Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original
K5 starting questions
tcoop474:
I'm having a pretty hard time getting my k5 to crank. It'll backfire everynow and then I got it to crank once so far. I'm 123lbs so not much ass behind the kicks but I get it to turn over a good bit just won't fire. I checked the plug it looks okay but its a bp7es ain't it supposed to be a br8eix?
Friar-Tuck:
Hey Coop,
There is a long thread on how to start, so there are many variations. One common piece (I think) inthat puzzle is getting the piston to or in your case just past TDC. By doing so you can at least get everything moving and get at least one full revolution of the engine.
Slowly move the kicker until you feel the compression get to the highest point you can feel.
This may take a few "Cycles" of the kicker to see what I'm talking about. Once you feel you have gotten to or just past the point of most compression stop. Bring your foot back up to the top of the stroke on the kicker, use your left leg to jump up and come down on your right leg while kicking down.
(There is a video of a chap username Rob129 from CR500riders.com that made a video explaining this whole sequence, I'll look for it when we get home from church.)
The other part of the equasion (I use) is always starting and warming up the bike while still tied down in the truck. That way you don't have to worry about balancing the bike while jumping up and then down on the kick. Once my bike is warmed up it is 98% one kick the rest of the day.
The only experience I had with kicking back was when I was messing with the timing. Once I set the timimng back to the original Center timing mark I didn't have any problems.
The breix 7 is a hotter burning plug than the 8 or 9 That is the heat range on an NGK
I use a 7 as I mainly plunk around the mountains on single track and rarely "open her up"
A guy who rides the dunes and desert would be well served using a 9 as the bike spends more time between 3/4 and W.O.T. The plug will dissapate heat built up by long periods of large throttle.
do a search on sparkplugs and find more than you will ever need to know :-D
Got to go, try the just after tdc on your starting and I would suggest a 8 series heat range (NGK) for starters.
Tuck\o/
tcoop474:
Thank you tuck. I have already read that read way before I got a kickstart lever for the k5. I always do put it a tdc before kicking. Its my fault I didn't ask the question the right way I don't guess.
What I'm asking is what are some reason as to why it won't crank or why its so hard. I can tell a huge difference in kicking it Friday to yesterday.
Its not wanting to crank. Friday it hadn't been ran in bout 3 months and I could crank it in about 5the kicks. Yesterday however I kicked it for hours literally hours 3 to be exact and it would not ever crank
81cr450:
If your jetting is off it would make it harder to start, 3 months ago was summer jetting. Did you turn off your fuel when you put it away, could be flooded pull your plug & see if it is wet. Basic's air, fuel, spark. Air doesnt really go bad as long as you clean your filter, so fuel & spark are generally where to look. I'd lean to flodded where you say its harder to kick. Hope it helps
Friar-Tuck:
--- Quote ---I kicked it for hours literally hours 3 to be exact and it would not ever crank
--- End quote ---
:-o
--- Quote ---Friday it hadn't been ran in bout 3 months and I could crank it in about 5the kicks.
--- End quote ---
Oh Dear, if she won't start in 5 or so minutes I would def. start looking for other problems.
Just so I'm clear on the recent problem, the bike hadn't been run for three months or so, last Fri. it took about 5 or so kicks to get it started, it ran, but it ran poorly.
Saturday you could not get the bike to even start.
Yikes...
'81CR makes some excellent points.
Fuel will leak in the engine (over time) and as you rotate the crankshaft the raw fuel will
fill or leak into the crankcase and instead of compressing the air/fuel mixture, there is so much raw fuel in the cyl. it won't compress and actually lock-up the engine, or be very difficult to spin over the engine.
I don't think this is the case as you are able to rotate the engine with the kick start lever.
'81 also brings up the jetting issue. if the bike was running well in the warm weather, and now it's cooled down considerably, the backfire you are experiencing may well be a lean condition. It may be hard to start even with the choke on.
The cooler dense air will require richer jetting.
If the bike was just too lean I think it would probably start, but would not run very well. Popping and back/fireing etc.
You may just have a look under the flywheel cover and see if the flywheel key has been sheared.
This would give you the impression the bike wants to start, it feels like one more kick will light off the engine but it just won't start.
So...
Have a look at the key on the flywheel, if that checks out I would pull the plug and look for ignition and fuel.
You will probably need a hand kicking the bike or holding the plug to ground to check for fire while cranking.
Is the plug wet or dry, when you pull the plug initially is it wet or dry, and what color is it. Black and sooty or grey/white, etc.
If both those check out I would pull the carb for a good cleaning
(and write down what jets are in there for reference.)
While the carb is off have a look and check the reeds for cracks chips or the like.
I know it will take some time to pull the carb and check the reeds. but I don't know how else you can know for sure they are good to go.
Please hang in there with us and we should be able to get this figured out.!
Tuck\o/
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