Couple of guys here have aftermarket cams with no KACR and they never reported starter issues.

Why would Kawi install a starter that needs an ACR to work effectively ? Makes no sense. What about all the other bikes out there that never had a compression release installed ? Super heavy duty starters ?

 

I think the guy with the 650 could still kick it, but he said it was dangerously hard to do with the kick back. The starter would start it, it just had a hard time with the stock battery, which I think he replaced with one that had more CCA to fix the issue.
Why would Kawasaki use one? Because engineers design the bike, not mechanics or riders. Engineers like to fix invisible problems sometimes. No disrespect to them, this just seems like an appendix to the bike. It's fine until it's not, then you've got problems, just like in humans.

 

Lets' just talk 250.... we don't have a kick starter.

Do we have anyone here with non KACR cams or anyone who removed the unit?

 

Here's a "for what it's worth". Since this thread is about a year old from inception, I may have already posted what I do, bear with me if I already have... I'm not going through every single reply.

I think I remember something about pressing the KACR body out of the cam and repositioning it, but not sure.

We with the KLX650s seem to run into some issues sometimes. My solution came about because of what I experienced, nothing else.

My problem was gas - yes, gas. The gas blend is now so mediocre, using additives that can evaporate in a short time, that my bike will not start if the gas in the carb floatbowl is over about 5 days old. I drain the floatbowl and the bike fires almost instantly. The gas that comes out is so pathetic it won't even light with a match... after only about a week.

The only times this has failed has been when I needed a new plug, having bump started it a few times, then finally pulling everything to put in a new plug and fire up instantly. The other time has been when the battery has been a bit low and the bike sitting in below freezing conditions for up to 6 hours (aka really cold, thick oil).

In the 650 I have had the KACR spring come off twice, but the second time I looked it over and did a bit of squeezing on the hook ends to close them up a bit and put it on in a way I thought might be harder to come off. Don't ask, because I don't remember how that was, it's been that long ago. Besides I don't know if the 250 is similar or not.

I will reinforce my claim about lousy gas. We dealt with that on ATVs when I was selling them and have had both friends and 650 forum members pretty much back up what I"m saying. Fresh gas in the floatbowl works wonders.

I have no idea what the life of the gas flammability might be in the 250, but in the 650 it's only about a week. In my in-line four it's a bit better, but the engine also spins up easier so there's a better chance of firing. Still it is only good for maybe about 3 weeks and then a couple of cylinders won't fire for a bit. Every day or every other day riding seems to take care of the issues for my bikes.

Take it however you want, but it's a free fix that might just do it. If you yank the KACR you may find it works fine until it gets cold enough to have both the thick oil and compression overcome the battery and starter. Which brings up another solution if it works fine in warmer conditions - point a 150w spot at the clutch cover side of the engine to put a bit of heat into it or figure out if you can get some kind of mini-block heater to warm up the oil. Heck making a fixture to have a spot on the floor pointing up toward the engine would work to warm it up.

 

TIGER and WildWill are two off hand that i know of with aftermarket cams sans KACR but both are big bore and have pumper carbs IIRC.

I believe someone posted a year or so back that the KACR was designed to only activate at kickstarter speeds anyway and that the starter with a properly charged battery should spin the engine fast enough that the KACR isn't even activated.

 

My observation from cranking & running the motor with the valve cover off is that the the KACR's flyweights open to deactivate it only once the motor is running. At rest & cranking speeds the KACR is activated to open the left exhaust valve on the compression stroke.

 

Thanks klx678, I can see how bad gas could cause difficulty starting. I have installed an in-line fuel primer bulb between the petcock & carb to ensure that I can get some fresh gas into the carb prior to cranking. It has definitely helped a lot with cold starting when ambient temperatures are around 0C (30F), but once we get down to -10C (10F), it's of no real benefit anymore, and I am still left with a bike that won't start, period.

 

Using a lighter oil is perhaps worth trying but I never really gave it any serious consideration as an aid to cold starting because to my ear, the cranking speed still seems adequate. I have also tried boosting off a car battery with no success. The issue is that I am simply not getting ANY hint of a fire when ambient temperatures are cold (-10C, 10F).

I do turn off the petcock when parked (it was ingrained in me back when I used to ride bikes fitted with Amals & Bings which demanded that the petcock was off when the bike was parked!) . I also have a fuel primer bulb with gets some fresh gas into the carb when I go to start it.

 

To all that have provided input on my cold start conundrum, I am grateful!

After living with the little KLX for 2 years now and attempting many fixes suggested by you over that time (.018 starter jet drill out, carb cleaning & inspection, compression test, valve clearance inspection, KACR inspection, fresh fuel supply, etc) I think I am now at the point of confidently saying that EVERYTHING checks out and functions as it should on the bike. I now believe that it was simply not designed with consideration for what some may call "extreme" cold temperatures (anything below -10C or 10F).The bike starts & operates exactly as it should above freezing, and also operates exactly as it should below freezing, except that it's a b!tch to start.

At the risk of editorializing, I find it frustrating that what was a new bike in 2009 is unable to deal with a little cold. I have owned carburated bikes as old as 1967 an have never encountered such a stubborn cold start as the KLX.

Thanks again. I am now off to the annual Calgary motorcycle show to see if anything catches my eye!

 

Do they make block heaters for bikes?