Problem starting my 250r

[Tubsy]

My second post on the forums.

Well having some trouble starting my 250 (81-82?). ive had it started revving it slowy to warm it up with choke on then it would cut out. then id do it with no choke and it wont start.

im giving it a bit of throttle and holding clutch in. but im not in gear. i am going to try tomorrow with choke on and bit of throttle then when it starts choke off.

its had new spark plug. and a fresh top end engine. it might need a new spark plug cap as it comes loose. but thats not the problem as i check its on tight.

i did have it started it earlier and rode it to test it. and it flew! its very fast! so i know it works.

also before i forget. its back fired twice the first time i left it for about half and hour. the second time i put it away till tomorrow as my leg is aching as i havent long recovered from a sprial fracture to my tibia and phibia. so its achy on my leg.


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today is tomorrow and i got it out. and kicked it over and boom it started..... but then cut out. it only seems to start with choke down. and im trying to race to the choke to turn it on before it cuts out but it beats me!

Ive spent 2 hours outside trying and kicking it over. its started a few times and now it wont. when it started there was white greyish smoke coming out of the exhaust. i have put a little extra oil in with the gas as its not been broke in. so the first few rides im going to add a little extra. is this my problem maybe?

Im trying to get the tank off to inspect the spark plug! but the one nut is rounded off! DOH! so i have to find a pair of vice grips. it shouldnt be the spark plug as its a new one. a freind thinks its the spark plug connector. but its on tight.

Ive had a close inspection. and where the reeds are. in the casing is a crack. its not open just cracked and closed. maybe this?

Theres lots of reasons what it could be. but i know its not the fuel as the fuel is running. theres gas in the overflow. i tested the petcock and gas went everywhere so its not blocked.

also id like to say when kicking it over its like gas coming out of a gas gun. but out of the exhaust. really light white smoke. just puff puff puff everytime i kick it over.

the engine cannot be siezed the person said its had a new top end and its on its 2nd bore. with a wiseco .50 piston. new top and bottom gaskets. and like i said i had it running and took it for a spin!

i hope someone can help and give me step by step instructions on finding the problem! :wondering :cry: :wondering :cry: :wondering

[Tubsy]

also a new honda oem air filter

[Tubsy]

**UPDATE**

Just had it started, raced to the choke. got in on! but still blubbled out. im revving it and its ting - ting - ting - ting - ting - blub - cut out

im trying alot of different scenarios. im holiding clutch in and going up and down with throttle and it starts. with choke off.

im thinking its the carb. but what on it and what shall i do

[renotrikeguy]

Time to clean the carb? My 81 "R" wouldn't start when I first got it. So off came the carby and gave it a good cleaning, and fresh gas.
Once everything was buttoned up she fired right up. Hell it even idled for a while. Your lucky you have a working choke, I have to put a clamp on mine to keep it in the on position.
As for the intake maniflod being cracked, don't worry bout it. Mine is cracked and I just got some good silicone and smeared it all over the outside of it.

[Dammit!]

If it's been sitting a while you definitely need to clean the carb and flush the tank and put new gas in it. Gas evaporates but the oil does not. It might be a mess in there.

[Tubsy]

well the guy said it was in the work shop for a few months. so carb could need a clean or will need a clean!

Also i patched the crack up on the reed vavle or what ever it is called. (the pipe that goes from the cylinder to the carb and the reeds are in it)

And it fired up. idled then cut out. so the installation tape didnt hold up long. so i will try silicone or chewingum and see the results it gives. and with the fresh carb!

What shall i do take the carb out. clean it all with some sort of carb cleaner. clean the jets etc??

[Tubsy]

Also i patched the crack up on the reed vavle or what ever it is called. (the pipe that goes from the cylinder to the carb and the reeds are in it)



Further to that post and looking in a manual its called the 'reed valve intake boot'


can i make a replacement?
or do i have to buy the right one?

[hrc85250r]

sounds like you need to leave the choke ona little longer... when i start my R when its cold out sometimes i can put the choke on a kick it slowly enought to where it wont fire a couple time, that will get some gas in the combustion chamber....then i kick it once really hard and it usually starts right up, sometimes it take 2 kicks....if you kick it too many times without it firing you will foul the plug, so if you were kicking it for 2 hrs, it fouled gauranteed...you might have water(frozen) in you gas line or carb if the plug isnt wet....also its easier if you put your R in a garage with a salamander for an hour or so to heat her up, then start it....

[Tubsy]

Well when i was kicking it i would do it around 20 times. then give up and go do something else. then come back and try and well you should get the picture. i would give up as my leg ached and my hands are blistering even with gloves on.

It is cold out. so maybe something is frozen?
but ill clean the carb and put something over the crack like silicone and bodge it all up and see what happens!

[renotrikeguy]

i agree with Damnit. Clean the carb and clean out your tank.

After the carby and tank are all nice and clean, you might want to warm the porcelan? part of your spark plug with a lighter. This is what I had to do when it was damn cold outside. Leaving your choke on a bit longer shouldn't hurt anything.

And as for the intake boot thingy, They are no longer being produced for the 81-82 250r's. You will have to search the net and hope you can find one. I got lucky and BikeBoneyard.com had one. But im still running the original one with cracks in it. (can you say silicone).

[Tubsy]

Cheers. i have a checklist now

1. clean carb
2. fix intake boot
3. new spark connector
4. check for wires earthing maybe causing a shortage

for the intake boot im going to get some shower/bath sealant. and rub it in the crack and hope this is one problem solved!

