OMG! Recently finished rebuilding my XR250 engine. In the parts box was left a tiny spring. I’d no idea where it was from. Watching this I realised what it was. Approaching midnight I headed down to the workshop and looked in the box for the plunger and it wasn’t there. I scoured the workshop floor and hallelujah, there it was! Half an hour of disassembly and reassembly ahead but well worth it! Thanks a ton! This is why TH-cam and its community is so great. I owe you a ton of beers for this. 👍
You sir are a hero in my books. 1997 xr250r has been difficult to start. I did all the usual things, cleaned carb and checked valve clearance with the problem not getting any better. After I watched your video I opened her up and sure enough the plunger was sticking. I pulled it out with the spring and gave her a cleaning. Readjusted the valves and she fired up first kick. Before that it has been taking me 20 to 30 kicks to get her going. Thank you so much.
Just bought an XR250R, part assembled from a bike shop that had 'just rebuilt the engine'. After hours of kicking and bumping I found your video last night, whipped the cam out today and found the pin was there but no spring. Thank you so much for posting this video, it would have taken an age to find without it. There's a pint waiting for you if you ever come to England!
Hey Mate, wondering if you could help me out with my 85 XR350R In short its my first bike, I am trying to learn mechanics best I can but admittedly late to the party (44yrs old) anyway as soon as I bought it after just an hour ride home it started with this tapping noise that. just did not sound healthy (I know tha much). So I changed the exhaust copper gaskets on someones suggestion was a job for a rookie but nope not it, so then I dared the valve adjustment I think I did it 100% correct followed the specs etc etc put her all back together and that god awful tap was sstill there plus the bike now had a ton of resistance on the kickstart every couple strokes.. My decompression cable is attached from the lever on the handle bar down but the second decomp cable came off ( I assume I bought it like that or it happened on that first ride). I cant seem to find the cable I need online anywhere to buy (the neddled eye piece frayed off at one end the other end is still socketed in) Sorry for the LONG email but I am kind of lost at this point canou lend any advice? Marc email wildtigers333@gmail.com
@@MarcDaniels7 i would try to sell that xr350 before it cost you more than its worth. The xr350 is likely hondas worst bike they ever made. It overheats, eats camshafts and rockers, and is generally unreliable. Your only saving grace is that you got a 1985. The 83 and 84 were hopeless. But the 85 can be made somewhat reliable but i would still try to get rid of it.
i just rebuilt the top end on my xr250r. set the timing, vavles rebuild the carb and everything. all it would do is backfire. i found your vid and took the vavle cover off and saw a hole where the dowel should be. looked in the parts washer and got lucky. found the dowel and the little spring that goes under it. put it all back together started on second kick. 2nd top end iv ever done. im so glad i found your vid!
I have a 1990 Honda NX650 Dominator (same as in XR650L). I recently converted it to fuel injection. One day it just would not start. Naturally, I started searching for a fuel injection related problem. But after a couple of days I was stumped since the bike seemed to have spark and fuel. I was sure that no way it could be something mechanical since the engine seemed to have good compression. I almost pulled all the fuel injection stuff out and replaced it with carb. Then I came across this vid, pulled out the cylinder head, and guess I found.. that decomp plunger was stuck, just like in this vid. Well done for sharing this info with other people, I bet it has helped dozens of folks by now.
Cant thank you enough for this info. Did a new kickstart shaft and thought id give the bore a hone and new ring. Put the engine back together and spent the next few months trying to sort why it would fire and not start. Watched the vid checked for the tiny dowel and spring - sure enough it was gone! I must have washed it out in the parts washer. got the new parts dropped them in and reassembled the engine - 4 kicks and we were back in business! Worth noting the manual does not mention the dowel or spring in the reassembly instructions but it does in the dismantle section.
Your the man!!! Took on a project where someone tried to rebuild a 400ex and it would not even try to start. I went through the whole motor and everything checked out to spec but still would not even try to start. Came across this video and the decompression pin was the problem. The pin was there but the spring was lost so it just sits flush in the cam journal and looks like a oil passage. Would of never figured it out without you video. Thanks so much for posting this video!!!!
