Wilsons Sandbox

> Tried to start the KLR 650 today, hadn't been run in about three > weeks, and the temperature has been below freezing for about a week

Preheat the motor. I use a 100,000 BTU space heater, but those are expensive. You can use a heat lamp under the motor, Wally World has the heat lamp bulbs for about six dollars. Farm supply stores usually have them also. Heat lamp under the motor for even 30 minutes should help. Don't put it too close, they get really hot. Allan A14

-----Original Message----- From: billshel2003 [mailto:billshel@...] Sent: Monday, December 08, 2003 8:24 PM To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_klr650] Hard start in cold weather Tried to start the KLR 650 today, hadn't been run in about three weeks, and the temperature has been below freezing for about a week (2200 ft in Vermont). Full choke, no throttle, it would just barely fire but not start, it would chug along with the starter. If I gave it any throttle it wouldn't fire. Eventually, it did start, just when it was noticeable that the battery was losing it. --- Have you drained the carb bowl into a container and looked for water,,,? I haven't done the pilot screw (?) adjustment, the one on the bottom of the carb where you have to drill to get to it. I think I have read where people call it the "pilot idle mixture", if this is true then maybe a little richer on the idle would do the trick starting it in the cold, plus maybe improve performance overall? Any input/info would be greatly appreciated. ----stock bike - or??? Also, saw the Corbin bike show on Speedvision channel, did a segment on the Battery Tender, I think I will get one since I want to keep the bike running all winter (ride on those balmy 20F days rather than winterize it). I saw a thread a while ago on the Battery Tender, any comments again? ---- SLOW trickle chargers - other on the list are fluent.... Finally, the bike handled like a greased pig in the hard pack (snow). IRC GP110's front (15psi) and rear (15psi). I guess I need studs. ---- A member named DEVON has this handled - He rides on in the winter, as do I, but he does it in SNOW. Bill Mike T A16 Las Vegas

Top posted for your enjoyment... Drill that cap off that idle mixture (pilot circuit) and adjust it. Can start with 2 full turns out, that about where starting gets good. Thats 2 full turns from being bottomed out. Slowly and carefully bottom the screw without jamming its into the seat, then try it at 2 full turns out. Its free and really did help make the bike run better for me. http://members.aol.com/roundr1/CVK40.html Shows alot of info, but about 3/4 way down the page shows where it is located on the bottom of the carb. Dooden A15 Green Ape

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Allan Patton" wrote: > > Tried to start the KLR 650 today, hadn't been run in about three > > weeks, and the temperature has been below freezing for about a week > > Preheat the motor. I use a 100,000 BTU space heater, but those are > expensive. You can use a heat lamp under the motor, Wally World has the heat > lamp bulbs for about six dollars. Farm supply stores usually have them also. > Heat lamp under the motor for even 30 minutes should help. Don't put it too > close, they get really hot. > > Allan A14

Oh btw if you really want to make it right on the money. Mr Jake makes/sells a tool for adjusting easy. http://www.sagebrushmachine.com/pilottool.html Even explains just how to work it into that sweet spot. I took a small screwdriver bit, you know the replaceable tips for screwguns and such, clamped it in the vice and used a dremel to cut off almost all of the hex area, so it would fit, and just used that, since I figured I would only need it once. Dooden A15 Green Ape I firmly believe that if I do not have the right tool, I am pretty sure I can rig something up to get by.

