Hello everyone,
I am a proud new owner of a 09 KLX250S. I bought it for a ranch bike and will spend most of its life in the dirt. Since it is still breaking in i have not even pushed it at all. From what I could tell it is gonna need a little tuning. I live at 7800 feet and can go plus or minus 1000 feet pretty quickly.
Anyway, I have somehow got some sort of gremlins. The bike has never been a super quick start and I figured it might be the altitude and it being fresh. After washing a little mud off the bike and I ran the bowl dry I came out in the morning and the bike just turned over. Occasional sputter with full choke but nothing that would 'catch'. Now it has been two days of tinkering and I am not closer to getting the bike started. The only thing I have noticed is it appears the spark is very very weak. The spark doesn't go from the center electrode to the side electrode. Rather, it comes out of the side of the center electrode and makes contact around the metal case rim. I will try another spark plug but I gotta get to town. The spark itself is very thin and often barely visible. It doesn’t seem healthy to me but I am not that familiar with the electrical systems on these bikes. Is a normal spark not visible unless the stator is outputting? I have also checked all connections, fuses, and even go as far as pull and clean carburetor.
Any help troubleshooting this issue would be appreciated. Also, does the tool kit some with the bike. I have order the shop manual but it isn’t supposed to get here until next week.
Loved it for the 5 times and 28 miles. Was already thinking about upgrades. Not sure how to do the jetting. Thinking about the full muzzy and trying to get more air in. Not even sure I would need to rejet. What do ya think? I think I need to focus and getting the air to flow. The dealership has been unfriendly and tells me they can get to looking at it in a couple weeks.
What a bummer. Thanks so much!

 

bummer on the dealer. there are others.... I wold not worry about the spark. these are electronic, not the ol points set up, so the spark while holding against ground trick is not effective (at least that is what I witnessed.). If you washed it, you may have got water in it perhaps? whad did you find in the carb? anything odd?

 

If you have been turning it over ally the spark could in fact be weak, make sure you have a good charge on the battery. Also, I posted a link to an electronic copy of the service manual just search for it and you can download it.

 

Thanks for the posts. I did not notice anything odd in the carb. All looked clean and brand new. Cleaned it with carb cleaner. I just brushed the spark plug, checked gap and spark. Wasn’t very dirty either.
I haven't let the battery run down and have even put it on a trickle while tyring to get it started.
Thanks again. Checking out the backup now.

 

if the spark is not going across the set gap you may have a bad plug, mine was cooked after a few hundred miles- the setup is too lean and if your at 7500 it might not take much running in your super lean condition, more fuel will cool things down a bit.

 

My SF starts right up cold with the choke and I always immediately shut it off and the bike continues to idle with no additional throttle. It has always done this stock and now with the pipe and jet kit. If I remember these carbs do not have an idle air mixture screw to mess with so I guess this is out...curious what you find out...

 

Take the airbox lid off, and try starting it. I had my bike at 8600ft on vacation in Colorado, and it woldn't start. I changed some main jets trying to get it running, but I think I ended up using the stock main jet and I know I left the lid off the air box.
Dan

 

Heres a thread I started, asking about higher altitude jetting. I forgot to say in my first reply to you that I also put on a free flowing aftermarket air filter. My bike was stock at the time too, so don't pay attention to all the jetting stuff in my signature now.

https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...ad.php?t=21459

 

Leaving the lid off will make it leaner and worse to start.

As the bike is under warranty I suggest you try the dealer, if you cannot use the dealer can you try another dealer? If your not worried about the warranty I suggest you get larger jets for the carbie or a jetting kit (can't remember the brand offhand).

 

I would replace the plug first but what was the temperature where and when you tried to start it? At 7800 FASL and the dryness of your area if it got cold at night that could cause it to not want to start. These bikes are really cold blooded. They can can be very difficult to start when it is cold out (even 40-50 degrees). If it has been cold at night try leaning the bike way over until some gas runs out the carb vent. Then shake the bike and try to start it. Or remove the seat and air filter and squirt some gas directly into the carb. If the bike started and ran for the first 28 miles at your present location then it probably isn't the jetting thats keeping it from starting at all (unless you sucked something into the idle jet and plugged it) although proper adjustment of the idle mixture screw will improve starting. Most bikes are jetted from the factory for sea level. however most bikes with s/l jetting will start and run just about anywhere maybe not optimally but will at least start and run.These bikes do have an idle mixture adjustment screw but the government makes the manufacturer put a metal plug over it. Drill the Welch plug out/ off and then you can set it. There is a bunch of info out there on this and jetting correctly for your elevation. Jetting often gets blamed but is rarely the cause of most problems (unless they are plugged).