Dude, you are a effing legend! I just put back together an 02 250R and had one bit left over. Yep, the little dowel. Spring will be long gone, so I'll grind off the wide lifter and disable the setup. Good on ya for putting this up. From across the creek, cheers.
Honda NX 650 I had the same problem with starting. I Cleaned and adjusted e.g. carburettor several times etc. Spent a month in garage. I could not find, repair or imagine the reason ( and felt myself a bit stupid and desperate after all). Finally I adjusted valves and found out that strange things happen with clearances. The right exhaust valve was working on a strange way time to time. (and the right pipe was colder) The problem seems to be this decompressor system working faulty time to time. Nasty ! I will eliminate or get rid of this too fancy in laboratory working designers dream decompressor unit as to get more clear top end. This video was very useful and shows what is the idea and how it unit should work. Also a beer offered , if you come to Finland ! BR. Timo Ali-Lekkala
mine ran very hot over 300.!!. and couldnt get compression for a compression test. BUT STARTS NO PROBLEM!.. DID YOU SAY YOURS RAN HOT? WHY WOULD IT RUN HOT?
🤣12YR old Video still working it's MAGIC. Thank you for this bit of Knowledge. Darn bike was fine yesterday, today just a little pop , no start and noticed one header was looking different than the other 🤔even the ole pop start wasn't working. Just got one little fire and nothing.
Thanks for the vid bro, I am about to start pulling the top end of my XR600 apart. It was running fine but now it doesn't hit the hard spot where I usually pull the decompression lever. Just kicks straight thru and won't fire. Reckon this could be it. Well done for persevering so long and working it out.
Also widely known as the Honda anti start mechanism, also what can happen is the cam follower slightly shifts to barely pickup the decompression cam also dumping compression this condition usually found on higher time bikes.
When I was rebuilding the top end to my XR 250 R as I was inspecting the head I noticed the dowel and the spring laying in the bottom of my washing container I found out where they went put them in a little jar until rebuild time and thought to myself holy crap I could have easily lost those handling the head and never realized it. this is a great video that would have help to me if that had happened I just don’t understand why you dismantle the whole engine and transmission that is a heck of a job good luck thanks for the video.
Your video made my day, i was thinking my timing chain slipped( could still be the culpret.) But this might be why the xl500r wont run. Bought it for 200 bones.
Thank you very much for the information. I did the valve adjustment on my 96 xr600 and after i did it, I felt my kickstart harder than usual. It was hard to start my xr but after several kicks it start. I review the valve gap again I notice that the left exhaust valve was press down. I think that is causing my problem is the same that happen to you. Thump up!
bought an 89 xr600r that was freshly rebuilt never run had a brand new piston rings cam rockers tried starting it didnt work. . checked the timing valve clearance again and a again. checked my cdi got a new plug tried starting fluid pop starting and nothing changed. so i took the top end apart and found that i didnt have that one way set pin know for sure if it would effect the running untill i came accross this video. thanks for the $16 dollar solution to my year long mechanical mystery.
5 ปีที่แล้ว +3
I think Honda should cut you a $5,000,000.00 check tomorrow for all the bikes you've saved! Great job!
Thanks very much for making this video, great info. I'm having a really hard time starting my 1991 XR 250 and I'm going to check if this is the problem. My question is do you think this condition (stuck pin) could be detected by checking and comparing the valve clearances on the exhaust valves? Also, is it the decompression lever that initially holds the button down when kick starting?
Hi, I’m pretty sure the 250 is different. I could be wrong. I would definitely disconnect your decomp and check the valve clearances though. The best thing you could do is a compression leakage test ✌🏼good luck
Think I have this problem. Just brought a Honda CB400ss which has the exact same engine as the XR400, so does the CL400. Anyhoo it’s been sat in a dealership since 2016 after they imported it from Japan. I brought it December 2020 and done everything to get it to run but it fires and won’t run.Think this could be the solution as it’s obviously a common problem looking at your other watchers comments. Thanks from London England.
thanks for making this video! i am wondering if this could be the same problem I am having. My XR600 will start cold and then become impossible to start when hot. I have tried everything else and wondering if my dowel is getting stuck when hot? When it does eventually start after I have let it cool down, then kick it, it runs well. Sometimes when it does fire up it then instantly dies.
