KDXRIDER.NET

Hey,

Well a friend of mine is wanting to get a dirtbike. So of an 02' Kdx 200 nearby for 1500 OBO. Me and the friend went to look at it today.

The owner hasn't ridden the bike in about 6 months, its sat outside. I kicked it, and it fired up. Rode it around the yard a few times, then was gonna open it up down the street when it died. The fuel was off. While riding, it seemed to miss some. I wonder if somehow it got some rain in the gas.

Turned the fuel on, and it wouldn't start back. I tried everything i could without taking things apart.

He offered to let me take it home this weekend and try to diagnose the problem.

So where to start? The fuel is old, so i should drain the fuel, clean out the tank, fuel line, and petcock.

I also assume since fuel has been sitting in it for a while, the carb is gummed up. So i guess i should take it apart, soak it in some kind of solvent (carb cleaner, brake cleaner?).

The jetting is stock. I don't have any extra mj's or pj's around to rejet it with, but i know its running way rich from the spooge and looking at the plug. I'm at about 1000-2000 ft above sea level and its around 70 degrees. Could i adjust the needle a bit to lean it out?

Fuel has been mixed at 50:1 with Maxima Castor 927 which is known to gum up power valves and everything. So ill fill it up with some fresh gas mixed @ 50:1 with Amsoil Interceptor.

The plug he has in it was a 9 heat plug. That was odd for me, when i had kdx's i always ran NGK BR8ES plugs.

Anymore suggestions would be great. I've owned 2 Kdx's, but its been a while.

Thanks,
Josh

Forgot to mention. Even when the bike is SLIGHTLY leaned over or kicked hard, a little fuel will come out of the overflow. I guess that means the float is either set to high or has some junk in it and its sticking?

Sounds like a good plan to me. I run an B8ES, btw. good luck!

I wouldn't buy a bike that was left outdoors. Sure sign that bearings are all going to be shot in the suspension and wheels. For that price you quoted, you should be able to find one is near new condition.

Great point Jerry! Was it covered at all? Moisture is a killer........

I'm looking for answers to fixing the current problems, not being told i shouldn't buy the bike.

Bearings aren't a big deal anyway, they are cheap and easy to install.

And 1500 for a 02' seems to be a great deal around here, i see older bikes go for much more than that every week.

Yes it has been covered, but there was a rip in the cover near the gas tank, so i was thinking rain could have ran in there and possibly gotten into the tank somehow.

Is it just me, or have alot of people gotten a bit teste on here lately? Guess we all need to go ride!

if my post seemed out of line, i didn't mean for it to be. The bike seems to be fine other than the carb. And it is a good deal for around here. The owner told me anything that needed to be fixed, just to let him know and he would buy the parts. So ill check all the bearings.

KDX's leak fuel out of the lines when they are leaned over - that is normal.

If he is willing to let you go over it and pay for any necessary parts I would say give it a shot and get to work on it. I would get rid of the old fuel and take the carb apart and clean it. Then put new fuel with a good quailty oil back in it. Clean the filter and put in a new plug. Change the engine oil. Check to make sure the bike will run good before you look at the bearings.

If you get it running good then see what bearings or other parts may need to be replaced, especially if he is offering to pay for them. Heck, replace them anyway if he is going to pay for them.

In my experience, bikes left outside do have some problems but none that can't be fixed with a little elbow grease and lubricants. The bike I have now was kept outside, but after I changed cables and cleaned everything up it is an outstanding mount.

As far as the problem starting...the bike ran OK while fuel was in the pot, then died of fuel starvation, no? Once you drain the old fuel and put new fuel in it, I'd pull the carb fuel bowl plug loose and turn on the fuel valve to flush out the bowl with clean fuel. (this will also tell you if your tank filter is clogged). Turn off the fuel valve, replace the bowl plug, turn on the fuel and lean the bike over and let the fuel run out of the overflow lines. Choke it, kick it through very slowly about 5 times (to charge the cylinder) make sure you are kicking too slow to fire it up, then go ahead and kick it hard. I bet it fires.

1500 for an 02 would be a good price here too.

Tip the bike on its side (Kick Stand Side) & let the fuel pour out the lines. Then turn the fuel back on, choke on & kick. Also, NEW PLUG....

I would start by removing the bowl off of the bottom of the carb and removing the pilot and main jet and just take a small wire from a wire brush and slide it easily throught the jet openings, Thats what I had to do to mine when I got it, it had also be sitting for a really long time, except for mine was in a garage. fresh fuel and plug with a clean air filter should fire right up.

As I read it (as written), the bike ran out of fuel..then wouldn't start.

I do NOT read that it didn't EVER start after that. The offer of bringing it home 'this weekend' says the one-liner above is a single occurrence of 'stuff'. ..you are asking about a plan of attack once you get at it.

IF that is correct, then you simply experienced 'the way things are' with KDXs. With mine, anyway. With several different carbs and jetting all over the place.

If I run my bike out of fuel, it will NOT start after merely turning the fuel back ON and giving it a kick. Not unless you don't mind kicking yourself silly, anyway.

I pull the choke. Doesn't matter how hot it is....or isn't. If I run it out of fuel, one or two kicks with the choke on (and the gas back on) is the ticket.

The leaking part is common. For one thing, the petcock is very picky. If you wanna call 9 o'clock 'off'..8:59 or 9:01 is NOT 'off'. So...the petcock passes gas (flatulence? ), and the carb float level is either too high (OEM spec is too high when it comes to sidestand peeing), or the float inlet needle and or seat needs some attention. Replace the needle, clean the seat, set the float level to a couple mm lower than spec.

Don't know about the 'teste' part.... I do try (not always successfully) to keep a f'n civil tongue in my head regardless of whatever mindless stupid crap is posted by whomever doughhead, irritating-what-pisses-me-off maroon whose obvious purpose in life is to get on my one, single, solitary, left-existing nerve.

Can't we all just get along!!!!

Yeah...I was riding yesterday...wanna make sumthin' of it!

canyncarvr wrote: Yeah...I was riding yesterday...wanna make sumthin' of it!

Not sure you can call that riding

CC,

I did exactly what you said. After i ran out of fuel, i turned the gas on, kicked me leg off for about a min, then choked it. It fired up, but would die seconds later. That was why i was wondering about the fuel in the tank having some water in it, since the fuel valve was off, the fuel in the bowl could have been fine.

I'm going to start the work tomorrow (saturday) evening. He offered to let me pick up the bike and write me a check for whatever parts cost.

I'm guessing the float level is too high. It pee's when its on the kick stand, and it even pee's when you are kicking it hard and the bike is straight up.

And i did check the plug after i tried restarting it. It was a black oily mess. I put a new plug in, same deal. It would start, and die within a matter of seconds. Good chance there is some water in the gas tank.

Only time I've ever had water in gas issues, the bike would be hard to start but once it was running it would continue to run at idle. Only when you gave some throttle or put the motor under some load would it starve out and die

Unless the gas cap was left off or there was no vent hose attached to the cap I don't see water getting into the tank. If there's water it's probably from condensation

Have you checked the airbox and filter?

Yep, airbox and filter looks good. The gas cap has a nice crack in it, along with a small hole (not the breather hose hole). So i assume water could easily get in.

Mr. Wibbens wrote:

canyncarvr wrote: Yeah...I was riding yesterday...wanna make sumthin' of it!

Not sure you can call that riding

I'm pretty sure he rode it..... maybe he's got some photos to prove he did.

I'll sure be happy when that final nerve is finished off. Then we can learn how CC REALLY feels about things!!