Starting problem

[Replay]

Hello everyone, new member here..... I just got a 1999 Kawasaki 250 and if it sits for a couple of days it doesn't want to start. It has good spark and if I pull the plug and put a small amount of mix in the spark plug hole it will fire in one or two kicks. After I get it started that way it will start fine till it sits again for a day or two (I know just ride it everyday
Anyone have any ideas for me to check? The choke lever seems to be working, at least it makes a difference after I get it running.
Any tricks to get the fuel cycling for the first start?
Thanks for any and all help,
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[Woody_393]

First off welcome to ATM.

Second. I'm a thumper guy, but It could be that the bike is a little lean on the low end which makes it not want to start.

Have you messed with your air screw at all? I would start by finding out where it's at currently and then maybe turn it in a 1/4 to a 1/2 turn and see if it gets easier to start after that.

What plug are you running also?

[Yardpro393]

make sure you turn youe fuel petcock off. soundl like the carb is filling and a little is running into the combustion chamber/crank

[Replay]

Thanks for the welcome and help.
The plug that is in it is a NGK BR8ES and the service manual calls for a NGK BR8EVX... I Don't know if there is any difference?? But I will pick up a couple of the NGK BR8EVX's on the way to work today.

I turn the petcock off and I pulled the line to the carb and it does shut off good, also last time I run it I turned the petcock off and ran some of the gas out of the carb befor I shut it off.

I checked the pilot screw and it was turned all the way in, I turned the idle down and adjusted the air screw but it didn't seem to make any difference in the idle speed so I just set it to 1 and 1/2 turns out for now. That left about 3 threads showing on the air screw. Maybe the air passage is plugged I will check it out when I get another day off. The odd part is that it idles and runs really good.

Thanks again for the help,
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[Woody_393]

sounds like your on the right track now. Just keep messing with it (the air screw I mean) and see if you can get it to start better.

All the way in would mean your getting no air at all I believe.

[KXrdr101]

Hello,
I am new to the forum but i will give you my two sense on this......I also had the same problem woth my 125 not starting the first kick, thanks to all the work my BF did on it he found multiple problems in the jetting..... Anyway one of the problems with mine not starting first kick was that it was really lean on the Pilot jet

[beefydog]

Yes I agree with Kxrdr, I tryed putting two sizes smaller pilot on my bike(when it was hot humid summer), and it was easy to start once it was warm, or if you shut it down for awhile. After washing the bike, and it was cold, it wouldnt start without some extra motivation. Pilot jets are only a few bucks and not terribly hard to replace. Where do you live? Is it getting colder outside, thats probly why it does it. Good luck.

[Replay]

Welcome to the forum KXrdr... I am kinda new here myself :
Thanks for your input also beefydog its all apprecated!

Monday I am going to take the carb apart and clean it all with carb cleaner and compressed air. I did have time today to get the carb off and take a quick peek at it. I found out why adjusting the air screw didn't make any difference. Someone thought they could improve on the design by putting a really short air screw in there that it didn't reach the other side of the carb where the tapered part of the screw is suppose to go! Oh well... :
The pilot jet was a 45 and the main was a 158... The elevlation here is about 1,200. If cleaning/fixing doesn't do the trick I will get a couple more jets to try.
Thanks again!
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[Woody_393]

LOL, good thing you found that. Very good find and yes welcome to all of you. Good to have you.

[Replay]

Cleaned out the carb really good. Noticed that the coil was mounted on a good thick coat of power coat, not sure how it even worked... LOL, must have been a good ground somewhere else. Anyways pulled the coil and used a small wire wheel on a drill and shined up the metal where the coil mounts. Fresh gas and new plug.... It took a few kicks but I got it to start without pulling the plug and putting in a teaspoon of fuel!
Thanks again for the help everyone,
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How does that go.... Let the good times roll

[paul reed]

ya gotta kick it like Bruce Lee-try starting a cr500 and you`ll see how easy you have it...where were all these helpfull guys when i was a kid with a dead minibike...

[Replay]

Makes sense Paul.... I will put my boots on "before" I warm it up :