200x HARD To Start

[jdparsons1]

I've just got an 84 200x and it runs great once you get it started. My foot hurts from kicking the damn kickstarter so much. As I said, it takes 20 kicks to get it started and i can run it and it runs great. Let it sit for half an hour and its hard to start again. I want it to be one of those bikes that starts on the first or second kick. Not sure if this is related but I notice once ive run it for a little while and i shut it off, gas drains out of the float bowl overflow tube.

Any Ideas???

Thanks,
Jeremy

[Xowner]

my 86 200 X does that too! i rebuilt the carb and it still does that i dont kno why :evil:


Sorry

[jeswinehart]

i have the exacty the reverse problem. starts great cold + runs for 20 -30 minutes and then shuts down.
i am trying a carb rebuild kit as a fella 3worlder suggested (howdy).
gas puking normally indicates float hanging up (rebuild kit).

john

[jdparsons1]

Ok. Went out this morning and it wasn't to bad. Took 8 kicks but after the first 4 i realized the run switch was off. :?

I talked to the guy who used to own the atc and he said the carb is brand new so i dont think it needs to be rebuilt. maybe i just need to get used to starting this. I noticed I have to put the choke on full and kick only once or twice and then set the choke at half and it starts pretty quick.

[hrc200x]

That might be why it started so easy, the kill switch was off. I do that trick with my 350's when its cold.

[lisnup65]

My old 85 would take forever to start if you did not know how to start it. The new owner came by the other day with it and asked me to start it cause he tried a few different days and could not get it to run. It took me 3 kicks!

When the kicker was pulled out, lets say its at a 90 degree angle from down position. You will never start it kicking from the top. I would move it to around the 25-30 degree position and it pops right off. The kick is no more than 2-3" total stroke. Very little kick and shes off to the races.

Hope this helps a bit. It took me many weeks to learn that when I first got the machine. My 350X needs to be primed to compression stroke, then a full out kick to start it. Complete opposite as the 200x.

[208013544]

My 350X was hard to start too. Rebuilt the carb and put in a fresh plug. Turn the switch to off, the choke to full. Kick it one time. Turn the switch on, and give it one good kick and she fires every time. After it has warmed up, just a good kick with no gas....it will flood too easily if you give it any gas. Good luck

[jdparsons1]

So there is kind of an art to starting them! :o I'm used to my little 110's recoil start and it starts on the 1st pull. I kicked my 200x so many times yesterday it feels like there is a roll of pennies in my shoe today. :-D

[jdparsons1]

Ok. I get home tonight and start it up after 10 kicks or so... Rode it around for 10-15 minutes pull it up in the driveway and shut it off and 20 minutes later could not get it started for anything. This sucks!!! Other than the idle screw on the carb, what other adjustment screws are there? I dont see a air screw. Does it sound like a carburation problem or maybe a float level issue? Im getting great spark, Could it be timing?

[plkmonster2]

ok, this is a long process, but i had to do it 2 times on my dr :? take the carb off. take off the float bowl, and clean it out GOOD. clean out the overflow tube, actually clean both of em. take off your float assembly, and clean out that little metal valve thing. you may see some varnish CLEAN IT ALL OUT!! that is very important, otherwise the seal could be ruined. you may have to bend that little tab that pushes the valve so that the valve bottoms out quite a bit before the floats. also, run an inline filter so no more of that varnish come through. reasemble everything. when the floats can't seal the valve right, it might flood to quickly for the plugged overflow to let it all out, so it goes up the jet, and floods the valves. when they open up, it lets raw gas in, which fouls the plug. also, try idling your engine up, which will let more gas in at starting, which is probably why it starts easiaer when you use the choke once.

[jdparsons1]

It does seem like it is flooding easy. One reason i think that is if i take the plug out and kick it over without the plug in a few times and then put the plug back in it seems like i've had better luck getting it started. As far as cleaning the carb, the person I bought the bike off just recently put a brand new carb on. I had it apart once and it is shiny and clean as can be. BUT..... i could try bending the tab on the float, maybe its bent enough to where its not closing the needle enough.

Sound like it makes sense?

Thanks,
Jeremy

[plkmonster2]

ever try a new plug?

[jdparsons1]

Yeah. I've got a couple different ones.

[plkmonster2]

is the plug black, crusty, brown, or any other color? it should be a little black, but not too crusty.

[jdparsons1]

a little colored. i wouldn't say black but its definitely not running rich or anything.

[Howdy]

What could possibly be the problem is completely over looked here. How good of spark do you have? I had a 200x that ran great once it was running but didn't want to start. It looked like it was getting good spark but I checked the stator any way. I found the Exciter coil to only read 175 ohms it says in the book that that was good.
But I changed the exciter out anyway. After that it started within 3 kicks everytime.

To check the exciter coil you need a ohm meter. Take and unplug and check the black with red striped wire coming from the stator ( bottom end ). My rule is 215-240 ohms for the best starting ( on 200x's ). The lower the ohm reading the harder the machine will be to start. Lower = weaker spark.

I only ever seen one check over 240 ohms. That machine ran fine also.

Howdy

[jdparsons1]

I think im getting closer to a fix. It seems to me like it is flooding to easy. I went out this morning after letting it sit overnight and it took 4 kicks. The previoius owner said they never choked it so i followed their advice and did not put the choke on and it worked. If I put the choke on it is giving it more gas and less air and maybe flooding out quickly. Does this sound like a possibility, would it be something like the float level?

Thanks,
Jeremy