Dude! That's a life saver! Mine was stuck down cleaned a bit and it move smoothly. Now I have a problem with the timing, set the time in everything but in the top the left line and the right line doesn't align with the plane. I've tried everything, even pass a tooth in the chain, but it doesn't center. Keeps the line up or down. I've tried set the time after activate the cam chain tensioner.
Sounds like the tensioner or the chain and sprockets or both are worn. Set it so the marks are just past on the forward revolution 👍🏼. Will get her going but you should look at replacing chain
if you have the owners handbook for this bike, read and follow to the letter the correct starting procedure, its not just get on and kick, find TDC plus one click, decompress and return the lever to normal position (closed) now full choke, no throttle and slow sweeping depression of the kick starter, or something like that, incidentally a few firms now make an electric starter for this bike, even the none battery version but if you own the battery version the kits are really easy to install, a new flywheel cover with built-in starter and some wires, you even get a new throttle body with built-in start button, kits about £200
Don’t think so, but you could try that. One thing you can check is when you use the decomp. lever kick it slowly past tdc. You should hear an audible click as the dowel engages. No click, no go.
When you put the valve cover back on what gasket did you use? Paper type one or metal and did you use any gasket sealer with it? Thanks I have a 94 model that's leaking and going to put new gasket on just unsure on which way to go.
Use the factory steel one cause it is a spacer for the cam bearings and it doesn’t give so to speak. This means the valve clearances won’t always need resetting. Yes I used an oil proof sealer between
@@TheSlightlyaverage thanks I was worried about the clearance for bearings etc. Just I had heard others using paper type so wasn't too sure. Thanks mate I'm down in the south island, i like your videos I subbed a while back 👍
So, I'm having (it would seem) the same issue. Bike ran, but started starting ever harder and at some point stopped firing up all together. Carb is clean, there is air and spark but no dice. Before I pull the engine out (I'm guessing there isn't enough room to remove the top cover in situ) do I need to dissassemble the engine to fix this? Or can you clean/fix this decompression thingamabob from above to make sure it starts operating again?
I would leave the engine in and check the valve clearances first. Check that the decompression cable isn’t caught or stuck. I take them off altogether while trying to solve an issue like this. And yep you can take the valve cover off in situ (can drive you to madness though)
@@TheSlightlyaverage I'll try that first, thanks! You wouldn't know the clearance settings by heart would you? I don't have a manual at hand for this bike.
I am having a similar issue with my 2012 Honda xr650l. I was on a ride with a buddie and after about an hour of riding at about 55+ Mph the bike just died at highway speed, I pulled over and suspected bad gas so I drained the carb and put new fuel. That didn’t work so I got another plug put in and that still did nothing. Got the bike home later that evening and ran a comp test and it was at 26psi so I figured it was time for a valve job and bore and new piston. (18000 miles on it) I took the cylinder to a shop and had it bored to fit the 101mm weisco 10.5:1 and the head had all the valves and valve seats re cut to spec. After about a week at the shop I got the head and cylinder back and put the bike back together following the manual and I ensured that I put that little pin under the cam for the decomp mechanism. After it was completely assembled I went to start it I got a “woosh” and flames in the air box. I suspected that the cam was off 180 degrees so I rotated it by taking the cam gear off and turning the crank while holding the cam still. Re assembled it and still nothing. I am getting spark and the carb is immaculate clean I have gone through everything on the carb, if I spray starting fluid directly into the intake I still only get pops and a backfires. any ideas? I am at my Whitt’s end trying to figure this out.
Sounds like you have had the same issues I went through. Did you put the spring under the dowel? I always blow the hole and dowel out with air and lightly lube before placing back. Lightly push it and make sure that it springs back smoothly. You can take all the decompression system off. They still start quite easily. Another thing to check is the cable to the decompression lever, you don’t want this tight. When doing the valve clearances I always manually check top dead centre, firing position. Good luck, they are great bikes 👍🏼
@@TheFishyman1000 so is your bike electric start? All the decompression system pulls off the cam. Using a puller is easier. Make sure you remove the dowel and spring too
Hey mate. Bad luck but sometimes they do that. Um... this fix is for this certain problem but by the sounds of your bike you will need to check it all. Fuel, spark, compression etc. all the info is on this site mate. Enjoy 😊
My xr650l intermittently does the same thing but i figured out when its acting up and wont start with electric start that i can push start it and it fires up every time!