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Dooden" wrote: > Top posted for your enjoyment... > > Drill that cap off that idle mixture (pilot circuit) and adjust it. > > Can start with 2 full turns out, that about where starting gets good. > Thats 2 full turns from being bottomed out. > > Slowly and carefully bottom the screw without jamming its into the > seat, then try it at 2 full turns out. > > Its free and really did help make the bike run better for me. > > http://members.aol.com/roundr1/CVK40.html > > Shows alot of info, but about 3/4 way down the page shows where it is > located on the bottom of the carb. > > Dooden > A15 Green Ape > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Allan Patton" wrote: > > > Tried to start the KLR 650 today, hadn't been run in about three > > > weeks, and the temperature has been below freezing for about a week > > > > Preheat the motor. I use a 100,000 BTU space heater, but those are > > expensive. You can use a heat lamp under the motor, Wally World has > the heat > > lamp bulbs for about six dollars. Farm supply stores usually have > them also. > > Heat lamp under the motor for even 30 minutes should help. Don't put > it too > > close, they get really hot. > > > > Allan A14

At 04:23 AM 12/9/03 +0000, billshel2003 wrote:

>Battery Tender, I think I will get one since I want to keep >the bike running all winter (ride on those balmy 20F days rather than >winterize it). I saw a thread a while ago on the Battery Tender, any >comments again?

Walmart now has a m/c battery maintainer in their auto dept for $16.99. Looks equivalent to the Tender. Ride safe, Don Kime - VFR750F, GL1500SE, GL1100, KLR 650 OH - M/C Safety Instructor/RiderCoach dkime@... http://forums.delphiforums.com/MCTourer/

> Tried to start the KLR 650 today, hadn't been run in about three > weeks, and the temperature has been below freezing for about a week > (2200 ft in Vermont). Full choke, no throttle, it would just barely > fire but not start, it would chug along with the starter. If I gave > it any throttle it wouldn't fire. Eventually, it did start

>> I store the bike in an unheated shed and start it every couple of weeks in the winter. It always starts reluctantly. I remove the air filter and squirt starting fluid (ether) or Wal-Mart carb and choke cleaner (dirt cheap) into the carb before starting. Both work the same and this helps a ton. Bike is a mostly stock '98. No mods to carb or intake. Don't take this personally but there's no way I'm getting on a bike in the winter. Thanks.

At 4:23 AM +0000 12/9/03, billshel2003 wrote:

>Tried to start the KLR 650 today, hadn't been run in about three >weeks, and the temperature has been below freezing for about a week >(2200 ft in Vermont). Full choke, no throttle, it would just barely >fire but not start, it would chug along with the starter. If I gave >it any throttle it wouldn't fire. Eventually, it did start, just when >it was noticeable that the battery was losing it.

Shove a glove in the intake before you crank it. Mark

Was the temperature too low for the weight of the oil you run? When it gets into the teens 10w40 (or some such) makes my KLR start noticeably easier than 20w50. -Lujo

>>Tried to start the KLR 650 today, hadn't been run in about three >>weeks, and the temperature has been below freezing for about a week >>(2200 ft in Vermont). Full choke, no throttle, it would just barely >>fire but not start, it would chug along with the starter. If I gave >>it any throttle it wouldn't fire. Eventually, it did start, just when >>it was noticeable that the battery was losing it. > > > Shove a glove in the intake before you crank it. > Mark

Starting a bike in cold weather, and not running the entire thing up to operating temperature for a while, is a horrible thing to do to a motor. All it does is generate condensation in the oil, and the exhaust. You need to heat oil up to 175-180degF and hold it there for a while to drive the moisture out of it. You are much better off changing the oil before you put it away, filling the tank to the top with gasoline treated with Stabil (the most important step), and draining the carb bowl. Disconnect the battery, or use a tender on a timer that only runs the thing for 24hrs a week. Spray WD40 or silicon spray on anything that might rust, put a breatheable dust cover on it and forget it until spring. Idling a motorcycle does not charge the battery at all. It might if you shut off every single light bulb and turned the idle up to 2000rpm but that's just silly. I've ridden my KLR through the last two winters, and doing this one as well. Use a battery tender overnight twice a week, and be careful with the electric vest and grips (don't use them for city riding). If you need starting fluid, there's something wrong with your bike. Devon kaub@... wrote:

> >I store the bike in an unheated shed and start it every couple of weeks in the winter. It always starts reluctantly. >I remove the air filter and squirt starting fluid (ether) > >