Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Grrr ...

Went to Bunnings on the way home to get some DIY shit, the missus was heading out to have dinner with some friends, so I had to look after my kids.

As luck would have it, I got in and out of the shop quickly, tried to start my still hot bike.... Cranked fine for a while, started to get tired, still not firing....

Left it for a bit, gave a couple of small stabs at the starter,still nothing.....

Left it for 15 minutes to cool down a bit, said a prayer and it started !! Sluggish starter, which then sped up, then the engine fired, but it seemed as though it was a spluttering kind of start until it fired up proper.

Normally every morning the bike starts like a champ, with a little choke from cold, the charging circuit seems fine.

Anyone else had a Kwakka, especially a ZX7, give issues Hot starting ??

Ta.
Kilt.

I have the same issues just not as bad, possibly because it is running rich......I think it goes away in winter time.
I guess that's the thing with carbs.

MMMMM
Mechanic mate say's hard to start hot is usually Valve Trouble

My ZX7R used to do the same thing even after the valve clearences were checked and a new timing chain. I would normally have to push start it unless I let it cool down for half an hour.

Greenblood wrote:I have the same issues just not as bad, possibly because it is running rich......I think it goes away in winter time.
I guess that's the thing with carbs.

Thx Greenblood, maybe the bike runs cooler during the winter, making it easierto restart ?

seiko1 wrote:MMMMM
Mechanic mate say's hard to start hot is usually Valve Trouble

What's your bike got for kms on the clock Seiko ?? Mines got 39,000... runs sweet with no smoke or rattles from the timing chain, maybe I need my valves adjusting ? But then again frl0173 says....

frl0173 wrote:My ZX7R used to do the same thing even after the valve clearences were checked and a new timing chain. I would normally have to push start it unless I let it cool down for half an hour.

Bugger, so it looks like a symptom of ZX7's then..... So push starting works every time if needed ???

I think I am going to do a full checkup on my ignition system, plugs, battery, charging circuit etc...... At least then it I have hot starting troubles I have decent juice going through the starting circuit, I might even fit a switch for the headlights, turn them off for when I start the bike, that should save a bit of power when needed the most....

Odd, never had a drama with either of my 7R's

I've got a ZZR1100 1991 Model
113,000 on it.
Runs sweeeeet!

easy to start when cold and hard when hot is usually one of 3 things,
valve clearances
running a bit rich
timing out.
now id rule out timing unless youve done some mods hehe.
running rich, possibly
valves, possibly
although valve clearances can affect cold start up to, so id go with running a touch rich,
have you checked your air filter lately?
cheers Tim

This one's giving you nothing but trouble eh Kilt?

kawasaki250 wrote:......although valve clearances can affect cold start up to, so id go with running a touch rich.....

thats the one.

Once the valve clearances start to tighten up, then cold starting gradually gets harder and harder - if the clearances close 'right' up, then the bike will be damn near impossible to start cold - but should start hot, no worries.

I'd be starting with the battery - how old is it ? These things are always the most cantakerous bastards - and can just *die* without much forewarning...

kawasaki250 wrote:easy to start when cold and hard when hot is usually one of 3 things,
valve clearances
running a bit rich
timing out.
now id rule out timing unless youve done some mods hehe.
running rich, possibly
valves, possibly
although valve clearances can affect cold start up to, so id go with running a touch rich,
have you checked your air filter lately?
cheers Tim

Yup I can confirm that from cold she starts first time every time, immediate startup, no timing chain slap at all, even when cold, so the valves should be fine.

I must admit, I have not checked the basics since buying (Swapping) the bike for my previous one, I just swapped and rode the thing ..

I just went for seat of the pants test rides, all felt good and REVS checked OK, so there we go.

Cedric25 wrote:This one's giving you nothing but trouble eh Kilt?

LOL, well Cedric, if you were around on this forum when I owned my old ZXR250, this is a walk in the park to date, compared to what I went through getting that bike sorted !! I reckon my knees have just recovered after running back up hills with the little bastard until I fixed the charging system ....

The funny thing is, the most reliable bike I ever owned to date was my Hyosung !! (It did only have 493kms when I bought it but ....)

It's all good, from buying my first bike to now, I have done ALL my own work and learned heaps, I can now pretty much rebuild whatever I like, so it's all a plus in my opinion, with the help of others like on this forum you can do anything you put your mind to, which brings me to the guy who taught me the value of "Wizards Piss" !! . The Gosling:

Gosling1 wrote:

kawasaki250 wrote:......although valve clearances can affect cold start up to, so id go with running a touch rich.....

thats the one.

Once the valve clearances start to tighten up, then cold starting gradually gets harder and harder - if the clearances close 'right' up, then the bike will be damn near impossible to start cold - but should start hot, no worries.

I'd be starting with the battery - how old is it ? These things are always the most cantakerous bastards - and can just *die* without much forewarning...

Yup Gos, I shall be checking the battery, Air filter, plugs, leads etc this weekend, I was told it was serviced 500kms ago, so let's see what the oil looks like ....

Thanks for all your help guys

well if you havent done anything id check air filter and change plugs and drop a bit of metho in the fuel tank to clean it up a bit

kawasaki250 wrote:well if you havent done anything id check air filter and change plugs and drop a bit of metho in the fuel tank to clean it up a bit

Metho?

i had this problem i while back . after running up and down hills and crawling off to the side of the road when it wouldnt restart in city traffic ichecked the terminals and battery and charging all seemed fine. it was one of the wires going to one of the solenoids and it just wasnt connected properly and just wasnt making enough contact to give that extra ooomph when the starter and engine was a little hot. took me about two months to figure it out until i stumbled across then connection under the seat.

metho cleans the crud petrol leaves behind and absorbs waters and burns the water that petrol can leave, i put some in my bikes about once a month only a little bit though