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I just bought a lightly used, but not running 2001 KDX 220R. To set the stage, I have never had a nicer bike so some of the questions might be obvious to you guys. I have been wrenching and rebuilding my cars and trucks for along time, but never a 2 stroke other than the lawn mower.

Being that this bike has an unknown past, I know it sat for around 3 years, I have started with the obvious items:
Checked compression- 155 PSI and holding.
Spark is good
Gap is .0245
Carb was very clean, but did have a little trash in the catch on the bottom.
Airbox was clean
Carb seals seam to be airtight, cant tell till running.
Crank case is at proper level
And coolant is topped off, no leaks.
I have drained and washed the tank and the carb has been cleaned out.

I have several questions though.

I couldnt find a proper setting for spark gap. Plug is NGK BR9ES.
What is proper crankcase lubricant? I wanted to run new fluids since I dont know its past.
Im looking at running a 32:1 mix and starting from there.
Are there any other fluids that I should check?

Im really excited to be back into a bike after having the kids and hope this turns out to be a good experience

Thanks in advance!
Nick

welcome to the madhouse

220R

get the manual, (you can get it online through this site)
-replace piston if it's stock (known to grenade on the 220)
-replace coolant (it's cheap, you'll have to drain the colant to inspect the piston anyway)
While you're at it might as well check the kips valve, clean them if they're gunked up and see if they work. Don't forget that it's a left treaded andto support the kips actuator nut or you'll break the kips actuator...(ask me how I know )
-change oil (inspect for unusual color, metalic parts...) (10w40) motorcycle or car (as long as it's not the energy conserving labeled crap)
-mix 1:32 or 1:40, choose one and jet accordingly
-plug dunno don't have the 220 so can't comment there
-clean and oil filter
-clean carb (check jet size, might give you a clue on how close the jetting is to perfect)
If you have spark, I would expect the bike to fire up, might have a plugged jet


If the bike sat unused for a while, I would check bearings (wheels, shock steering stem and engine mount) clean and grease the hell out of them
Service front end (at least replace the oil)

Seems like a lot but I'd be weary with a bike that sat this long unused (hopefully it was in a dry garage)
I'm sure there's more but that's a start!

Greetings!

The proper plug is an '8'...not a 9. Gap is spec'd to be .7-.8mm (.027-.031+")

Crankcase (tranny really..the 'case' the crank is in is oiled by premix) lubricant is SE, SF or SG class motor oil, SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40 (temp related), .7liter.

32:1 is the specified premix ratio.

That's all from the manual...and not altogether commonly followed.

Plug heat range is correct. Fine wire plugs are commonly used..as the NGK BR8EG. You will likely find your bike harder to start about the time the plug gap gets much over .030".

KDXs are inherently noisy (engine noise). Running a full quart in the trans (vs: .7L) quiets it down some..and there is no deleterious effect (unlike, say, some $8000 punkins that flat quit running if the oil level is a bit too much over spec).

While any spec'd motor oil works..an oil specified for wet clutch application will probably work better clutch-wise. DO NOT use any oil that is labeled 'Energy Saving' or that contains 'friction modifiers'. They will NOT do your clutch any good at all.

A good oil will work well at 40:1. You do not need to use a hi-falutin' race oil like Maxim K2 or Amsoil Dominator.

Ride ATGATT...All The Gear All The Time

Have fun!

**edit**

sheck't hadn't posted when I started...some repeats...oops

Or you could do like I did; take a perfectly good running bike and take it apart until it fits into a few cardboard boxes, then mail the parts all over the country.

Well, I regapped the plug to .028 and double checked spark, but it still wont start. I pulled the plug again and it was wet...so it is getting gas, but maybe to rich? Can I be getting spark but just a weak spark caused by the CDI?

My next step is checking the clutches as the clutch mech.(not hand lever but actuation lever) was sticking tonight. When getting to the clutch bell, what direction does the large nut rotate to remove?

I missed the part that it didn't start. ?

Replace the plug...with an '8'. There is no reason to fuss with the old plug. What it looks like is of no matter. Replace it.

Does the plug spark out of the cylinder?

KDX spark boxes do go bad..but not very often. The exciter coil under the flywheel can be the cause of a 'no spark' situation, too. Again, while some bikes have that happen on a regular basis..the KDX isn't one of them.

Doesn't mean it never happens.

The clutch nut is RHT..lefty loosey. Pay close attention to the parts that come off with the basket. There is a washer under the basket that often is overlooked on reassy. It sticks to the basket when you take it off..then drops off somewheres unnoticed.

With the clutch out (and sparkplug out)..would be a good time to rig up a sparkplug outside, spin the crank with some gusto (an air impact would work good because of its no-load speed), check for spark. You will get a lot of spark triggers with no compression and no tranny to spin.

You're needin' a manual.....

I think I wouldn't mess with the clutch till after I got it running.

Air + Fuel + Spark = something will happen.

I've seen plenty of plugs that spark O.K. outside the cylinder but won't run the bike.

I've also seen more than one occasion where the crank is so full of old oil and rotten gas that it is a bear to get started, and makes great clouds of stinky smoke when it finally does.

One of my buddys had an ATK that had a drain on the bottom of the crankcase. (not to be confused with the drain on the bottom of the tranny)

Try This? Plug out, gas off, throttle wide open, get your neighbor to kick it thirty times. You put a new plug in, turn the gas on and it fires up on the second kick, maybe.

dunno if it'll help or not but when it's really really cold and my bike won't fire up, I heat the plug with a lighter (after I flooded the beast), saved me a few times.

