Ok some of you might remember that I have been experiencing some really hard starting with the XT's and now the KLX is doing the same thing. So I decided to try something. I placed a small space heater near my wife's bike by the head and the carb, but not too close. Now keep in mind that I have tried at least 4 times to start both of the 225's and nothing. After the heater was on for 10 minutes, I went out and the wife's bike started almost before the first revolution was complete. YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!! In fact I pushed in the choke in less than a minute and it was running like it was all warmed in the middle of the summer. So that's what we know, now what I want to know is what can be done to get rid of this problem. And before someone says anything I can't afford to heat my garage. I thought of heat tape like the kind you wrap around cold water pipes, but is there anything I can do to get these bikes to start easier in the cold temperatures? Come on guys, hit me with it.........give it to me straight,........ give me your best shot,.....don't hold back,............"talk to me goose" Ok I've been up since midnight of last night since we lost power for the 5th time in a week, man I'm getting tired of this. So I might be rambling, or it may be the remnants of the caffeine from this morning, or last night, or all week. Man I need some sleep.

 

Hair dryer?

When I was a kid we used starting fluid (ether) and gave a shot directly into the air intake. That'll wake it up, regardless of temp. Kind'a hard to do that on the KLX, though, without removing the seat.

 

Deej,

Don't know anything about the 225, but for the KLX 250 I found that if i closed the gas petcock on my bike each time i was done riding, it took a bit to start when it got cooler out (low 40s a few weeks back). My friend said that he leaves his open all the time to ensure that he doesn't get any sort of vaporlock with his DRZ400.

I tried leaving the gas petcock open during the week and when trying to start it the next time in slightly warmer temps (Upper fourties) the following weekend and it started right up.

I guess just to rule out the possibility, are you turning off your gas petcock each time you put it in the garage or are you leaving it on all the time?

If your turing it off, you may want to consider leaving it on and see if it helps. (did you try that hotter spark plug??)

 

I remember from my youth when my Granddad would put a flood lamp under his hood, next to the engine block to keep it warm during Montana winters. Of course having the engine compartment made a kind of heat box.

Willum
TC
Wichita Falls, TX

 

I have never and will never turn off the gas petcock. I will try the hotter plug, but I think there must be a really good way to fix this. Oh by the way Starting fluid is the worst thing you can do to an engine. Learned that many many years ago from my stepdad.

 

Ok, I have been lurking way to long here...I too live in Washington State (Buckley Area) where we have had some very cold temps this week. My bike will not start either. The last two times, I have had to push start it from wearing down the battery. When I was a kid I used to take a propane torch and warm the head to start my bike. I have had many other Kawasaki bikes as an adult and not had this problem. I have enjoyed reading everyone's posts and feel like I know some of you even though I have never spoke up.

Jeff Miller

Buckley, Wa

 

I've had to do the hair dryer and shop light trick to my buddy's Yamaha Moto4 200 ATV and his Timberwolf ATV, neither of them would start in the winter without first being warmed. Our old Moto4 225 was the same way, if it was cold out and it didn't start the first few times you tried, it was done, finito, not riding today. I've noticed the KLX is a bit cantankerous lately when it comes to starting, I've tried the petcock on and off when leaving it as well as shutting it off and letting it run for a few minutes, as well as shutting off the petcock, letting it run for a while, then revving it up and killing it as the revs drop, nothing seems to make a difference. Just a matter of holding the starter button for a few seconds and fiddle with the choke, wash rinse repeat and usually within 2 minutes it will start.



Its the darndest (that a word?) thing though, our Sporstman 500 can sit all summer, pull the choke and it fires up on the 3 revolution at the very latest. This past winter it was our plow vehicle (this winter also) and even at 30 below pull the choke and it fires right up, aside from also being a snowmobile manufacturer, what the heck does Polaris know about cold starting that Kawasaki doesn't?[sm=dontgetit.gif]

 

I was reminded that in cold weather my idle runs a little lower. It could be the leaner mixture. But I turned up the idle to about 1500 RPM and it's starting a lot easier. I really fought starting it after letting it sit for about 6 weeks. I let it sit a few hours and tried it again later. It finally started. Could have been vapor lock, but I did have the petcock open while it was stored. I also tpyically use 89 Octane with 10% ethanol... since that whats availalbe at most gas stations, and it seems ot run fine. however, ethanol absorbs moisture and doesn't stay fresh as long.

 

Back to the basics, an engine fires when it has gas, compression, and spark.

What are the differences between a very cold engine that starts right up and a very cold engine that won't?

Cant just be the cold engine head, since both the quick starting engine and the slow / no starting one are the same temperature.

Gas influx perhaps? which may be why starting fluid works?? If so, what can we change on the carb to get more gas?

Is it just gas?? Why would Kawaski make a cold weather spark plug unless the amount of spark plays a role as well??

Just some thoughts to get the creative juices flowing...

 

Oh yee of limited imagination - I can thing a soooo many things worse than starting fluid. Hmm, maybe hitting it with a hammer, pouring sand into the spark plug hole, running with no oil, hey I'm not even getting warmed up, no pun intended.

There's nothing wrong with starting fluid when used for what it is intended, i.e., provide a few squirts of fuel that will remain a vapor long enough to actually ignite even when things are very very cold, as opposed to condensing in the intakes like your gasoline is doing. You really have but one choice and that is heat the engine up. You can do that by external heat like your space heater, hair dryer, whatever. Or you can give a squirt of starting fluid which allows the engine to kick itself over a few times which in turn heats it up a bit. How is that possibly going to hurt your engine? Just curious.