[hrc85250r]

i still say bring it in yur garage, warm it up and start it...let it idle for a while to clean itself out and ride the $#!T out of it for a few minutes....then she should be good...lol...

[Tubsy]

Can i put that as number 5 on my checklist? hehe

[Dammit!]

Replace that reed valve boot if at all possible. That's the last thing on earth you want is an intake leak. That will give you a very lean condition and cause you to melt your piston. If it was run like that before you got it, some damage could already have been done. I'd pop the top end off and take a look or at least check the compression.

[hrc85250r]

good point dammit..

[Derrick Adams]

NO offense, but maybe you should think about taking it to your local bike shop. It sounds like your in way over your head!
First of all, if it has a new top-end, who did it?

What exactly is the fuel/ oil ratio at?

DON'T try to start the bike if the intake is cracked! Replace it. You'll never get it to run right (or long) with an air leak.

Just because you put a new plug in it, doesn't mean it isn't fouled already. On a 2-stroke you can foul a plug almost instantly if your settings are off. Also, it may get great spark at the plug, but that doesn't mean the bike will run with it.

Is your air filter clean?

Is your carb getting a good fuel supply?

Is the needle and seat for the carb bowls operating properly?

Where is your idle mixture screw set at? When this is adjusted properly you should have a bike that starts on the 2nd or 3rd kick when cold (w/ choke) and 1st kick when warm (w/out choke). Provided everything else is in normal operating condition.

What is the condition of your reeds? Are they curled or lifting from the cage?
Think about flipping them. When reeds wear they can cause starting issues.

These are just the basics. If you seem lost, it would be best to find someone local to help you. Those bikes are great bikes to ride and you don't want to take a chance on ruining the engine over lack of knowledge on tuning. If you understand it all, forgive me for providing the obvious.

Reading the posts on these boards will put you way ahead of the game, just don't believe everything you read! It doesn't take too long to figure out who knows what they're talking about and who doesn't.

You should have the choke on before you even kick the bike over, when it's cold. Then leave it on for a few seconds before turning it off. Don't try to let the bike idle directly after starting it either. You should commit to setting on the bike for no less than 1 minute (in the winter) while constantly revving the bike up and down (not wide open, but stabbing the throttle over and over). The white smoke is normal on start up and should fade away as the bike warms up. But generally it will always smoke a little at idle.

One last bit of advise. NEVER hold your 2 stroke wide open for longer than 5 seconds in any gear! Ever! 2 strokes are not designed to run wide open all the time and will melt down, ruining your day!

[Tubsy]

to derreck adams. i will go out now and go through your list!

Any problems will be posted here for all to see and help!

[hrc85250r]

huh? i hold mine wide open quite a bit when im blasting through fields and climbing sand hills! i never had a melt down, i only siezed it once cause i was lost and my friend only had straight gas i had to dilute my premix and it was a little too lean, i siezed the rod to the crank the next day....the piston itself was fine, just the crank bearing crunched and the crank webs turned purpleish around the crnak pin....lol good times :cool:

[Derrick Adams]

huh? i hold mine wide open quite a bit when im blasting through fields and climbing sand hills! i never had a melt down, i only siezed it once cause i was lost and my friend only had straight gas i had to dilute my premix and it was a little too lean, i siezed the rod to the crank the next day....the piston itself was fine, just the crank bearing crunched and the crank webs turned purpleish around the crnak pin....lol good times :cool:


If you were to put someone on your 250R that had never ridden a 2 stroke before, but plenty of big 4 strokes, what would you tell him?

"Be carefull, it comes on fast, and don't hold it wide open too long"

You have to assume that people really don't know anything about it. I know I wouldn't feel comfortable running my bike wide open in a gear for longer than that. Count out 5 seconds and imagine holding your bike WOT in second gear!

I bet you don't get to 3 before your flenching!

[Tubsy]

Derreck adams, i put some gasket sealant on the crack.

And let it set for half an hour. and changed the spark plug cap and snipped the copper on the wire which screws to the cap.

Fired it up with choke. and revved it and it just died. i could hear the revs dropping and it would cut out.

I done it again with choke on then when it started counted 5 seconds and put choke off and the same!

It wont start with choke off.

can you please tell me what it could be? not that i need parts. would just like to get it running then look for parts as its going to be a pain looking for some of the parts!

[Derrick Adams]

Does it progressively run longer with the choke on? If you were to leave the choke on and slighty rev it up and down, does it stay running?

Is the idle mixture screw (not the idle screw) still in the carb? It's a small screw usually located on the same side as the idle screw, behind and lower from it.

Have you pulled the carb and cleaned the bowl like the other guys suggested yet?

Are your floats working properly?

[Tubsy]

Derrick adams. i have took the carb off - this was a job! had to take the air filter box off to get at the carb to remove it!

Im going to clean it and go over it with compressed air.

To the above anwsers it doesnt run it just cuts out. the idle mixture screw is there also. i have fiddled with the air screw but no avail!

As soon as the carb is cleaned i shall see what the results are. and if the problem consists then i can go in to more detail and people or yourself can help on step by step instructions!

It could just be the carb needs cleaning. so till then we shall leave it as the carb needs cleaning. as its had new spark plug. new cap. and ive trimmed the copper on the wire to the cap.

Im hoping theres no pin holes in the carb but fingers crossed