Na compression was good. I even did a compression test. The problem is after the first cycle the valve is held open so it loses compression when she tries to start, hence the popping.
Thanks a lot, man ! I'm from Russia. And have the same problem with my bike. Could you explain please the moment 2.40-3.45 min on video. Can't understand your speech. Thank you.
Glad you like the video. At that moment I’m just explaining how dirt can get into this hole and stop the pin from sliding nicely and doing its job. Thanks
Lol 😂. Sorry about that. Are you 12? That there my friend is a iPhone 4! That was about as good as it got. TH-cam also downgrades video quality quite a bit more than original.
Gabriel S. Well my bike only has a manual lever decompression. I have never come across a 600 or 650 with auto decompression. I know the 500 had auto decompression. In saying all this I have never worked on an electrical start system so I can’t say much about them.
Holy schmoly it looks to me like you're missing the dowel pins that keep the cam shaft bearings from moving sideways. Not so good. Cam could drop off one side of the saddle yaddle = no-no-noooooo.
Thanks! Sorry to get side tracked but can you then tell me what the holes are for on either side of the cam bearings (2x)? I'm putting an older XR back together and I always thought there was supposed to be dowel pins pressed in to keep the bearing from moving sideways.
i know im writing 6 years after the video, but yesterday i had a problem with my honda nx650 ( almost the same engine ) it was starting but one of the pipes was getting red hot the other was cold. i dissasebled the head and actually didnt find any problems. so i put everything back together , started the bike and the problem was gone. maybe it was the same problem. now i know , thanks for the video.
hey, now when the bike was runing idle and i was going around it i noticed that one of the exhausts is hotter than the other .. not as much as before but still.. and the cooler exhaust is that at the valve with the decompresor. in the user manual the intake valves's clearence should be 0.10 and the exhaust should be 0.15. but with these settings the bike dosent start at all, just has some explosions and thats all.. the minimum clearence that it starts is 0.30 intake , 0.35 exhaust.... but like this it ticks alot. where should i look for a problem? sorry for my bad english
OMG! Recently finished rebuilding my XR250 engine. In the parts box was left a tiny spring. I’d no idea where it was from. Watching this I realised what it was. Approaching midnight I headed down to the workshop and looked in the box for the plunger and it wasn’t there. I scoured the workshop floor and hallelujah, there it was! Half an hour of disassembly and reassembly ahead but well worth it! Thanks a ton! This is why TH-cam and its community is so great. I owe you a ton of beers for this. 👍
So glad the XR is going again 👍🏼. Have fun
@@TheSlightlyaverage😂😂😂😂
You sir are a hero in my books. 1997 xr250r has been difficult to start. I did all the usual things, cleaned carb and checked valve clearance with the problem not getting any better. After I watched your video I opened her up and sure enough the plunger was sticking. I pulled it out with the spring and gave her a cleaning. Readjusted the valves and she fired up first kick. Before that it has been taking me 20 to 30 kicks to get her going. Thank you so much.
Glad to help. Always good to find a fix
That's awesome!
Just bought an XR250R, part assembled from a bike shop that had 'just rebuilt the engine'. After hours of kicking and bumping I found your video last night, whipped the cam out today and found the pin was there but no spring.
Thank you so much for posting this video, it would have taken an age to find without it. There's a pint waiting for you if you ever come to England!
Glad ya sorted it. Took a bit of nutting out myself. There were no mechanics out there that could find the problem for me.
