carb underneath. It's a sloted screw. I'd wait to mess with that till you check the basics.Look at yur plug and see if it's fouled.try a new one.Check air filter.Put in new gas.There's a lot of possibilities so you have to eliminate one at a time.How did you blow a head gasket?
 

Courtntan

Member
Sep 28, 2003
4
0
Not sure how it blew. We had just gotten the bike and put about an hour of trails on it the it lost compression and we noticed oil all over the head pipe. Took it back to the dealer and they fixed it for free, but now we're trying to work the other bugs out. Thanks.
 

Top Bottom