K5 starting questions

[tcoop474]

I'm having a pretty hard time getting my k5 to crank. It'll backfire everynow and then I got it to crank once so far. I'm 123lbs so not much ass behind the kicks but I get it to turn over a good bit just won't fire. I checked the plug it looks okay but its a bp7es ain't it supposed to be a br8eix?

[Friar-Tuck]

Hey Coop,
 There is a long thread on how to start, so there are many variations.  One common piece (I think) inthat puzzle is getting the piston to or in your case just past TDC. By doing so you can at least get everything moving and get at least one full revolution of the engine.
  Slowly move the kicker until you feel the compression get to the highest point you can feel.
   This may take a few "Cycles" of the kicker to see what I'm talking about.  Once you feel you have gotten to or just past the point of most compression stop.  Bring your foot back up to the top of the stroke on the kicker,  use your left leg to jump up and come down on your right leg while kicking down.
  (There is a video of a chap username Rob129 from CR500riders.com that made a video explaining this whole sequence, I'll look for it when we get home from church.)

The other part of the equasion (I use) is always starting and warming up the bike while still tied down in the truck.  That way you don't have to worry about balancing the bike while jumping up and then down on the kick.   Once my bike is warmed up it is 98% one kick the rest of the day.

 The only experience I had with kicking back was when I was messing with the timing.   Once I set the timimng back to the original Center timing mark I didn't have any problems.   

  The breix 7 is a hotter burning plug than the 8 or 9  That is the heat range on an NGK
  I use a 7 as I mainly plunk around the mountains on single track and rarely "open her up"
A guy who rides the dunes and desert would be well served using a 9 as the bike spends more time between 3/4 and W.O.T.    The plug will dissapate heat built up by long periods of large throttle. 
  do a search on sparkplugs and find more than you will ever need to know 
    Got to go, try the just after tdc on your starting and I would suggest a 8 series heat range (NGK) for starters.
  Tuck\o/

[tcoop474]

Thank you tuck. I have already read that read way before I got a kickstart lever for the k5. I always do put it a tdc before kicking. Its my fault I didn't ask the question the right way I don't guess.
What I'm asking is what are some reason as to why it won't crank or why its so hard. I can tell a huge difference in kicking it Friday to yesterday.
Its not wanting to crank. Friday it hadn't been ran in bout 3 months and I could crank it in about 5the kicks. Yesterday however I kicked it for hours literally hours 3 to be exact and it would not ever crank

[81cr450]

If your jetting is off it would make it harder to start, 3 months ago was summer jetting. Did you turn off your fuel when you put it away, could be flooded pull your plug & see if it is wet. Basic's air, fuel, spark. Air doesnt really go bad as long as you clean your filter, so fuel & spark are generally where to look. I'd lean to flodded where you say its harder to kick. Hope it helps   

[Friar-Tuck]

I kicked it for hours literally hours 3 to be exact and it would not ever crank

 

Friday it hadn't been ran in bout 3 months and I could crank it in about 5the kicks.

Oh Dear, if she won't start in 5 or so minutes I would def. start looking for other problems.

 Just so I'm clear on the recent problem, the bike hadn't been run for three months or so, last Fri. it took about 5 or so kicks to get it started, it ran, but it ran poorly. 
   Saturday you could not get the bike to even start.

Yikes... 
   '81CR makes some excellent points.
         Fuel will leak in the engine (over time) and as you rotate the crankshaft the raw fuel will
fill or leak into the crankcase and instead of compressing the air/fuel mixture, there is so much raw fuel in the cyl. it won't compress and actually lock-up the engine, or be very difficult to spin over the engine.

  I don't think this is the case as you are able to rotate the engine with the kick start lever.

'81 also brings up the jetting issue.  if the bike was running well in the warm weather, and now it's cooled down considerably, the backfire you are experiencing may well be a lean condition.  It may be hard to start even with the choke on.
  The cooler dense air will require richer jetting.
If the bike was just too lean I think it  would probably start, but would not run very well.  Popping and back/fireing etc.