Hey Mate, wondering if you could help me out with my 85 XR350R In short its my first bike, I am trying to learn mechanics best I can but admittedly late to the party (44yrs old) anyway as soon as I bought it after just an hour ride home it started with this tapping noise that. just did not sound healthy (I know tha much). So I changed the exhaust copper gaskets on someones suggestion was a job for a rookie but nope not it, so then I dared the valve adjustment I think I did it 100% correct followed the specs etc etc put her all back together and that god awful tap was sstill there plus the bike now had a ton of resistance on the kickstart every couple strokes.. My decompression cable is attached from the lever on the handle bar down but the second decomp cable came off ( I assume I bought it like that or it happened on that first ride). I cant seem to find the cable I need online anywhere to buy (the neddled eye piece frayed off at one end the other end is still socketed in) Sorry for the LONG email but I am kind of lost at this point canou lend any advice? Marc email wildtigers333@gmail.com
@@MarcDaniels7 i would try to sell that xr350 before it cost you more than its worth. The xr350 is likely hondas worst bike they ever made. It overheats, eats camshafts and rockers, and is generally unreliable. Your only saving grace is that you got a 1985. The 83 and 84 were hopeless. But the 85 can be made somewhat reliable but i would still try to get rid of it.
Winston Poplin it’s actually running mint. Needed an intake manifold that’s it. Starts one kick. Rips. Couldn’t be happier w it.
i just rebuilt the top end on my xr250r. set the timing, vavles rebuild the carb and everything. all it would do is backfire. i found your vid and took the vavle cover off and saw a hole where the dowel should be. looked in the parts washer and got lucky. found the dowel and the little spring that goes under it. put it all back together started on second kick. 2nd top end iv ever done. im so glad i found your vid!
300exify What year is your XR250R. have an 86 sounds like the same problem gonna check it out tomorrow
Mine was a 96 i sold it a while ago
Absolute life saver I was 2 days into replacing just my piston and rings cos of this same reason thank god I came across you video
I have a 1990 Honda NX650 Dominator (same as in XR650L). I recently converted it to fuel injection. One day it just would not start. Naturally, I started searching for a fuel injection related problem. But after a couple of days I was stumped since the bike seemed to have spark and fuel. I was sure that no way it could be something mechanical since the engine seemed to have good compression.
I almost pulled all the fuel injection stuff out and replaced it with carb. Then I came across this vid, pulled out the cylinder head, and guess I found.. that decomp plunger was stuck, just like in this vid.
Well done for sharing this info with other people, I bet it has helped dozens of folks by now.
Cant thank you enough for this info. Did a new kickstart shaft and thought id give the bore a hone and new ring. Put the engine back together and spent the next few months trying to sort why it would fire and not start. Watched the vid checked for the tiny dowel and spring - sure enough it was gone! I must have washed it out in the parts washer. got the new parts dropped them in and reassembled the engine - 4 kicks and we were back in business! Worth noting the manual does not mention the dowel or spring in the reassembly instructions but it does in the dismantle section.
Your the man!!! Took on a project where someone tried to rebuild a 400ex and it would not even try to start. I went through the whole motor and everything checked out to spec but still would not even try to start. Came across this video and the decompression pin was the problem. The pin was there but the spring was lost so it just sits flush in the cam journal and looks like a oil passage. Would of never figured it out without you video. Thanks so much for posting this video!!!!
Man, you saved half of my hair... the half thats left! It was exactly what you described in the video. Thanks again!!
Dude, you are a effing legend! I just put back together an 02 250R and had one bit left over. Yep, the little dowel. Spring will be long gone, so I'll grind off the wide lifter and disable the setup. Good on ya for putting this up. From across the creek, cheers.
Disable the whole decomp setup right
Honda NX 650
I had the same problem with starting. I Cleaned and adjusted e.g. carburettor several times etc.
Spent a month in garage.
I could not find, repair or imagine the reason ( and felt myself a bit stupid and desperate after all).
Finally I adjusted valves and found out that strange things happen with clearances.
The right exhaust valve was working on a strange way time to time. (and the right pipe was colder)
The problem seems to be this decompressor system working faulty time to time. Nasty !
I will eliminate or get rid of this too fancy in laboratory working designers dream decompressor unit as to get more clear top end.
This video was very useful and shows what is the idea and how it unit should work.
Also a beer offered , if you come to Finland !
BR. Timo Ali-Lekkala
So glad you solved it by process of elimination. You must be quite handy mechanically. Would love to have a beer with you in Finland! Lol
mine ran very hot over 300.!!. and couldnt get compression for a compression test. BUT STARTS NO PROBLEM!.. DID YOU SAY YOURS RAN HOT? WHY WOULD IT RUN HOT?
