XT350 advice/ possibly for sale in cambs.

[T0MMY]

I haven't ridden my XT350 in a few months now as I damaged the ligaments in my right knee playing rugby which meant I couldn't start it (and even if I could I couldn't ride off road).

Thing is I'm considering selling it now but I can't get it to start I'm not sure if it actually has a problem or if I just can't kick it over long enough or hard enough to go but either way it always used to fire first kick hot or cold. Any ideas how I can get it starting this easily again? I've cleaned out the carbs, changed the spark plug and fitted a new ignition coil so far. I can't bump start it because the knobblies don't grip enough even in top gear

The other possibility is that i sell it as a non-runner but I'm not sure what I'd get for it like that?
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[HoggyF]

Are you getting a spark?, that's always my first check.

If you are getting a spark it gets more difficult after that, does it sound like its trying to fire?

bit more info required as to what you've tried.

[G]

When you're bump starting it, are you dropping down on the seat as you let the clutch out?
Should have enough grip generally, unless it's cold/icy.

[T0MMY]

It sounds like it's trying to fire more when I don't have the choke out but then I can't see it starting without the choke when it's cold. How obvious should the spark be? Is it going to be visible even in daylight? I remember thinking it wasn't sparking before as I couldn't see it with the plug out and earthed on the block but then it still started when I put the plug back in (this was a couple of months ago, the last time it ran)

It's got non-road legal knobblies on it at the moment and on the cold damp roads round here it just doesn't grip enough to turn the engine over.
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[G]

I've bumped started with proper knobblies in the cold on the DR600 from what I remember, but as I say you have to drop your bodyweight onto it as you dump the clutch to get it to grip.

Providing there's not really bright reflected light, should be able to see the spark ok in daylight.

[T0MMY]

Maybe it has a weak spark then? I do try to drop my body weight onto it but it's a little awkward to do whilst maintaining forward momentum It's got a very low seat height for an off roader which doesn't help.
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[benjami]

I had an XR250 that hadn't been started in a year.. towing it behind a car sorted it right out.

[G]

I've done the being towed thing a few times too (though for other people's bikes and it's always seemed to be me that ends up being the one dragged along ).
Are you running beside the bike and jumping on? I would often dump the clutch as I landed on the bike.
On larger off-roaders it's sometimes hard to get a decent push down jumping to astride the bike, so I'll sometimes go side-saddle instead.

Think the spark plug thing is probably worth checking anyway - first off, just all the connections. Spent ages on my KTM350 with it being hard to start and swapping plugs. Just before I sold it found the HT lead was a bit knackered at the end, so cut it and re-attached and it started really easily .

[T0MMY]

I reattached the HT lead when I changed the coil so I think it's OK, I checked it for continuity with a multimeter too.

My biggest problem is that I don't know if there is anything actually wrong with it or not as nothing should really have changed since it started perfectly! I might try towing behind a car though, that seems like the easiest way
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[yen_powell]

Turn the fuel tap on, open the carb drain screw, let fuel flow out for a few seconds, close the drain screw, try starting again.

Fresh fuel in the carbs then rather than the months old stuff that was in there.

Ahhh, how I miss my old kickstart DR350....NOT
____________________
Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[T0MMY]

Already tried that unfortunately
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[yen_powell]

[dougalthedog]

If its always been an easy starter then I would suspect you need to change the plug and the fuel and give the carb a blow through with an airline.

[Gazdaman]

How much you after for it?

Gaz

[T0MMY]

Haven't really looked at what it's worth to be honest. I'd be happy with £600 I guess, it's got road tyres too (nearly new distanzas).
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[Gazdaman]

Got some photos?

Gaz

[T0MMY]

I'll have to take some tomorrow.

Just checked Ebay and this one the same age as mine just sold for £823 though it's currently starting of course! I reckon £600 is what I'd aim for if I sell it as a non runner then.

Mine is yellow and black and it's got a full stainless system like the one in that link. As I say though, I'll get some pics tomorrow and maybe knock up a proper for sale thread for it with all the details.
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[T0MMY]

Ok, spent a while today checking over the electrical system and I reckon there might be a problem with the charge coil or the wires leading from it to the CDI unit. I want to take the magneto assembly out to check the connections but I need 2 special tools to do so according to the manual, a tool to hold the rotor and a flywheel puller Anyone know of a way to do it without these tools?
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[Gazdaman]

You can use a claw puller to pull the flywheel off. But it's really not worth it. A puller is a few pounds. Using anything else really risks damaging it.

Is there definitely a problem? Or does it just need someone to give it a decent kick/bump start?

I'd definitely rule out you being a pansy first

Gaz

[T0MMY]

Well, I know bugger all about electrical stuff but I tested the resistance across the various coils as described in the Clymer manual. The charging/lighting coils are fine but the charge/pickup coil seemed to show no continuity. This might be due to me measuring it wrong, a genuinely knackered coil or a broken wire between the coil and the CDI unit but either way I'd like to find out. I'll put it back together anyway and try tow starting it behind a car first but if that doesn't work I'll buy the necessary tools.

The bikes in bits so I didn't take pics but I have some from my camera phone from over the summer. Makes me miss it a bit actually

I do still have the rear indicators, luggage rack and really gay extended mudguard thing by the way but took them off to save weight/prevent them getting broken.
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[HoggyF]

Before you do anything much else, I would check ALL your wiring, you must have used a multimeter to check your resistance so set it to buzz (when you touch the probes together it'll buzz or beep - sorry if you already know this) then go through all the wiring on the ignition side putting the probes onto the metal pins at either end of the cable in the multi plugs. You may well find the fault and if not you'll at least have ruled somethine else out.

I was ready to pull mine to bits then found a loose wire, easy and cheap fix.

PS you must've been brave taking it offroad with them tyres on it!!

[T0MMY]

Thanks, I'll give that a go It does seem a bit random that a coil would have given up like that without the bike being used. I did the valve shims not long before I stopped using it too and it was a bitch to start the first time after that but I did ride it since and it ran fine so I didn't mess up the timing or anything.

Those are the tyres it came on and they're great on road but hopeless in mud obviously but it was very dry round here over summer. It's got the knobblies on now which are great in mud but I think the road tyres are maybe better in gravel bizarrely.
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[T0MMY]

RESULT!!!!!!!

I was checking over the wiring connectors again and as I moved one of the blocks a wire literally just fell out It's got one of the spade type connectors on the end and it had totally snapped off, should be an easy fix. I've bodged it for now and it started after 3 kicks Can't believe that was all it was after 3 months of sitting there, though in fairness I've hardly looked at it in all that time. I need to solder another spade thing onto the wire and she should be all sorted, the bodge won't last 2 minutes on a bumpy lane although I took it for a spin on the road.

The wiring block in question is over the engine beneath the tank and I wonder if I broke the wire when I took the cam cover off to do the shims?

Anyway, I'm probably still selling it so I'll put up a proper for sale thread shortly. PM me if you want to have a look/ride.
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR

[T0MMY]

Sorry for the triple post but I took some pictures on my camera phone just now which I may as well post up too. It's a bit dirty at the moment but you get the idea, as you can see it looks like it just rolled out the showroom
____________________
ZX6R + CBR600RR