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Won't Start

9K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  CraigES 
#1 ·
I just purchased my first KLR 650 (7-31-13), The guy I got it from said it was in great condition, with less then 8000 miles on, I test drove it, everything seem fine. Drove it home, no problems, The next day I drove it to work in the morning, rode nice, At lunch when I rode it, it started to cut out at stop lights, like it wanted to die. I had to bring up the RPMs to keep it running, When I got to work I took my hand off the throttle to see what it would do and it died, but started right up and idled. So I thought no big deal, after work I went out to ride it home and it wouldn't start, I was like great now how am I going to get home? I messed with the choke lever and pitcock and somehow it started, I rode home down the Highway and in stop and go traffic it again seems to want to die. When I did get home I took my hand off the throttle again and it idled just fine. Today when I went out to ride it, it would even start just, cranked. Any help would be appreciated .
 
#3 · (Edited)
Could indeed be a fuel quality problem, IMHO. Draining the fuel bowl and insuring fresh "dry" gas might be a good first step, IMHO.

Lots of other possibilliies (e.g., vacuum-actuated petcock failure, fuel tank cap vent compromise, etc.), but . . . beyond the scope of definitive long-distance diagnosis without more detail; again, IMHO.
 
#5 ·
I'm lazy, so I'd dump a can of seafoam in with the gas, let it sit overnight and try again.

And yeah, my first thought was the gas cap not venting, but that doesn't sound like it, but it's the easiest thing to rule out. Open that puppy up and try to start the bike, ride with it open for a while. That drove me crazy with my old bike. Same deal. Got it used, died after a few minutes. Gas cap vent was jacked.

PS - Seafoam is fairly cheap and won't hurt a damn thing. It can only do good. :16a:
 
#7 ·
Might be a stupid question, but then again it might not be: Are you out of gas? Screwing with the petcock might have put it to reserve, which was enough to start.

I only ask cause I've been down this road before. Better to not spend hours obsessing over every possible explanation when the simplest one might have fixed it.
 
#8 · (Edited)
No, not out of gas, I went out a day later, stuck the key in it and with loud bang that sounded like a gun going off she fired up, ran and idled perfectly. I'm thinking it back fired because of the gas that may have been built up in the cylinder from when it wouldn't start. Another question. I shifted the shifter down and up before I try to start it and then it started, Does this have anything to do with the Doohicky mod? and would the Doohickey keep it from starting? Is it a neutral safety issue that could be preventing it from starting? Oops, I found out the Doohickey Mod is for putting tension on an internal chain, My bike has less 8K on it, So I'm not sure I need to do this Mod yet.
 
#9 ·
I am having this same problem and have an active thread going on it right now.
Next time it dies, hold the throttle wide open when you crank it and I bet it starts right up.
I can also keep it from dying out if I raise the idle to around 1700 or higher.
Let me know if these help, and hopefully between these 2 threads this can get figured out.
 
#10 ·
Yeah it did it again, I tried the Carb and injector cleaner route and that didn't work. I took it for a long ride today and it did fine. Got home and let it idle in the driveway and watch the tach needle bounce down and up until it died and then it wouldn't start. Held the throttle wide open and try to start it, nothing. did it with the choke close and open, Nothing happen. Really getting on my nerves. I'm thinking carb rebuild or replacing the Air/fuel needle and doing the slide drill out thing, with the #4 washer.
 
#13 ·
Hi RayMan!

Being an '08 you might be chasing the wrong problem. The '08 has an issue with the wiring harness wearing through where it runs along the frame causing all kinds of electrical havoc such as intermittent shorts and running issues. There was a factory recall to correct for this defect but perhaps yours was missed. Though I have no direct experience with this issue I have read several threads and posts where people were having problems with '08s and that is what it was.

Could anyone that has had experience with the '08 wire harness problem chime in here?
Hope this helps....justjeff
 
#14 ·
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for the info. I called the bike shop where I had my bike to see if they were an authorized Kawasaki repair shop, which they were not, I wanted them to check on the recall, Thank god they hadn't started on it, I went and picked it and brought it home, I call the dealer here in the Springs, They took my VIN and said it would a couple of days before they could get back to me about the recall. So I was looking around and went on Utube saw where a guy had posted the a video on how to do the repair for the recall, I took my bike a part as he did and put the wire loom in the areas where he did, believe me it was easy then it looked. The only thing was, everywhere there was suppose to be wire rubbing there wasn't, I would guess that would be a good thing, but not solving my problem, but not knowing for sure since I haven't put it back together and have decide to do the 22 cent MOD, clean the carb, put a new spark plug maybe do the air filter MOD and clean the Petcock. I know I said I wasn't going to wrench on it, but once I got started I couldn't stop, having all these tools for years made it easy. Sorry for being long winded, I'll keep you all posted.
 
#15 ·
So what's the difference between a 4-40 washer and a number 4 washer? the thickest or the center hole? and why is a number 4 so hard find, Ace hardware didn't have one, I also saw some MODs where one washer was used instead of two? Is it preference? Or tuning? Sorry for the ton of questions, But getting ready to the carb tomorrow.
 
#16 · (Edited)
RayMan77, for an otherwise stock KLR650, my personal opinion holds ONE washer is sufficient.

You can research the thickness of an SAE/SAME # 4 washer; around 0.030", IIRC, but . . . the shimming of the needle isn't totally an exact procedure, IMHO. Anything close will work o.k., I sincerely believe.

All shimming the stock needle does is . . . fuel-enriches the mixture at mid-throttle.

I commend to you, "Care and Feeding of the CVK40," (Google it); here's a diagram from there (I think):



Shimming the needle is the moral equivalent of the "needle clip position" variable.

---------------------

From the description of your previous symptoms, I think you might profit from disassembly, cleaning, adjustment and re-assembly of your carb (beyond merely adding joy-juice to the fuel tank).

Tom Schmitz posted an excellent video on this procedure on this website.
 
#18 ·
Thanks Guys, Just finish doing the recall harness thing, and I agree the carb will be next, removed, cleaned, shimmed and adjusted, I was just looking at Eagle Mike's for the adjuster needle. No luck. I'll keep looking, Thanks for everybody's help really, you have all been very helpful and patience with me. Thank you.
 
#20 ·
Plenty of adjustable needles; Harley parts-and-accessories vendors have 'em, Kubota Links also.

I've a Kubota T-handled needle on my KLF300; not particularly useful, IMHO, unless you're changing elevation, exhausts, etc.; frequently; the fuel screw to me is basically a, "set-and-forget" adjustment. For stock, about 1.75 turns out, and ride on, IMHO.

Also, the fuel screw significantly affects the mixture ONLY up to 1/4 throttle, diminishing in influence as that limit is approached:



Yeah; I know; I posted this before! :)
 
#21 ·
Well I'm back, I did the 22 cent MOD, cleaned the heck out of the carb, drilled the hole, add only one (1) washer shim, adjusted the Air/Fuel, Went to the dealer and got a jet for 7000 ft, Put it all back together and she is running perfect! Idle is great. I can't believe it. I rode for about three hours, no stalls, no misses, nothing. The only thing now is the seat, after three hours of riding my derriere is feeling it. LOL! Thanks everyone.
 
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