Na mine didn’t run hot, didn’t run at all. Fired once occasionally. Sounds like you’re timing might be wrong
🤣12YR old Video still working it's MAGIC. Thank you for this bit of Knowledge. Darn bike was fine yesterday, today just a little pop , no start and noticed one header was looking different than the other 🤔even the ole pop start wasn't working. Just got one little fire and nothing.
@@touriston2wheels goes to show these bike are still popular. This bike still goes like it should. Thanks
Thanks for the vid bro, I am about to start pulling the top end of my XR600 apart. It was running fine but now it doesn't hit the hard spot where I usually pull the decompression lever. Just kicks straight thru and won't fire. Reckon this could be it. Well done for persevering so long and working it out.
Thank you very much, my 2012 with 48,000 just did that .You nailed it! I 'm an XR freak, and now a fan!!!!!
Also widely known as the Honda anti start mechanism, also what can happen is the cam follower slightly shifts to barely pickup the decompression cam also dumping compression this condition usually found on higher time bikes.
When I was rebuilding the top end to my XR 250 R as I was inspecting the head I noticed the dowel and the spring laying in the bottom of my washing container I found out where they went put them in a little jar until rebuild time and thought to myself holy crap I could have easily lost those handling the head and never realized it. this is a great video that would have help to me if that had happened I just don’t understand why you dismantle the whole engine and transmission that is a heck of a job good luck thanks for the video.
Your video made my day, i was thinking my timing chain slipped( could still be the culpret.) But this might be why the xl500r wont run. Bought it for 200 bones.
Thank you very much for the information. I did the valve adjustment on my 96 xr600 and after i did it, I felt my kickstart harder than usual. It was hard to start my xr but after several kicks it start. I review the valve gap again I notice that the left exhaust valve was press down. I think that is causing my problem is the same that happen to you. Thump up!
bought an 89 xr600r that was freshly rebuilt never run had a brand new piston rings cam rockers tried starting it didnt work. . checked the timing valve clearance again and a again. checked my cdi got a new plug tried starting fluid pop starting and nothing changed. so i took the top end apart and found that i didnt have that one way set pin know for sure if it would effect the running untill i came accross this video. thanks for the $16 dollar solution to my year long mechanical mystery.
I think Honda should cut you a $5,000,000.00 check tomorrow for all the bikes you've saved! Great job!
Thanks very much for making this video, great info. I'm having a really hard time starting my 1991 XR 250 and I'm going to check if this is the problem. My question is do you think this condition (stuck pin) could be detected by checking and comparing the valve clearances on the exhaust valves? Also, is it the decompression lever that initially holds the button down when kick starting?
Hi, I’m pretty sure the 250 is different. I could be wrong. I would definitely disconnect your decomp and check the valve clearances though. The best thing you could do is a compression leakage test ✌🏼good luck
@@TheSlightlyaverage thanks 👍. Found an IPB for the top end of the 250 and it's a much simpler operation than the 600.
Think I have this problem. Just brought a Honda CB400ss which has the exact same engine as the XR400, so does the CL400.
Anyhoo it’s been sat in a dealership since 2016 after they imported it from Japan. I brought it December 2020 and done everything to get it to run but it fires and won’t run.Think this could be the solution as it’s obviously a common problem looking at your other watchers comments.
Thanks from London England.
thanks for making this video! i am wondering if this could be the same problem I am having. My XR600 will start cold and then become impossible to start when hot. I have tried everything else and wondering if my dowel is getting stuck when hot? When it does eventually start after I have let it cool down, then kick it, it runs well. Sometimes when it does fire up it then instantly dies.
Sounds likely. Could be a tight valve but you would of checked that surely. Get it hot and check the compression. Easy diagnostic. Thanks
My engine just stopped and it would not start even after pushing for 30 minutes, I will definitely check for this thanks.
Had the same problem..
It starts but bogs down when I adjust one of the exhaust valve
Hi mate. Glad i could help. No body could tell me what was wrong with my bike. took me a few months on and off to sort it.