Re: 'I've seen plenty of plugs that spark O.K. outside the cylinder but won't run the bike.'

Absolutely. But...if it doesn't spark OUT of the bike, I'll bet'cha it won't spark IN the bike neither!

Re: 'get your neighbor to kick it thirty times.'

Ha!

Thanks for all the response. I am getting pretty good spark out of the cyl., but I get no action when in.

Where are recommended locations for parts; internet, local, and mail order businesses?

I pulled the clutch cover off to double check the disks and drain everything. They were sticking a little bit. That should go away though after it's run through a bit right?

So my list now is fresh gear oil, clutch gasket and spark plugs. Ohh...and a manual!! Where is the best place for a paper manual? Online is good stuff, but I have limited connectivity all the time.

Where are recommended locations for parts; internet, local, and mail order businesses?

Can't you print the online manual?

Chances are excellent that it's a starting sequence issue. 2Ts can be fussy at times. KDXs are basically reliable...I wouldn't start replacing hard parts (coils, spark boxes, exciter coils etc) without exhausting other possibilities.

Re: 'Sticking a bit'

That will likely happen forever. On a bike that's ridden every weekend, that has sat without starting for a day, without the engine running, put it in gear, pull the clutch...and you won't be pushing it without skidding the rear tire.

I think there are two many commas in that, sentence, 'eh?

Re: Parts.

RonAyers (.com) has an onliine fiche you can order parts from. Their prices are generally not too bad. Shipping is a dig. Historically, I get parts from local dealers (Yam and Kaw) for less $$. Not all dealers are reasonable from others' experience.

Aftermarket parts are all over the place. I use RockyMtn a good bit.

Not to plug (although it sounds no different than one), Amsoil Interceptor is a popular oil..and prices from this site are excellent. Just click on the logo at the top of the page.

A manual discussion was recently had on another thread. kicknrocks I think found one on ebay for something like $15. Kaw sells them online...$60! The Kaw manual is for the 'H' model (200) with an 'A' (220) supplement. I don't have a 220...but I don't see what good the supplement would do. Port timing specs (for example) are different between the bikes, but what difference does that make to most folks? None that I can think of. Other than cylinder timing and piston differences..the bikes (200/220) are pretty much the same.

That a 200 comes without an o-ring chain..and a 220 does isn't of major importance, is it?

I bought a complete manual for mine on CD off of E-bay. It was copied from a dealer I think b/c it was a $.50 disk with the info copied on it. I am sure there are others out there. If you look at the right time.

Other than cylinder timing and piston differences..the bikes (200/220) are pretty much the same.

Hell no! For once CC I totaly disagree with you, the 2 are not the same at all, it is a very well known fact that the 200 ARE the fastest and only real man ride the 200. 220 are made for wimps and sissy that can't corner very well and need the extra bottom torque to have a chance to keep up with the 200

Great. Now I need a 220......

Karl P wrote:

"I've also seen more than one occasion where the crank is so full of old oil and rotten gas that it is a bear to get started, and makes great clouds of stinky smoke when it finally does.

One of my buddys had an ATK that had a drain on the bottom of the crankcase. (not to be confused with the drain on the bottom of the tranny)

Try This? Plug out, gas off, throttle wide open, get your neighbor to kick it thirty times. You put a new plug in, turn the gas on and it fires up on the second kick, maybe."



I agree as I have had similar experiences. Move as much air through the crankcase as possible. Get your neighbor, your wife and everyone else to kick it through so you can be fresh to start it up with a good quick kick.

Sometimes a squirt of gas right into the spark plug hole, then quickly install the plug and kick, is enough to get it moving too.

How about a tow?

Not the safest thing in the world..but a way to get some 'hi-speed' motor movement, A/F mixture flow and such. Get someone with sense enough to know when to stop pulling!!

Or...trailer it up the largest nearby downhill for some bump start action..maybe a few times!

canyncarvr wrote:Crankcase (tranny really..the 'case' the crank is in is oiled by premix) lubricant is SE, SF or SG class motor oil, SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40 (temp related), .7liter.

So I have some Castrol GTX 10W-30 that is SM, SH, SI, SJ approved. Will this work or should I use something else? I have had a hard time finding SE, F or G with out going to the cycle shop. Does the SM not meet all previous API standards?

Alright. New plug was the key! Bike started up on first kick.
I am concerned though at how racket-y the engine sounds. If it were a 4 stroke I would say it had a rod loose. It does smoke a bit, even after it warmed up for a few minutes.

I pulled the plug after a few minutes to see what it was doing; the plug was still white but wet with mix or oil on the electrode and ceramic around the center electrode. I figure this is running really rich as the previous plug was gunky black.

I have 2 external carb adjustments:one black plastic thumb-screw ( idle?; was set to 4 1/2 turns out) and one brass adjustment a bit lower (rich-lean?; was set 1 turn out). I will have to tear the carb down again to check the needle and jets but if everything else is an indication, its stock.

Thanks to everyone for their input and help. I have a feeling you guys will be seeing more of me in the coming weeks!

THANKS!!

-Nick

Welcome to the world of KIPS!

KDX's are rattly.... just a fact. I bet more than one KDX didn't sell because of the KIPS rattle...