XR650R Won't start when cold

[Hondathumper450]

How the heck do you start the pig when it is cold without kicking it a hundred times?????

My 2000 starts all the time one kick when warm but when it is cold.....as in winter snow cold.....the pig won't start unless I kick the heck out of it and soemtimes IT wins and stays NOT STARTED!

I do the slow kick to find TDC and then give it a good kick scenario. GOing to tear it all down for a good winter season going over. *by the way it is -4 degrees right now and yes that is actual temp not wind chill*

Is it a valve adjustment issue? It has some serious compression without a doubt and does not smoke or burn oil.

Whta do I need to check and what do I need to go over?

[motopsycho650]

How the heck do you start the pig when it is cold without kicking it a hundred times?????

My 2000 starts all the time one kick when warm but when it is cold.....as in winter snow cold.....the pig won't start unless I kick the heck out of it and soemtimes IT wins and stays NOT STARTED!

I do the slow kick to find TDC and then give it a good kick scenario. GOing to tear it all down for a good winter season going over. *by the way it is -4 degrees right now and yes that is actual temp not wind chill*

Is it a valve adjustment issue? It has some serious compression without a doubt and does not smoke or burn oil.

Whta do I need to check and what do I need to go over?

Turn the pilot adjustment 1/4 turn richer. Kick through 4-5 engine cycles with the throttle wide open. Then choke the bike, and try kicking it a few times. I've noticed my 650R doesn't like to start below 30 degrees, but if you give it enough fuel, it will fire.

A lot of the initial kicking you have to do it to start moving the oil. If you pull the de-comp lever, and kick through 4-5 cycles, that should help too.

[creeky]

It is not getting enough gas to start. Try this. Turn up the idle speed adjuster a little. Close the choke, open the throttle, pull in the comp release and kick the engine through several times. Leave the choke full on, release the throttle , leave it closed and do the starting drill, should work.

[oldmanx]

My XR600R acts the same way...cold starts fine when the ambient temp is 45+, providing that it's been run recently...starts great when hot...won't start when the ambient is less than 45. I've resorted to popping open the side panel, opening up the air cleaner and giving it a shot of starting fluid, after which it fires right up and runs great.

Here in W.Pa, it's a balmy 7...wind chill of -10. The street bike wouldn't even fire up in the garage yesterday...........

[Hondathumper450]

havn't looked much on the carb yet, where is the pilot adjustment?

[Dave450r]

just from my experence with my pig it was starting first kick in the summer and this winter only down to the low teens, but i just changed the oil from 10-40 to 20-50 thinking its going to get warm here soon, tried to start it and 10x harder to kick and seemed not to want to fire until i kicked it long enough to warm the oil, just change back to 10-40 starts right up

[porterdog]

Have to believe it's an adjustment issue- mine started 3rd kick yesterday, and it's freaking cold here. Maybe ~10F at the time? I a) turn the idle speed way up, run a bigger pilot jet in the cold. Currently have a 70s pilot installed.

[focallength]

sounds like you need some carb adjustments. This may sound like a silly question but are you using the choke when its cold? My 96 starts in about 3-4 kicks when its cold and after its run for about 30 seconds it will start up on the first try no matter how cold it is. Check your gaskets too, if the head gasket is even slightly leaking you could be drawing in cold air on every kick.

[Hondathumper450]

Not sure about anything as I just got it. I know it was cold as all heck when we met for the trade. He started it in 5 or 6 kicks. It took a lot of kicks when we got it home and after it was running and warmed it started first kick after being warmed. He just emailed me saying it takes 5 to 10 kicks when very cold. I may have flooded it not knowing the BIKES starting procedure as we know all bikes have their own temperment and starting procedure. Going to tear part way down anyway and will check things out getting it ready for the spring Dirt fling

[metisse]

Hey Oldmanx - just a word of advice, DO NOT use ether - in short order it will ruin your motor - it is the world's best degreasing agent and it strips the cylinder of any oil, leading rapidly to scored rings!!

