New to dirt bikes help me and my kx250 pls

[Penyoker]

Hi guys n gals, I've been reading this forum realising this is the best lace for me to learn more about dirt bikes and my kx250 in particular. So I have joined.

Recently I was passed down an 01 kx250 which by all reports is not the best bike to begin with but it's now mine and I'm not getting rid of her!!

I am new to dirt bikes and need some assistance to get her running.

She's a clean bike and knowing my uncle, it would have been well looked after.

I could not get her to start up, so have replaced the plug, and gapped it myself to mimik the old gap, taken the carb off not apart to clean but looked v clean, and put new fuel in with a ratio of 40:1, with a high grade 2 stroke oil.

She won't start..... I'm kicking and kicking and it doesn't sound like its close to firing but as I said, I know my uncle to good care of it before he passed, and I'm sure it's something simple.

Please can someone give me some pointers?

I've bought a compression tester, but yet to test as unsure of the right method being a complete newbie. I'm good with my hands and would like to become competent in tuning repairing and maintaining my own bike rather than taking her to a mechanic with every issue.

From you gurus, I am after your wisdom.

PLEASE HELP!

[Charlie500]

Are you getting spark? Take the plug out, hook it up to the wire and hold it to the cylinder head to give it a good ground then kick it over...

[Penyoker]

Thanks for that charlie500, dark here in oz now so will try that in the morning...

So I am unscrewing the plug, keeping it connected and placing the bottom(with the gap) to the cylinder head to ground the plug and kicking... What am I looking for when I kick it, I'm guessing the click of the spark/flash??

I can only apologise to all reading this thinking I'm asking redo cultus questions and for my neivity but I did join here to learn

Thanks all.

[Penyoker]

I am hoping to spend most of the day on the bike tomorrow, so as well as checking to see if I have a spark, if anyone would be kind enough to give me a "beginners" list of things to look over, check, take apart, clean, etc I would be so appreciative.

I really want to nail this without having to give in to the mechanic although I'm happy to do so if I obviously have to.

Thanks all.

[Charlie500]

Thanks for that charlie500, dark here in oz now so will try that in the morning...

So I am unscrewing the plug, keeping it connected and placing the bottom(with the gap) to the cylinder head to ground the plug and kicking... What am I looking for when I kick it, I'm guessing the click of the spark/flash??

I can only apologise to all reading this thinking I'm asking redo cultus questions and for my neivity but I did join here to learn

Thanks all.

yeah, it would be easier to unplug the spark plug, then un screw it from the cylinder head, then plug it back in. After doing so, hold the base of the plug in contact with the cylinder head so you can see the electrode. Kick it over, or have someone else kick it over so you can look at the plug. You should see sparks... If you don't get any sparks I would try replacing the boot. Its cheap and easy to do...

[Charlie500]

If you still don't have spark you can take the cover off the fly wheel. It should be clean and dry in there... Sometimes water makes its way inside and causes rust which could ruin your electrical system.

[Penyoker]

  !!! - Ok, so I'm fast learning dirtbikes are complicated!!

I've taken the tank off and checked my spark as suggested and placing the plug on the crank case, no evident spark... Two things, firstly did it earth properly? Second, the plug doesn't 'snap' or 'click' onto the plug like a car plug does, it just slides up the boot with no real feeling of connection. If I force the boot further up the plug, it will go a further 5mm, feeling a little more 'connected'  and secure. Is this normal? Is this just an old boot that u suggest I replace.

The boot goes straight to the coil with no option to disconnect... Do I buy the boot/coil set that's all in one?

When kicking and kicking, it makes a "put put" sound. Is that normal until the ignition/spark is fixed?

Thanks all

[TJXK]

I find that giving it a little flick of the gas at the end of the kick fires mine right up.  If I don't do that then it is harder to start.

Barring an actual issue with the bike, if you've never kicked a bike over then your technique could be a factor.  I'm just trying to start with the simplest things first.

[Charlie500]

!!! - Ok, so I'm fast learning dirtbikes are complicated!!

I've taken the tank off and checked my spark as suggested and placing the plug on the crank case, no evident spark... Two things, firstly did it earth properly? Second, the plug doesn't 'snap' or 'click' onto the plug like a car plug does, it just slides up the boot with no real feeling of connection. If I force the boot further up the plug, it will go a further 5mm, feeling a little more 'connected'  and secure. Is this normal? Is this just an old boot that u suggest I replace.

The boot goes straight to the coil with no option to disconnect... Do I buy the boot/coil set that's all in one?