 You may just have a look under the flywheel cover and see if the flywheel key has been sheared.
This would give you the impression the bike wants to start,  it feels like one more kick will light off the engine but it just won't start.
  So...
   Have a look at the key on the flywheel, if that checks out I would pull the plug and look for ignition and fuel.
You will probably need a hand kicking the bike or holding the plug to ground to check for fire while cranking.
   Is the plug wet or dry, when you pull the plug initially is it wet or dry, and what color is it.   Black and sooty or grey/white, etc.
If both those check out I would pull the carb for a good cleaning
 (and write down what jets are in there for reference.)

 While the carb is off have a look and check the reeds for cracks chips or the like.
     I know it will take some time to pull the carb and check the reeds. but I don't know how else you can know for sure they are good to go.
   Please hang in there with us and we should be able to get this figured out.!   
  Tuck\o/

[*King*Kong*K*X*]

I had a hard time getting my kx5 started when i first got it. I put mine in 1st and rock it back and forth for about 30 seconds, then put it back in neutral, make sure the choke is on, make sure it is at top dead center and then kick it like you mean it. sometimes mine will back fire a couple of times before it starts. im also 280 lbs so its a little easier to get it to crank. try standing on something or leaning the bike against something to help you get more leverage.

[Polar-Bus]

I'm having a pretty hard time getting my k5 to crank. It'll backfire everynow and then I got it to crank once so far. I'm 123lbs so not much ass behind the kicks but I get it to turn over a good bit just won't fire. I checked the plug it looks okay but its a bp7es ain't it supposed to be a br8eix?

If the bike is backfiring it's trying to do something. Try a fresh plug (I prefer B8EG's) add some fresh fuel. And try again. If you keep hearing a backfire  you possibly have a sheared flywheel key.  The other issue is my famous "do a compression test"  speech. 75% of the "my bike wont start or bogs" issues stem from a blown or weak top end. 
I lean my 500 over hard to the left until i see a bit of fuel spill out the carb overflow, then I kick 2 or 3 times and it lites off every time.... starts one or two kicks hot as well.  I have approx 170 psi for compression (I have Kawis optional thin head gasket). Most stock 500's put out about 155 psi in good condition.

[tcoop474]

Thanks guys. Someone mentioned jetting the old plug I pulled out was a paper bag brown color. Some one mentioned spark plug b8eg did you mean br8eg? If so I put one in yesterday with no luck. As far as the woodruff key this was one of my first thoughts but haven't checked it yet. And no Friday it didn't run poorly it ran great as usual. The backfiring is while trying to crank it not while running thanks

[serafin]

Let me add my 2 cents to the discussion.  It sounds like once the bike starts it runs well. I would check the Carb Float Height.  A Float Height that is too low would cause hard starting and an occasional backfire as the vacuum signal produced during the start cycle (kicking the bike over) is different than when the bike is running.  It takes a good boot to get things spinning to create the required vacuum to pull the fuel up from the fuel bowl into the various Carb passages.  Keihin PWK Carb Float Height 16mm.  Again my 2 cents and something I would check.

S   

[tcoop474]

I think its my Carb to cylinder intake boot. Just found a crack in it

[Polar-Bus]

I think its my Carb to cylinder intake boot. Just found a crack in it

Uh oh..... I hope the bike has not been ridden WO with that cracked intake boot.... anyways good eye...

[kwakman]

is the crack flowing air or just on the surface? 86 air boots are like rocking horse sh&t, although someone said they can be repaired with a liquid rubber type approach.I would check the woodruff key asap, as they will backfire when this is busted.using fine grinding paste to lap the f wheel to crank taper makes this a thing of the past.take care to keep it away from crankseals and clean excess off after doing it.K.

[RoostDaddy]

When I cant get my 5 to start, I just get CBX to kick it (in his Flip-Flops).  Fires every time, huh DoldGuy.   

[DoldGuy]

When I cant get my 5 to start, I just get CBX to kick it (in his Flip-Flops).  Fires every time, huh DoldGuy.   

 

[tcoop474]

I have no idea how long the intake boot has been in this condition but I'm sure its not like a just happens thing. And I have been pulling it off this is the first I've had a kick lever so Idk if this is a new problem or not.