KLX250 won't start

fordtruckin · #1 04-13-2018, 09:07 PM

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...

Marten1576 · #2 04-13-2018, 10:02 PM

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.

fordtruckin · #3 04-13-2018, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marten1576

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.

reddeerguy2015 · #4 04-13-2018, 11:02 PM

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.

Tom Pullings · #5 04-13-2018, 11:05 PM

Can you try to pop start it?

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crazy_davey · #6 04-13-2018, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reddeerguy2015

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.

fordtruckin · #7 04-13-2018, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reddeerguy2015

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...

Dean2 · #8 04-14-2018, 07:10 AM

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.

4thredneck · #9 04-14-2018, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordtruckin

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.

fordtruckin · #10 04-14-2018, 07:02 PM

I'm leaning towards something in the carb. I pulled the air filter off sprayed some ether in and it would run then die out. If I took the choke off it would die almost instantly, if I tried giving it any gas it would die out. Guess I'll be taking this thing apart tomorrow. Napa is closed tomorrow so can't pick up any sea foam. Would carb cleaner in a can work for now until I can run some sea foam through a tank of fuel?

mooseknuckle · #11 04-14-2018, 07:29 PM

I have the same issues every spring. Now keep in mind this is the "do not try at home" method. Pull aircleaner filter and all out. Put fuel in a spray bottle and give a few shots down the air intake whilr turning over. Light sprays!!

* moosknuckle takes no responsibility if you burn your face off and or garage down.

fordtruckin · #12 04-14-2018, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mooseknuckle

I have the same issues every spring. Now keep in mind this is the "do not try at home" method. Pull aircleaner filter and all out. Put fuel in a spray bottle and give a few shots down the air intake whilr turning over. Light sprays!!

* moosknuckle takes no responsibility if you burn your face off and or garage down.

haha already done that with ether. Glad I don't have a garage to burn down though....

Little red riding hood · #13 04-14-2018, 08:07 PM

Sounds like your needle is stuck, it starts on ether, but doesn't keep running, the needle valve is not allowing the bowl to fill to the proper level

vinny · #14 04-14-2018, 08:22 PM

I would take carb apart and clean everything. Blow out the jets, could be clogged with old gummy fuel. Check float while your at it.

Roadhunter · #15 04-14-2018, 08:36 PM

I had the same problem with my 2007. I sold mine in 2014 with 385km on it. They are terribly cold blooded to start with. It will be your carb is gummed up and you need to run it out of fuel every you put it away for a while.
Good luck.

fordtruckin · #16 04-14-2018, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadhunter

I had the same problem with my 2007. I sold mine in 2014 with 385km on it. They are terribly cold blooded to start with. It will be your carb is gummed up and you need to run it out of fuel every you put it away for a while.
Good luck.

Good to know. I’ll be trying that tomorrow.

pistolero1860 · #17 04-14-2018, 09:43 PM

Perhaps the float is stuck in the carburetor?

Rap the float bowl with a plastic mallet or a plastic handled screwdriver and see if it starts.

elkhunter11 · #18 04-14-2018, 10:03 PM

Remove the spark plug and pour a small amount of fuel directly into the cylinder. Install the plug, and the engine should start and run for a while, but will likely quit. I have had to do this several times on some engines that had not run in a long time. After several cycles of this, they kept running. One snow blower in particular seems to require this every fall if I don't start it every couple of months.

Little red riding hood · #19 04-14-2018, 11:14 PM

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.

lannie · #20 04-15-2018, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Remove the spark plug and pour a small amount of fuel directly into the cylinder. Install the plug, and the engine should start and run for a while, but will likely quit. I have had to do this several times on some engines that had not run in a long time. After several cycles of this, they kept running. One snow blower in particular seems to require this every fall if I don't start it every couple of months.

^^This^^

I have a single cylinder motorcycle that will not start in the spring. This is what i do and it takes 3 cycles of start and die before it continuously runs. Rest of the summer it is great.

dewalt18 · #21 04-15-2018, 08:25 AM

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.

gtr · #22 04-15-2018, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dewalt18

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.

fordtruckin · #23 04-15-2018, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dewalt18

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.

pgavey · #24 04-15-2018, 03:53 PM

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.

fordtruckin · #25 04-17-2018, 08:32 PM

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!

reddeerguy2015 · #26 04-17-2018, 08:36 PM

Did you gap your new plug??

Good luck and keep us posted.

fordtruckin · #27 04-17-2018, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reddeerguy2015

Did you gap your new plug??

Good luck and keep us posted.

dealer did it when I picked it up.

fordtruckin · #28 04-18-2018, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadhunter

I had the same problem with my 2007. I sold mine in 2014 with 385km on it. They are terribly cold blooded to start with. It will be your carb is gummed up and you need to run it out of fuel every you put it away for a while.
Good luck.

Well this is what it all turned out to be. I put everything back together this evening and after half an hour of fighting to get it started I got it to start and idle. It is a cold machine as you had to let it idle for about 10 minutes before you could even give it any gas or it would instantly die. Even after letting it warm up, then ride it around it was hard to start after shutting it down. Either way, it runs and sounds good (once started). The next couple days I'll put on a few more miles with some sea-foam in the tank and hope it gets used to running again. Thanks everyone for the help! Much appreciated!

FishHunterPro · #29 04-18-2018, 10:10 PM

Glad you got it running, now sell it and buy the new klx250 because they come with EFI now and I heard they are no longer hard to start.

fordtruckin · #30 04-18-2018, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishHunterPro

Glad you got it running, now sell it and buy the new klx250 because they come with EFI now and I heard they are no longer hard to start.

Haha I wish but work owns the bike. Can’t argue with a free bike even if it’s a pain to get running.