KX Riders

Maintenance & Technical => KX250 / KX125 => Topic started by: bigspeights on May 19, 2009, 12:20:57 AM

Title: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: bigspeights on May 19, 2009, 12:20:57 AM
My 1998kx250 has a problem. at high rpm the power seems to come on and off and if I hold the power on it boggs down a bit and i lose some power. it runs great in the slow tight stuff but crap on the open straights. I have set my float so that it is as high as it can be with out overflowing (I don't know any other way to set it), I have cleaned out my carby, I have cheaked my plug and it is light gray/brown colour, topend is only about 10 rides old, bike starts first or second kick when worm. I have a Bills pipe on it and I am not shure about the jetting but I have never had problems before. Could it be the solenoid on the carby not working and if so how could I test this.

I really want to go riding this weekend and need to fix the bike to beat my buddy's that Ride KTM 450's
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: hughes on May 19, 2009, 01:30:26 AM
So this issue came on all at once? Do you have any reason to suspect crank seals? Good fuel supply from tank to carb? Theres a filter screen on top of the fuel petcock inside the tank. Maybe some else can give you more info about the 98 kx250 carb.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: KXcam22 on May 19, 2009, 03:24:52 AM
Things to check,

1. Gas cap venting: will restict fuel flow at WOT
2. Jetting: How does your plug look at WOT.
3. Power valve solenoid:  To test this uplug the electrical connector to disable this.  It there is no change in how it runs then it is NOT this.

Set your float level back to the stock level.

Give these a check and post back. Cam.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: azdirtrider75 on May 19, 2009, 03:49:27 AM
I had a similar problem a few months ago with my 2002 KX250. It turned out that my gas cap vent hose was kinked and caused a vacuum, reducing the fuel flow to the carb. At slow speeds it ran fine, but at mid to WOT it would bog.

Good luck
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: bigspeights on May 19, 2009, 04:08:35 AM
Thanx for your help so far. There is heaps of fuel coming from the tank to the carb. how do I set the float to factory setting. The problem started on my last ride. Just before the ride I had changed my float level because fuel was coming out the over flow. I think I have changed the float back now but I don't know how to set the float properly. does the soionied in the carby come on at high rpm to reduce the fuel flow. if so if this was not working would that mean that if I unpluged it and the bike ran the same this would be the problem. could it be that my bike is getting to much fuel at high rpm. also is there an easy was to make the seal where the pipe goes into the head better, some oil splatters out of mine.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: hughes on May 19, 2009, 04:37:40 AM
If the peoblem started right after you changed the float height then maybe you have got it out of proper adjustment. Do you have the service manual for you bike? In most cases you will invert or hold the carb at 90 degrees, so the float is facing upward and you measure the height from the top of the float to the base of the float bowl gasket area. Make sure the needle is seated but the plunger is not seated inside the needle. Some floats have a seam in the center of the float and you can just line it up with the gasket surface for the float bowl. The service manual will provide more info if you got it. Flaot height adjustments is just something that you get the hang of after many carb tunings.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: Jopiz on May 19, 2009, 07:06:56 AM
Definitely the fuel level.
Here is a pretty good write up about adjusting fuel level. http://www.allthingsmoto.com/forums/f-15/how-set-your-motorcycle-carburetor-float-level-more-commentary-13608/
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: hughes on May 19, 2009, 07:34:12 AM
Yes, good write up and should help  bigspeights with his carb. good fine.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: bigspeights on May 19, 2009, 07:16:48 PM
I have set my float so that it will close the fuel line coming from the tank when the fuel reaches the top of the fuel bowl (within 1mm). the bike is still not running right and still has power loss at high rpm. I don't know what to do. fuel seems to come out of the tank with out any problems and the bike still starts fine when worm.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: KXcam22 on May 20, 2009, 05:31:19 AM
I would suggest unplugging the power valve to see what change it makes. The power valve opens at WOT to add more fuel and richen the mixture.  If it is not working you should see the bog stay constant at WOT and not change at all. Cam.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: DoldGuy on May 20, 2009, 06:54:44 AM
Not to speak for Cam, but he might have meant the Power Jet (on the Carb). :-D
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: KXcam22 on May 20, 2009, 01:06:53 PM
Thank you!  what was I thinking.  Definitely the wrong terminology.  Yes I meant the power jet on the carb. Cam.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: hughes on May 21, 2009, 02:32:30 AM
I didn't write this "how to" but make sure yours is assembled correclty and set properly. click on photo and then you can enlarge it.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: Jopiz on May 21, 2009, 03:33:29 AM
That's the exact one i posted earlier. Its found on ATM forums too.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: hughes on May 21, 2009, 05:01:34 AM
Yes that's true. I saved it as a picture/photo that way we always got it around. Some times links to other sites seem to fail or go away.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: Jopiz on May 21, 2009, 05:05:50 AM
This goes a little offtopic, but could it be saved to Howto's ? Very many issues are because inproper fuel level.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: hughes on May 21, 2009, 05:58:33 AM
This goes a little offtopic, but could it be saved to Howto's ? Very many issues are because inproper fuel level.

I'm working on getting it turned into a pdf file for easy viewing. We've talked alittle about redoning the "How To section".
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: mr.5thou sand on May 21, 2009, 09:57:17 AM
do you have clean air filter/what is your main jet. spark plug. crank seals. did it start doing it out of no were
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: bigspeights on May 22, 2009, 03:10:34 PM
I am going to have another go today at getting the bike going. does anyone know what the float height is for a 1998 kx250. I was told 16 mm by the bike shop but they have been wrong before.
 
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: KXcam22 on May 22, 2009, 03:59:06 PM
The seam in the plastic of the float should be parallel to the carb body at the exact instant that fuel flow is stopped, generally 16-18 mm. Cam.
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: bigspeights on May 23, 2009, 12:43:25 AM
I have set my float right agian and still same problem. I have also cheaked the bore and there is no scratchs or any marks, I have cheaked the power valves and they seem to be working fine but I have not cheaked them while the bike is running. I have cheaked the reeds and they seem fine. I have put a new plug in the bike (NGK BR8ES) had a quick ride and the plug was light gray. after that I raised the float. I have not been able to ride the bike yet but I know that this will not fix it. What is wrong with my bike. I cant work it out. I even sprayed CRC on all the electric leads and gave them a clean. What else could it be and could it still be the carb even though I have cleaned it out about 3 times and have changed the float about 15 times and tested each time with no luck. I still find that the bike runs bettter with the choke on after I have been riding for about 10 mins. I getting sick of riding a bike that goes like crap. when I am riding on an open bit of track or I just want to open it up the bike justs has no power and boggs down.

Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: Jopiz on May 23, 2009, 10:43:03 AM
I wouldnt do any adjustments to the float level once its paraller. Could your jetting be too rich or too lean?

Heres what PC recommends: 

KX250            
158 main 
45 pilot
NOZG  needle 3rd notch
Power jet 55
Air screw 1 1/2 turns out
Title: Re: 1998 KX250 bogging in at high RPM
Post by: bigspeights on June 03, 2009, 10:42:16 AM
thanks for all your help. The problem was low compretion, the rings were gone.

thanks again guys and have a good one