When kicking and kicking, it makes a "put put" sound. Is that normal until the ignition/spark is fixed?

Thanks all

Ok, Its not that hard its just a little hard to explain on here. I'm no English teacher.... haha Well any way, when you check your spark you wanna make sure that you have a clean spark plug, not black and oily. The spark plug needs to be plugged into the wire coming from the coil. The opposite side of the plug needs to be in contact with the cylinder head. Then kick over the motor. You should be able to see a spark. You said that the plug isn't snapping in to the boot. It doesn't nesicarily need to snap BUT if it isn't making a good connection in there you will not get any spark. The spark plug boot just screws on to the wire. They are really easy and inexpensive to replace. Any local motorcycle shop should have one. I just replaced mine and it cost me 8 bucks. If you do replace it make sure the wire is clean before screwing the new boot on. (I just cut about a half inch off the wire before installing my new boot)

[Penyoker]

Ok, unscrewed the boot, and cleaned it up, cutting 5 mm off the boot as i had said before, the plug could be forced up the boot 5 mm more, and hey presto, have a spark. 1 down, a thousand more to go!?!?

Turning on fuel tap, full choke as cold (obviously) and nothing....

I am unsure if fuel is getting to he carb although definitely coming through the petcock, I have read about putting the bike on its side with full throttle until fuel starts coming out.. From somewhere.. Where is the fuel supposed to come out of doing this?

I have also read and think could be an item to check, a stuck fuel float .. Is this something I should check and how do I find this and check it.

Or, am I heading in the wrong direction here?

Keen to nail the next step in getting her to fire!!!

[Penyoker]

Also, when kicking it over I'm seeing a leak from the exhaust when it goes into wherever the exhaust goes into.. The dripping is only when I kick it, and it's dirty/oily looking fuel.... Is that bad?

[turdle]

have you pulled the plug after kicking it to see if its wet? is it leaking where the pipe goes into the cylinder? if so ,you probably have excess fuel in the engine. are you turning your fuel switch off when not trying to start it. I would pull the pipe off, check it for fuel, and take the plug out and kick the crap out of it to clear the engine of excess fuel. then you could either put it back together and fire it up, or leave it apart over night to make sure it dries out good and fire it up tomorow. you are very close to getting it to fire.,if 

Ok, unscrewed the boot, and cleaned it up, cutting 5 mm off the boot as i had said before, the plug could be forced up the boot 5 mm more, and hey presto, have a spark. 1 down, a thousand more to go!?!?

Turning on fuel tap, full choke as cold (obviously) and nothing....

I am unsure if fuel is getting to he carb although definitely coming through the petcock, I have read about putting the bike on its side with full throttle until fuel starts coming out.. From somewhere.. Where is the fuel supposed to come out of doing this?

I have also read and think could be an item to check, a stuck fuel float .. Is this something I should check and how do I find this and check it.

Or, am I heading in the wrong direction here?

Keen to nail the next step in getting her to fire!!!

Also, when kicking it over I'm seeing a leak from the exhaust when it goes into wherever the exhaust goes into.. The dripping is only when I kick it, and it's dirty/oily looking fuel.... Is that bad?

[Penyoker]

Thanks turtle, ok I will take the pipe off (yes it's leaking where the pipe enters the cylinder where the springs hold it snug), (( and yes i e been turning fuel off once i e lost my enthusiasm and patience)) take the plug out and kick it to get rid of excess fuel... And replace... I have not been checking to see if the plug is wet after kicking.....

Perhaps I need some pointers re starting...

I've been giving it throttle when kicking her over, sometimes full throttle... Always choke on because not starting she's obviously cold... Is this why there is this excess fuel in the engine. Is this flooding the system??

I took out the carb, still connected and tapped it with a screwdriver handle to hopefully free the float if it was stuck, and noted fuel in the exit pipes so carb is getting fuel.. I also noticed the throttle cable entry point the l shaped metal tube the cable goes into has snapped at the thread... Meaning the cable is operating ok, but with a lot of abrasion... Something else that needs repairing.... How do I change the throttle cable. Do I need to remove the top of the carb to free it from the carb??

Please could u give me an idiots guide to starting her up(as I feel if anyone's the idiot here it's me , and once I've kicked out the excess fuel and replaced exhaust and plug once dry, I'll run through your suggested steps..

Thanks for everyone's patience with my learning curve!!!

[Penyoker]

Also replacing this l shaped pipe which I will try and buy this week...

[turdle]

make sure the fuel is off and your plug boot is either covered or held out of the way so it doesnt ignite the fuel while kicking with the plug out.