KDXRIDER.NET

Just sold my trusty XR250 and the following day bought a 2003 KDX 220. Probably has around 250 miles on it, still has orignal tires and is stock.
I loved it for the first hour and then when I finally got the nerve to ride it like it should be ridden it would die whenever it was revved for a while or whenever it landed after catching a little air and I do mean a little. It would knock for a short while before it quits like maybe lack of lubrication/gas.
I can putt around in first or second gear forever but as soon as it is ridden like normal it will quit or if I catch it soon enough and let off the throttle it will stay idling.
So far I made sure the tank vent and carb vents are all open. I checked the jets for blockage and presently have the carb apart and soaking and blew out all passages with air.
Previous owner said the bike sat for about a year and a half without running and gas sitting in the carb, but it all looks good to me.
Could someone tell me if I am headed in the right direction? Any advice would be appreciated.

Pull the jets, soak them in Berryman's overnight along with the carb minus the float and choke assembly, spray the jets through the passages and all carb orifices with carb cleaner and make sure all the passages are clear, reassemble and ride.

I guarantee you that the carb is full of varnish.

Well, all of the 2002 and 2003 models are known to be very problematic, and you will probably never get it to run the way you want it to. Best thing to do would be to cut your losses, sell it soon, as soon as possible, and sell it cheap, preferably to someone on the opposite side of the country, like California, so he cannot come back on you for pawning off bad goods. Everybody knows that folk from the Peoples Republik of Kull-if-ornia are all loopy ex-hippies with drug ruined brains, and are unusually gullible. And don't bother reading any of the other posts on this site about making the KDX run right, they are all full of lies. And whatever you do, don't trust Indawoods, he is delusional, which probably explains why he puts so much time and effort into running this website.

Don't listen to 4rider... it means "fried-er"

Enure your fuel petcock also flows a 'full stream' out the outlet.

Sounds like it could be a minor problem with your float hanging up to me. Indawoods gave good advice.

Indawoods wrote:Pull the jets, soak them in Berryman's overnight along with the carb minus the float and choke assembly, spray the jets through the passages and all carb orifices with carb cleaner and make sure all the passages are clear, reassemble and ride.

I guarantee you that the carb is full of varnish.

I agree with Vince. My sons KLX125 was running shitty, alright, but shitty. So I cleaned the carb & put a smaller pilot in for the summer and I was riding wheelies down the street w/o a problem. Check your float also, the jumping has me curious as to the stalling

Thanks you guys for the replies. Carb still soaking in Berryman as suggested, will reassemble tomorrow. Something tells me thats not the answer but since I'm not sure on how to adjust the float this will have to do for now.

If this fails to correct it I'll just give the bike away. I would have given it to 4Rider but it appears that he already has a problematic 220 and I know he doesn't want two of them.

Idaho Charley had a point about checking the stream out of the petcock. I just got back from a ride with a friend who had very similar problems to what you described. We found the petcock strainer screen to be clogged with very small debris that was hard to see. We could not see anything looking down into the tank through the filler cap, but when we pulled the petcock it was obvious. He also had an in-line filter that was clogged. Although it is clear, and nothing was obvious when looking at it, it was clogged. Cleaning the petcock screen and replacing the filter did the trick. We also drained the sediment bowl on the carb (wonder why some call it a sediment bowl?), and flushed the carb with about a quart of fuel.

Tell you what, send me the bike, I'll go through it, clean and adjust everything and carefully and thoroughly test ride it for a while, then I'll send it back. No charge or anything.

I didn't see a mention of your having dumped the old gas and cleaned out the tank before you put fresh fuel in it.

That happened, right?


Welcome to the site.

Yes, the first thing I did was drain the tank so I knew there was no problem with the petcock or premix. Anyway I put the carb back together and the bike would not start. I pulled the plug on the bowl and no fuel came out. Figured there was something up with the float mechanism for a lack of a better word. I bent the tab and presto. Took the bike for a 30 mile ride and I was smiling from ear to ear, this is one sweet bike. Should have bought one years ago. Thanks all.

AWESOME!