please help me with my trike!!

[linnix13]

hello all! im front ontario and i have a 1984 kawasaki kxt 250(tecate 3)
and i am having a bit of trouble. it used to run so nice! but it started acting up and i cant go for any rides,

i will tell you what i have done, repeatedly. i have cleaned and rebuilt the carb, the jets are all correct, everything is clean and perfect, i have adjusted the float level many times and it has no affect on what is happening, the gas is new clean 89 octane with a 35:1 ratio using 2 stroke oil. i have no vacuum leaks, all the wiring is perfect and all the connections are good. the tank is clean and is flowing perfectly. spark plug is an ngk b8es and is new.

now here is how it runs,
it start perfect every time, start right up and the choke turns itself off. i will sit with it and warm it up a bit. i will start riding and it runs perfect, i have insane amounts of power and it is running just mint, then after about 5-10 minutes it just konks out, i will be moving at 80kph and its like i turned the kill switch off. if i keep coasting with the clutch engages the engine will just turn over until i stop. but if i pull the clutch in and let the engine stop then let it out the engine will hesitate and weakly fire up. then it will only run for a few seconds before it dies. once i stop it will start right back up and drive mint for another few seconds/minutes then repeat, it does this every time, its driving me mad!!

what can be wrong with my bike? please let me know what i can try to fix it, thanks

[Xpress]

Are you fouling plugs? Is it jetted right? Are your reeds sealing properly?

[muthey]

I thing hang and rattle just dealt with a similar proble and it was the stator had a bad section on it , try testing where it comes right out of the motor the repair manual should tell you how to do it they are in the world class help section

[beets442]

Gas cap vent plugged?

[yooperman]

if you let it sit for a while and cool down does it does it start back up and run good again? i would check the stator and the CDI with an ohm's meter check them a couple different times take the first one once its completely cool after not running for a while, then start it up and run it for a while until it starts acting up again and die's on ya, and take another reading of the same components that ya took the first reading from. just test them right when it dies on ya while its still hot, and right down your findings and check your findings with manuel and that will either be your problem or you will be able to check those things off your check list of what could be wrong.

The electrical parts could be on there way out, work good when they are cold or cool but crap out when there hot, I have came across that problem before more then once on my stuff. Would run like a top when they are cold but when they get warm/hot they fall on there face and either dont run or hardly run, but then they cool down and they run like a top again and fall there face again and so forth. but i would check those things since going by your reading about carb, jetting and so forth have already been gone through them pretty good already, have to start doing the process of elimination on all the parts. that is where i would start if it was me in your shoes just my two cents.

[linnix13]

Are you fouling plugs? Is it jetted right? Are your reeds sealing properly?

no i am not fouling plugs, mu plug is a little on the dark side but never fouled

it is jetted correct to my knowledge, or at least within limits, it used to run great, the reeds are in perfect shape

[linnix13]

Gas cap vent plugged?

yes it is vented

[linnix13]

I thing hang and rattle just dealt with a similar proble and it was the stator had a bad section on it , try testing where it comes right out of the motor the repair manual should tell you how to do it they are in the world class help section

ok i have this diagram, and i have a multimeter, so where do i check?

[linnix13]

alright so i found this in the manual.
128598

i went and tested the bike myself. when i first tested the kill switch i was getting 00.0ohms when off and like 10-20ohms when on, but i toggled it a few times and now it reads infinite every time its on run, so i may leave the kill switch not hooked up to be safe, however the next part is what worries me,

i tested the wires and i did everything thoroughly, and my multimeter connections were good,

i got this: black and blue are between 10 and 120ohms, depending on engine position
black and w/r are between 50 and 115 ohm depending on engine position
blue and w/r are 25 ohms no mater what.

so what does this mean for my bike? i took the stater cover off and everything is dry and rust free,

[fabiodriven]

Mine did that when the stator went. Same exact thing you describe.

Also, your front wheel is on the wrong side of the forks. You have to take it off, spin the fork bases around, and re-install. That will effect your steering geometry greatly.

[muthey]

was that after you ran hot and it died or when it was cold and ran good, after looking at your results I'd say your stator might be failing

[brd812]

stator, mine did the samething back in the day. kawi stator always had a bad wrap. sorry couldn't help myself .

[just ben]

same deal with my trike a few weeks ago. bad stator If you are handy with a soldering iron you can just buy the coil for 39 bucks or the whole stator plate for 125.00

[fabiodriven]

You have to take it off, spin the fork bases around, and re-install.

Correction- I think you actually have to swap forks from side to side because of the brake mount.

[linnix13]

yes those were the readings cold. i ran it until it died and checked again, i was getting like 0.01ohms on the wires!

so i will buy a new stator then, that sucks but whatever

[linnix13]

Correction- I think you actually have to swap forks from side to side because of the brake mount.

really?
it looks and drives just fine the way it is, i dont think im going to mess around with the shocks and forks, i need to get it at least running!

[linnix13]

im good at soldering, i saw the two coils on ebay for 39 bucks, those are what i need to replace? then it should run again?

[just ben]

im good at soldering, i saw the two coils on ebay for 39 bucks, those are what i need to replace? then it should run again?

yes sir, just make sure you insulate the connections with shrink tubing.edit... keep in mind if you replace the lighting coil it puts out about twice as much as the stock and will blow bulbs, but on the upside you can run a halogen bulb in the front and actually be able to see in the dark

[just ben]

and fabio is right on the forks are backwards. no big deal will only take 10-15 min. to make right

[muthey]

I know having to buy new parts is a pain but hopefully you won't have to do anything else for awhile, and at least you were able to get it figured out very quickly some people have worked on their same issue for months and never figured it out.

[linnix13]

yes thank you guys so much!

is this what i should buy? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Kawasaki-KXT250-Tecate-3-Ricky-Stator-Ignition-Coils-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4cf8a9763cQQitemZ33058 9369916QQptZMotorsQ5fATVQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_ 2269wt_939
and no problem with lights as i dont even have anything on it now

[linnix13]

here is a video i made before when it was running.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDVncev6vEw

it was running rich in the video i have it dialed in much better now

[fabiodriven]

really?
it looks and drives just fine the way it is, i dont think im going to mess around with the shocks and forks, i need to get it at least running!

I don't think you understand. Your forks are on wrong. You can have it fixed for free in 15 minutes and your trike will look and handle the way it was engineered to.

[just ben]

here is a video i made before when it was running.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDVncev6vEw

it was running rich in the video i have it dialed in much better now

buy a helmet before the coils

[linnix13]

meh. i have a helmet, but it is easier to listen to and tune with my ears free

[linnix13]

I don't think you understand. Your forks are on wrong. You can have it fixed for free in 15 minutes and your trike will look and handle the way it was engineered to.

how do i actually switch the forks?
i can take the wheel off and all but how are the forks held on.

[fabiodriven]

I would wear a helmet on that bike. It will surprise you someday, I promise.

You remove all of the pinch bolts in the triple clamps then slide the forks out. You swap them from one side to the other and make the axle "leading" (on the front of the forks) as opposed to "trailing" (how yours is set up now).

[linnix13]

I would wear a helmet on that bike. It will surprise you someday, I promise.

You remove all of the pinch bolts in the triple clamps then slide the forks out. You swap them from one side to the other and make the axle "leading" (on the front of the forks) as opposed to "trailing" (how yours is set up now).

ok that makes sense. i will switch it over. thanks.