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Old 04-13-2018, 09:07 PM
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fordtruckin fordtruckin is offline
 
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Default KLX250 won't start

I piked up my 2007 KLX250 from the main office yesterday. Other than the battery being dead, I have been unable to get the thing started. (yes after charging the battery). I pulled the plug and they're clean a bit wet and sparking, which I interpret as it is getting fuel and spark. I pulled the air box apart and the filter is clean although it is a bit sticky in places. I'm assuming it is some type of oil on the foam filter similar to the oil you put on a K&N. Anyways the bike has been sitting at work for the past 18 months or so with nobody using it. The bike only has 230 miles so not even broke in. The tank was pretty much empty or completely empty so I put new 91 octane in it I had sitting around for my snowmobiles. The only thing I can thing of is to take the filter off and see if that is the culprit? Maybe sitting for so long it just needs some help with starting fluid? Anyone have any ideas? I really hate to have to take another piece of equipment to the shop as all the things assigned to me for work have been at the shop due to neglect from the last guy. Boat, ATV, snowmobile, horse trailer, truck...
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Old 04-13-2018, 10:02 PM
Marten1576 Marten1576 is offline
 
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I see you are in Montana. Is there ethenal in your fuel. Possible problem. Try draining float bowl. Should be a drain on the bottom . And a new spark plug. Good luck.
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Old 04-13-2018, 10:29 PM
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fordtruckin fordtruckin is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Marten1576 View Post
I see you are in Montana. Is there ethenal in your fuel. Possible problem. Try draining float bowl. Should be a drain on the bottom . And a new spark plug. Good luck.
nope ethanol free fuel. plugs in good shape. I'll have to look at the carb.
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Old 04-13-2018, 11:02 PM
reddeerguy2015 reddeerguy2015 is offline
 
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I've had spark plugs "show" visible spark when turning over, but is too weak under compression.

For giggles, throw a new, gapped plug in.

Drain gas, put in fresh with a splash of seafoam.

Sitting for 18 months I'd say most likely a fuel or carb problem.
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Old 04-13-2018, 11:13 PM
crazy_davey crazy_davey is offline
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Originally Posted by reddeerguy2015 View Post

Sitting for 18 months I'd say most likely a fuel or carb problem.
This. Today’s fuel breaks down very quickly without any additive added. Clean out the float bowl, pull the jets and and make sure they are spotless.

On my bike that doesn’t get used very often I always drain the tank and leave the float bowl drain open when storing. If I leave fuel in it over the winter I can be sure to have to pull the carb apart in the spring/summer for a good clean. Sea foam is good advice as well.
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Old 04-13-2018, 11:30 PM
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fordtruckin fordtruckin is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by reddeerguy2015 View Post
I've had spark plugs "show" visible spark when turning over, but is too weak under compression.

For giggles, throw a new, gapped plug in.

Drain gas, put in fresh with a splash of seafoam.

Sitting for 18 months I'd say most likely a fuel or carb problem.

Well I’ll try a new plug. Fuels is brand new today and the tank was either completely empty or had very littl in it before I filled it up. Sure hope I didn’t just waste that premium non ethanol fuel...
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Old 04-14-2018, 07:10 AM
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Dean2 Dean2 is offline
 
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Bump start it. Even when they won't go any other way they will fire bumpstarting if they are getting fueel and spark. Once warm is will be easier to diagnose.
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Old 04-14-2018, 12:02 PM
4thredneck 4thredneck is offline
 
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Originally Posted by fordtruckin View Post
Well I’ll try a new plug. Fuels is brand new today and the tank was either completely empty or had very littl in it before I filled it up. Sure hope I didn’t just waste that premium non ethanol fuel...
You could still have old fuel in the float bowl, drain it and put in new plugs. Sea Foam is cheap down there so dump some in and giver a whirl.
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Old 04-13-2018, 11:05 PM
Tom Pullings Tom Pullings is offline
 
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Can you try to pop start it?


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Old 04-14-2018, 11:14 PM
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Little red riding hood Little red riding hood is offline
 
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Stick a torch in the intake and feed it some propane, it will run on that and the vibration of the engine running might loosen up the needle or float.
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Old 04-15-2018, 08:25 AM
dewalt18 dewalt18 is offline
 
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Sounds like it was stored with bad gas. Even if the tank was empty, or almost empty, there was likely still fuel in the carb. Pull it, strip it, soak it, blow out all the jets and fuel passages, reassemble. Take care to note such things as air/idle acre position, clip position etc. Add fresh fuel and a new PROPERLY gapped plug, and you should be fine.
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Old 04-15-2018, 08:34 AM
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Originally Posted by dewalt18 View Post
Sounds like it was stored with bad gas. Even if the tank was empty, or almost empty, there was likely still fuel in the carb. Pull it, strip it, soak it, blow out all the jets and fuel passages, reassemble. Take care to note such things as air/idle acre position, clip position etc. Add fresh fuel and a new PROPERLY gapped plug, and you should be fine.
Proper way to repair, no doubt. Starting on ether, or pouring gas down the plug hole, will not fix the issue.
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Old 04-15-2018, 03:30 PM
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fordtruckin fordtruckin is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dewalt18 View Post
Sounds like it was stored with bad gas. Even if the tank was empty, or almost empty, there was likely still fuel in the carb. Pull it, strip it, soak it, blow out all the jets and fuel passages, reassemble. Take care to note such things as air/idle acre position, clip position etc. Add fresh fuel and a new PROPERLY gapped plug, and you should be fine.
Looks like the carb had some bad gas. Pulled it off and you could smell the varnish right away. The bowl had a bunch of crap in it so I’ll be cleaning it up and hoping that fixed the problem. I’ll probably get a new air filter and spark plug then do an oil change just to help eliminate anything simple. If that doesn’t fix it I guess I will have to take it to a shop.
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Old 04-15-2018, 03:53 PM
pgavey pgavey is offline
 
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Cleaning the boal may not be enough. I usually use a strand if copper wire and shove it up the main jet then spray carb cleaner up the jet.Since the main jet is down in the gunk it will get plugged up.
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Old 04-17-2018, 08:32 PM
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Well I think I figured it out. I took the carb apart and the jets were surprisingly clean as were all 3 fuel filters. What WASN"T clean was where the fuel line connects to the carb. There is a small spring loaded valve that runs up to the float. That valve was completely glued shut with a greenish grey gunk. I initially thought the piece was screwed in and nope, it was just that much crap holding it in place. Everything is currently soaking in carb cleaner for the night. I'll dry it out and put it back together tomorrow or the next day. I did get time to change the oil, clean the air filter and drop a new spark plug in today as well. I'll need to oil the filter tomorrow as well. All in so far I've spent about 50$, far cry from what a trip to the dealer would be.n Thanks everyone for your help and advice!
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Old 04-18-2018, 11:11 PM
Tom Pullings Tom Pullings is offline
 
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Running stuff through the tank may buy you some time but it still needs to be properly fixed. There’s no reason it should take ten minutes of idling before you can give it any gas.


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