Cant thank you enough for making this vid my 400ex had the same problem never could figure it out
shit head hellyeh ijust order one my400ex I bought months ago stil have not run I replace everything
Dude! That's a life saver! Mine was stuck down cleaned a bit and it move smoothly. Now I have a problem with the timing, set the time in everything but in the top the left line and the right line doesn't align with the plane. I've tried everything, even pass a tooth in the chain, but it doesn't center. Keeps the line up or down.
I've tried set the time after activate the cam chain tensioner.
Sounds like the tensioner or the chain and sprockets or both are worn. Set it so the marks are just past on the forward revolution 👍🏼. Will get her going but you should look at replacing chain
if you have the owners handbook for this bike, read and follow to the letter the correct starting procedure, its not just get on and kick, find TDC plus one click, decompress and return the lever to normal position (closed) now full choke, no throttle and slow sweeping depression of the kick starter, or something like that, incidentally a few firms now make an electric starter for this bike, even the none battery version but if you own the battery version the kits are really easy to install, a new flywheel cover with built-in starter and some wires, you even get a new throttle body with built-in start button, kits about £200
Lol. I know how to start bikes mate.
This video saved my life for fixing a 600
Where do u get the parts I’m having the same problem it ran just fine the other day and now it won’t start
@@clintiverson4437 what parts are you talking about? Most parts are still available. They still make these bikes brand new in the states
my 82 xr is giving problems with the spark plug and meltdown of the wires any suggestions
Brilliant research mate
Is it possible to see the cam that the peg stops from the valve lash adjustment hole? I'm going to check tonight since my XR600 won't start.
Don’t think so, but you could try that. One thing you can check is when you use the decomp. lever kick it slowly past tdc. You should hear an audible click as the dowel engages. No click, no go.
All I can do is laugh as I get ready to take my engine apart again.
Yep that’s all you can do is laugh. It’s a good lesson in patience and double checking your work ✌🏼. Second time lucky 😂
Wow!! You are a good. Thanks!! I had the exact issue on a fresh rebuild! Thank you thank you!
When you put the valve cover back on what gasket did you use? Paper type one or metal and did you use any gasket sealer with it? Thanks I have a 94 model that's leaking and going to put new gasket on just unsure on which way to go.
Use the factory steel one cause it is a spacer for the cam bearings and it doesn’t give so to speak. This means the valve clearances won’t always need resetting. Yes I used an oil proof sealer between
@@TheSlightlyaverage thanks I was worried about the clearance for bearings etc. Just I had heard others using paper type so wasn't too sure. Thanks mate I'm down in the south island, i like your videos I subbed a while back 👍
So, I'm having (it would seem) the same issue. Bike ran, but started starting ever harder and at some point stopped firing up all together. Carb is clean, there is air and spark but no dice.
Before I pull the engine out (I'm guessing there isn't enough room to remove the top cover in situ) do I need to dissassemble the engine to fix this? Or can you clean/fix this decompression thingamabob from above to make sure it starts operating again?
I would leave the engine in and check the valve clearances first. Check that the decompression cable isn’t caught or stuck. I take them off altogether while trying to solve an issue like this. And yep you can take the valve cover off in situ (can drive you to madness though)
@@TheSlightlyaverage I'll try that first, thanks! You wouldn't know the clearance settings by heart would you? I don't have a manual at hand for this bike.
I am having a similar issue with my 2012 Honda xr650l. I was on a ride with a buddie and after about an hour of riding at about 55+ Mph the bike just died at highway speed, I pulled over and suspected bad gas so I drained the carb and put new fuel. That didn’t work so I got another plug put in and that still did nothing. Got the bike home later that evening and ran a comp test and it was at 26psi so I figured it was time for a valve job and bore and new piston. (18000 miles on it) I took the cylinder to a shop and had it bored to fit the 101mm weisco 10.5:1 and the head had all the valves and valve seats re cut to spec. After about a week at the shop I got the head and cylinder back and put the bike back together following the manual and I ensured that I put that little pin under the cam for the decomp mechanism. After it was completely assembled I went to start it I got a “woosh” and flames in the air box. I suspected that the cam was off 180 degrees so I rotated it by taking the cam gear off and turning the crank while holding the cam still. Re assembled it and still nothing. I am getting spark and the carb is immaculate clean I have gone through everything on the carb, if I spray starting fluid directly into the intake I still only get pops and a backfires.
any ideas? I am at my Whitt’s end trying to figure this out.
