brand new engine wont start?????????

[500freak]

i have a 87 500 with,
88-04 piston
bored 86.5
v-force reeds
40mm carb
moose torque spacer all new.
  when you kick it all it does is pop out the exhaust, not through the carb. ive moved the timing did normal trouble shooting but, cant find the problem  WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT please shoot me some ideas, THANKS.

[toomany]

Mine was doing this (also an 87). I could kick till I was blue in the face and only get a pop out off the exhasut. My situation was a few problems compounding into a bigger one.

1: I wasn't using the propper "technique" for kicking the bike. Find TDC, bring the kicker to the very top, then kick it all the way through the peg. I'm right around 150lbs, leaning the bike against a wall or tree helps a ton.

2: I didn't have the carb adjusted correctly/jetting was off. It was spotless on the inside. I also upgraded to a newer PWK (moslty because I didn't have the Mikuni). After getting all ticked off about it not starting I decided to hold it wide open while kicking it (don't ask), it started second kick this way. Now that I have the jetting dialed, it still likes the tinyest bit of throttle when on the choke. I grab the front brake so I don't over throttle it.

3: I messed with the timing durring this process, found out that the stock setting was the best. I'm thinking about retarding it though, just to move the power up a little bit.

4: I went through quite a few spark plugs before I got everything working in harmony. A new one made starting much easier.

Now that I have everything dialed in, the bike will start 2 kicks when cold and one when warm. Has awesome throttle response and pull all the way to the top.

FWIW: My combo of parts is: 87 motor, 88 up piston, Boysen Power Reeds, Keihin Pwk carb, 58piliot, 168main, 1.75 turns on the air screw, Pro Circut Platnium pipe with Pro Circut Nature Friendly Spark Arrestor, new crank seals/bearings and KIPS valve correctly adjusted.

[500freak]

thanks man. hope this works!!!!!!

[maddoggy]

make sure the flywheel key didnt shear. that has stumped many of k5 guys

[Mick]

I don't know how you rebuild motors, but when I put a fresh top end in I smear a light film of oil on the bore.  This causes it to be pig rich during the first start...lots of pops and no music.  Holding the throttle open (I hold it full open) as toomany mentioned slows the air velocity down in the carb reducing the amount of fuel/oil being consumed by the motor each kick.  Now the motor will cycle through the excess oil in no time and be ready to roar to life as soon as it's no longer plug fouling rich.

[HodaddyB]

Sorry to revive a somewhat dead thread, but since '87 owners have been chiming in on this one, I'd like to confirm that the later ('88 & up) pistons will indeed work w/ no caveats.

I found out today that '87 pistons are no longer available from Kaw, which is probably something everyone else here knows.

Are there any other later model engine parts that can be used, or perhaps HAVE to be used due to obsolescence?

I believe there is a rod kit available from Hot Rods or Moose, my local dealer told me that the stock '87 rods are on backorder.

I appreciate any help

[500freak]

it ended up being my cdi.  i thought they either worked or didnt, guess i was wrong.