Starting & Running on full choke

[daveyboyd]

My XR takes a good while to start, I often have to take a break as I am knackered kicking it over, I also have to have the choke on full to start and run the bike, when I turn it off even when its hot it cuts out.

Is this a common problem? I am a bit of a novice on bikes but I am quite good with engines so dont worry if its a techinical answer I'll prob be able to follow.

I am guessing it is a clogged up carb, if it is does anyone have a step by step for this?

Many thanks

Dave

[Xman]

Basic techniquue to start a XR400:

1. Turn the engine over slowly with the kickstarter until you feel resistance (this will be the inlet compression stroke, just before top dead centre)

2. Let the kickstarter go back to the top.

3. If it is cold, put the choke on fully, (all the way up), and make sure the fuel is switched on.

4. Kick the kickstarter all the way to the bottom of its stroke firmly, as if you were trying to break it off. (Don't touch the throttle). It should start with 2 or 3 kicks.

5. If it doesn't start...repeat until it fires, as soon as the engine does fire then use the throttle to keep it running but DON'T pump the throttle. Keep it on a steady high idle until the engine starts to 'hunt' slightly, it is then ready to go down to the next position on the choke, keep a high idle with the throttle or use the plastic idle adjuster on the carb to set a high idle for warm up.

6. After a minute or two you should be able to push the choke fully down and ride off. Note, reset the idle once the engine has warmed up if you have used the idle adjuster.

NOTE: DO NOT RIDE OFF WITH THE CHOKE ON! This can cause the mechanism inside the carb to become unscrewed and go through the engine intake causing untold damage!!

HOT START is similar but no choke and no throttle.

HOTSTART AFTER A FALL is similar but use the decompressor lever and kick the engine over 5 or 6 times with the throttle fully open to clear out the cylinder.

If the engine fails to start after a few kicks using this method...you have another problem. Check fuel contents or old fuel. Check tappet adjustment. Check for spark.

[r00t4rd3d]

If its cold , pull in the decompression lever and hold the kill switch at the same time , full choke and throttle , lightly kick it over 10 times. Release decompression and kill switch , no throttle leave choke at full , kick it over at TDC.

Brummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm !

[Kes]

Check yer pilot jet is clean . Badly adjusted valves can cause starting probs easily adjusted .

[Xman]

Strange method 'rOOt4rd3d'?

Why the 10 kick rigmorole, and why hold in the kill switch with your 3rd hand?

Is it because it might actually start before you are ready.

[416cc]

If I havn't used my XR4 for a while I might use the 'turn over 10 times' as described above.It helps to replenish the fuel that might have been left in the carb from the last time that the engine was running.Normally I drain the carb straight after I have washed the bike and run the engine to dry everything off.
But normally I use full choke,turn the engine over until I feel resistance (auto-decompressor kicking in) and then give it a good kick.This normally starts ok within the first 2-3 kicks.If the tickover is set too low this might cause the engine to cut out when you think that the engine is warm enough.
But I usually use the middle position in the choke lever once the engine has warmed for a while.Then,while i'm pulling on my lid and gloves,the engine has normally warmed enough to be able to ride the bike away with the choke all of the way off.

Regarding the choke plate,I bought a new part from the USA made by Precision Concepts that replaces the Honda plate with the backfire spring loaded mechanism with it.The PC part is a direct replacement part and only cost about £10 all in to buy and have shipped over.

My OEM kill switch is on the right of the handlebar in the standard position next to the throttle.But I have a second one on the switchgear from Pro-Racing that has the lights off/low/high switch,kill and horn button all in the same unit.This I find useful for when the bike is lying on it's right side and I cannot get to the kill switch on the right.