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Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 05:13 pm Aug 08 2017
by bergilong
If I let my KDX sit for a week or two it becomes extremely difficult to start. After I get it to start up, I will be able to easily start it again. Does anyone know what might cause this problem?

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 06:23 pm Aug 08 2017
by KDXGarage
Do you use ethanol based gasoline?

Do you turn off the petcock and run most of the bowl out before cutting the engine off?

Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 06:45 pm Aug 08 2017
by SS109
The carb bowl is empty. I run ethanol and run the bowl nearly dry after a ride. Next ride I turn on the petcock, tip bike over till it pees out the overflow line, bring it back upright, pull choke, and start it. :supz:

Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 07:45 pm Aug 08 2017
by thirdgenlxi
When mine did that it was the float valve in the carb... Put a new one in and started first kick almost every time after that

Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 07:47 pm Aug 08 2017
by thirdgenlxi
Can try leaning it over to the side and drain some gas out of the carb before trying to start it and see if the prob goes away. Or shut the gas off just before you shut it off, and see if it does it the next time

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 08:20 pm Aug 08 2017
by bergilong
Jason wrote:Do you use ethanol based gasoline?

Do you turn off the petcock and run most of the bowl out before cutting the engine off?
I do use ethanol gas, but I drain the bowl nearly empty before shutting it off

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 08:26 pm Aug 08 2017
by bergilong
I drained some gas out by leaning it over and still can't get it to start

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 09:40 pm Aug 08 2017
by bergilong
Okay, I got it to start. After killing it, I was then able to start it first kick. It does just sound like the float was stuck closed. My carb is extremely clean inside. Maybe it just needs a rebuild

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 08:22 am Aug 09 2017
by david
Have you tried a new spark plug? I can let mine sit for months and it will start 3rd kick w/choke, cold.

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 11:49 am Aug 09 2017
by doakley
Mine is doing this same thing and none of the above fixes has worked. I have to use ether when it hasn't been run for a while. After that first start it cranks first kick every time. Very frustrating. I'm going to change the jet block gasket just on general principles.

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 11:38 pm Aug 09 2017
by bergilong
doakley wrote:Mine is doing this same thing and none of the above fixes has worked. I have to use ether when it hasn't been run for a while. After that first start it cranks first kick every time. Very frustrating. I'm going to change the jet block gasket just on general principles.
Yeah, it's really annoying. Let me know if anything fixes it

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 08:58 pm Oct 23 2017
by BigH
I see these posts were from 2016. I now have the same thing. I installed a carb rebuild kit on it. It always started 1st kick unless very cold. I agree very annoying! I have a fmf pipe & silencer, boysen reeds, & stock jetting. plug is still not brown on chop test. Still black but has run pretty well. What jetting are most running. I ride @ 600 to 900ft.

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 04:36 am Jan 24 2018
by bertos883
When I had issues starting my '01, I tried a bunch of stuff, but ended up changing the pilot jet from a 48 to a 45. Now she starts easy all day

Re: Hard starting after letting bike sit

Posted: 03:34 pm Jan 24 2018
by ohgood
Fuel on, choke onlean it over, and cycle the engine 5-10 times to pull fuel into the engine, then kick it.