Learn how to get fuel in there even if you take the side cover and filter off and squirt a little gas in the carb directly - but choke and kicking it over a few times with the throttle open a bit should work

An edelbrock works well too - just keep pumping it and the pig fires at 0 degrees F no problem.

[wickedsprint]

If she starts fine when hot, and poorly when cold, you're a little too lean on the bottom. The colder the air, the more dense it is, and as such requires more fuel. Try richening the pilot a smidge. If you get it too rich, it will be hard to start when hot, unless you hold the throttle wide open (obviously let off when it fires).

[flubber]

Dont feel bad, my L wont start unless its above 30 degrees out. I rode it up to the gas station last week to get a pop and it took me forever to get it started. And that was with a warm battery that I keep in the house. How far do you plan on riding it when the temp is that cold?

[Hondathumper450]

It is -6 degrees actual. Not going to ride when it is that cold. Just wanted to get it started for any tuneup and listning for any mechaincal problems as well as changing oil after it's warm. Just wanting to get it ready for when the riding temps come back.

[InternalCombustion]

Have to believe it's an adjustment issue- mine started 3rd kick yesterday, and it's freaking cold here. Maybe ~10F at the time? I a) turn the idle speed way up, run a bigger pilot jet in the cold. Currently have a 70s pilot installed.

Porterdog's got it: my R freaking hates the cold, even with an Edlebrock.

Below about 40F I have to crank in the idle adjust 3 to 6 half-turn twists, depending on how far below 40 it is. Then I give it 4-5 throttle twists (I do not think you want to twist the throttle with the factory carb!). Then it will start pretty regularly. Sometimes I overdo the fuel and it will flood. When that happens I do the normal air-out routine and start over.

As it warms up I back off the idle adjust to keep the RPM's from going above about 2k. Don't want to overstress cold bearings...

I run Mobil One syn and that seems to help.

Once she's warm and toasty, no problemos. Except if your thermostat has stuck open like mine did. I have the oil-temp dipstick and I was noticing that my oil temp was staying below 165, even on warmer days. Cold days it was lower than that. Even 165 is not good. Most water-cooled (and many air-cooled) four strokes like at least 200 degrees, for a normal operating temperature.

Finally I woke up to what was happening and checked my thermostat and sure-nuff, the bugger was stuck open. I got a new one, now she's happy again.

"If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."

[Hondathumper450]

Talked to the original owner and he stated it has always takin10 kicks or so to start it up cold. Seems like all the pigs just do not like the cold. typical honda...COLD BLOODED!!!!!

Checked the valve clearance and all is good. Compression is good. Plug looks black and will change it.

thanks everyone

[DanMc]

This is what works with mine- gas on, full choke, 5 easy kicks with half throttle and the compression release pulled. Switch on(ds kit), put it just past TDC and give it a good kick. Usually starts 1st kick even down into the teens. If this fails drain the float bowl and try it again.

Dan

[Hondathumper450]

I am a firm believer in bike personalities. Every bike has there OWN way IT wants to be started. I just need to find what IT wants and IT's likes and dislikes. I am a miantnenace manager at a large facility and ther are several identical machines with the same identical parts but act different in there own way.

[turtleossie]

I live in the UK, it rains all the time and it's harldy ever about 30 degrees C. I go out to the garage, wide open the choke, give the bike a few good hard kicks. Then I go into the house and get the gear on, and after about five mins back to the garage. Turn the choke off, give it another good hard kick with the throttle open a cm or so. Then second good kick it starts every time.

If you go out there dressed up and kick, kick, kick it will never start. I'm conviced it's down to the little break in between. Give the bike a chance to run the fuel through the system.

Sorted !

[hondacrf150f1]

I rode my bike this week, it was 11 degree's F out at 8 A:M, and boy did i have a hard time starting the pig in full riding pants:rant:

I did a very similar procedure to you, let it sit for a minite, then held throttle open a CM, cause it idles so low it almost dies in those temps.

[scalejockey]

Mine REALLY hates the "cold" start when the valves are even slightly tight.