XL600r suddenly hard to kick and won't start

[seanpistol]

Just had my XL600r down for a few weeks while I was gathering parts and redoing the brakes. Didn't touch the motor, carbs, electrical, anything like that. Got it all back together today and couldn't get it started in the driveway, when she usually just takes a few kicks. Almost every other kick was very, very hard to kick down. I used the manual decomp lever to clear the compression a few times and got the same result. Finally, I took it down the hill near my house to pop start it, which usually works like a charm. Out of 6 attempts, it only sounded like it was trying to run twice. The other 4 times it sounded completely dead. So- I had to push the bike all the way back up the hill to the house.

 

Any insight on where to look?

[seanpistol]

And yes- there is gas in it.

[jjktmrider]

My first guess would be to check  the carbs for varnish from dried up gas due to sitting for a while. Also the obvious to make sure the kill switch hasn't been bumped off (I never use any of mine so when one gets bumped off it isn't something I think to check immediately).  Loosen the drain screw on the bowls to verify fuel flow into carbs. Check for spark and put new gas in the tank to make sure it is fresh.  The gas nowadays seems to get bad pretty quick if no stabilizer is added. Run the new gas into carbs by opening the drain screws and flushing out any of the old, run plenty through it. I catch the old gas and throw it in the lawnmower.

Edited October 4, 2014 by jjktmrider

[Backwoods-Bomber]

Was the gas turned off while it was sitting? Does it smell like gas while trying to start it? After attempting to start it is the plug wet?

If your float valve doesent seal perfectly gas can flood the cylinder while the bike sits and cause the symptoms you are describing.

[martinfan30]

Like mentioned,I'd pull the plug and see how it cranks over. 

 

From your description, one kick is easy and the next is hard?

[seanpistol]

I got it started today. Pulled the plug and it was wet. Kicked it about ten times with the plug out. Put the plug back in and topped the bike off with fuel. It was still very hard to kick about every other kick. I removed the auto decomp cable since I have seen some people say it's worthless when you have the manual decomp and was wondering if that had something to do with it. Seemed to make it slightly easier to kick, but still every few kicks i'd get the real hard one that wouldn't go anywhere. Rolled it down the hill and pop started it after the 5th time. Rode it for about a half hour and it ran great, definitely had some smoke, I'm guessing extra fuel. Got back to the driveway and let it idle for about 15 minutes. It ran great after I got it going. I definitely forgot to shut the gas off when it sat for a few weeks. That could have been the culprit like suggested- gas in the cylinder.

[Backwoods-Bomber]

I got it started today. Pulled the plug and it was wet. Kicked it about ten times with the plug out. Put the plug back in and topped the bike off with fuel. It was still very hard to kick about every other kick. I removed the auto decomp cable since I have seen some people say it's worthless when you have the manual decomp and was wondering if that had something to do with it. Seemed to make it slightly easier to kick, but still every few kicks i'd get the real hard one that wouldn't go anywhere. Rolled it down the hill and pop started it after the 5th time. Rode it for about a half hour and it ran great, definitely had some smoke, I'm guessing extra fuel. Got back to the driveway and let it idle for about 15 minutes. It ran great after I got it going. I definitely forgot to shut the gas off when it sat for a few weeks. That could have been the culprit like suggested- gas in the cylinder.

Glad you got it going! It sounds like it may be a good idea to change out your float valves. It may also be a good idea to make sure your fuel cap is breathing properly. If the tank becomes pressurized from an increase in temperature it will force fuel past the float valves and into the carb and engine. You may also want to dump your engine oil as it is probably diluted with gas.

[seanpistol]

Thanks. I'll be sure to turn the gas off from now on to be safe. I'm positive the fuel cap breathes and I'll be sure to change the engine oil. Thanks!

 

Any thought on why it's so hard to kick? When I say hard to kick, I mean one kick is normal, and then the next kick, when i'm standing on it, hammering it down, doesn't move. And I feel like I'm about to break my foot from jumping on it so hard. It's not that it's kicking back. It's that it's not kicking down at all. Every other kick just about.

[Carter Pewterschmidt]

Your bike shouldn't flood out sitting with the fuel valve on.  Either your float height needs to be adjusted, or you have a bad needle valve.

 

This may be why it's hard to kick over if the carbs are still flooding the cylinder.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Carter Pewterschmidt

[Backwoods-Bomber]

Start the bike, shut off the fuel and let it run out of gas. Now kick it over, if it is still hard to kick you can rule out fuel flooding as the culprit of the hard kicking. Have you checked the oil level?

[Backwoods-Bomber]

Does the manual decomp relieve the difficult kicking?

[seanpistol]

Yes, the manual decomp relieves the difficult kicking.

[seanpistol]

I will check the oil level. It could be low- the bike does have an oil leak from a stripped head bolt I have yet to fix.

[Backwoods-Bomber]

I will check the oil level. It could be low- the bike does have an oil leak from a stripped head bolt I have yet to fix.

I am actually expecting the oil level to be high due to the gas in the oil. But it might not be.

Before removing the auto decomp mechanism did you happen to check to see if it was in adjustment? I am kind of wondering if the initial difficult kicking was due to a flooded engine and now it is just the difference in having the auto decomp unhooked.

[seanpistol]

Oil level was normal, but it was very dirty. Almost black. And there is less than 100 miles of street riding since I changed the oil last.

 

I did not check to see if the decomp mechanism was in adjustment. The difficult kicking is still every other kick- pretty much impossible to kick down until I kick it as far forward as possible, and then it goes all the way down as it should.

[Horri]

With the auto decomp gone maybe you were just having trouble working out the normal start operation without one..If the bike is real hard to kick through just pull in the manual jobby and let the kicker drop its inch or so to be at the right point for the final push..Even with the auto installed the kicker will occasionally lock up at a point during the kick..All you do is release your kick pressure and let the kicker come back to the top and try again.. ..Course I may be barking up the wrong tree..

[davek18]

Use the proper starting drill.  Kick it slowly till the lever stops.  That is near TDC.  Pull the manual release and nudge the kicker just a little further to get it past TDC, about 1/16th of a stroke or less, you sorta get the feel when it goes past TDC.  Then return the kicker to the top and give it a good solid follow through kick with no throttle.  Repeat as necessary, if it is jetted right it will start in one or two kicks easy.

 

If you think you have flooded it, pull the manual release and open the throttle wide and kick it a few times through, no need to turn off the key or kill switch it will not kick back.  Then recommence your starting drill.  It will become second nature to you soon and you will do it almost without thinking. 

 

You remove the kickstart release to make it easy to find TDC.  If you just randomly kick one of these without the proper procedure it will kick back someday and make you limp for a couple weeks, or worse.  learn it, live it, love it. 

[seanpistol]

Thank you, but I know the starting drill and do it every time. That's not the issue. The bike started fine, no more than two kicks ever, up until I let it sit for three weeks.

[davek18]

Drain your tank, dump it in your cage.  Put fresh fuel in the bike, open the carb drains and flush new fuel through it.  Today's fuel turns sour fast, and you don't know how long the gas station has had it in it's tanks aging away. 

[Backwoods-Bomber]

With the auto decomp gone maybe you were just having trouble working out the normal start operation without one..If the bike is real hard to kick through just pull in the manual jobby and let the kicker drop its inch or so to be at the right point for the final push..Even with the auto installed the kicker will occasionally lock up at a point during the kick..All you do is release your kick pressure and let the kicker come back to the top and try again.. ..Course I may be barking up the wrong tree..

This sounds about right to me. maybe re install the auto decomp, adjust it to spec and see if kicking is easy again.