weak spark puzzle.

[Kurt Simpson]

> I am a new 2001 klr650 owner. The dealer strongly pushed the > importance of a 500 mile first maintenance. Is there any reason that > I can not do this on my own. Does doing your own service negate the > factory warrantee? How good of an idea is it to extend the warrantee?

The list has walked many many folks through the 500 mile and every other check so yes, do it yourself if you have any mechanical abilities...doing your own service does not negate the warranty, document your work and keep your receipts. To my knowledge only one lister has benefitted greatly from the extended warranty but trust your own instincts... Kurt

[Jim Barthell]

Hi Kurt it's been a couple years.... Anyway in the strictest sense you are correct but I did have that incident with my '95 several years ago where I performed the "muffler" service. You know where you're supposed to pull that small bolt and tap on the muffler with a wrench.... yeah right.... the bolt was rusted shut and sheared off with almost no effort. Kawasaki refused to cover it under warranty since a dealer had not performed the service..... It was a bolt, I turned it with a wrench per the instructions it sheared during normal maintenance fer crissakes.... (gosh I thought I had gotten that out of my system years ago!). Jim Barthell

> -----Original Message----- > From: Kurt Simpson [mailto:dsneditor@...]

.doing your own service does not negate the warranty,

[Kurt Simpson]

> Hi Kurt it's been a couple years.... Anyway in the strictest sense you are > correct but I did have that incident with my '95 several years ago where I > performed the "muffler" service.

Hi Jim, nice to hear from you again...what have you been up to? Any Iron butting? I'm still grateful to you for the advice on "scalloping" the Corbin around the grab handles. I wonder if you couldn't have pressed that issue on the warranty... Kurt

[LawsonCL@aol.com]

The patient: 1999 KLR650 with 8,000 miles The symptom: Weak spark. Plenty of cranking power but very little spark when the engine is hot. Starts quickly when cold. Starting is better with the spark plug cap resistor replaced by aluminum foil. Starting is better still with the headlight disconnected, too. Other considerations: New coil was installed last Thursday. Clutch and sidestand switches are still connected. Your thoughts on what to test, where to turn, next, etc.: Thanks, Chris Lawson