Sounds like you have had the same issues I went through. Did you put the spring under the dowel? I always blow the hole and dowel out with air and lightly lube before placing back. Lightly push it and make sure that it springs back smoothly. You can take all the decompression system off. They still start quite easily. Another thing to check is the cable to the decompression lever, you don’t want this tight. When doing the valve clearances I always manually check top dead centre, firing position. Good luck, they are great bikes 👍🏼
@@TheSlightlyaverage I don’t have a decomp lever ? How can I take it off. I verified that the dowel moves freely
@@TheFishyman1000 so is your bike electric start? All the decompression system pulls off the cam. Using a puller is easier. Make sure you remove the dowel and spring too
@@TheFishyman1000 you can also grind the wide lifter off as one of the comments say. Probably the easiest solution
I have a xr600r that won't crank at all now for some reason it crunk up about 2weeks ago but havnt since
Hey mate. Bad luck but sometimes they do that. Um... this fix is for this certain problem but by the sounds of your bike you will need to check it all. Fuel, spark, compression etc. all the info is on this site mate. Enjoy 😊
My xr650l intermittently does the same thing but i figured out when its acting up and wont start with electric start that i can push start it and it fires up every time!
what year
I’m pretty sure all the rfvc engines are the same 👌🏼
thank you bro that saved my lifeeeee
My Xr650l doesnt start, i notice that the bolt you mentioned is stuck, how do you replace de spring? thanks a lot
Compressed air and an air release gun or blow gun. I recommend eye protection
TheSlightlyaverage Thanks a lot man
Whenever I have any XR questions I always ask "Donald Thump" he is an XR Guru.
Why?
@@JC-db4ih It's a Joke, Im an expert .
Did u have bugger all compression?
Na compression was good. I even did a compression test. The problem is after the first cycle the valve is held open so it loses compression when she tries to start, hence the popping.
@@TheSlightlyaverage would this make it pop a little out of the intake too?
@@danidge yeah could do, I actually didn’t check for that. One cold exhaust is the given 👍🏼
Thanks for your insight.
is there a name for that part?
PLUNGER, CAM SETTING
14125-KV2-940
$10.81
SPRING, PLUNGER
14126-KV2-940
$2.63
Thanks a lot, man !
I'm from Russia. And have the same problem with my bike.
Could you explain please the moment 2.40-3.45 min on video.
Can't understand your speech.
Thank you.
Glad you like the video. At that moment I’m just explaining how dirt can get into this hole and stop the pin from sliding nicely and doing its job. Thanks
Lemme know if you need translation i speak Russian
@@yelesaycholak5847 спасибо ! Но вроде разоблась ! Если есть время, напишите, пожалуйста!
Aromat A он говорить что этот Штырь должен свободно ходить когда на его нажимаете, если он будет зажаты все время у вас не будет хватать компрессии
@@yelesaycholak5847 спасибо !
Thank You for sharing save us a lot headhache 😃😃👍👍
Спасибо)))Все получилось))))Не могли завести и не знали в чем проблема ))Вы помогли реально))Thank you )))
My 1990 xr250r is hard to start
'88 and later, 83-87 500/600 RFVC engine uses a different camshaft setup, I'm sure most people who actually OWN the older bikes know this already.
You camera makes me nauseous. What’s going on with it?
Lol 😂. Sorry about that. Are you 12? That there my friend is a iPhone 4! That was about as good as it got. TH-cam also downgrades video quality quite a bit more than original.
is this the same as the xr 650L?
This only applies to the kick start only engine. If you’re bike doesn’t have a decompression lever it will be different. Thanks
TheSlightlyaverage the part is for the auto decompress, so no decompression lever.
Gabriel S. Well my bike only has a manual lever decompression. I have never come across a 600 or 650 with auto decompression. I know the 500 had auto decompression. In saying all this I have never worked on an electrical start system so I can’t say much about them.
TheSlightlyaverage I took it apart and found out: the dowel was there but not the spring that pushes it up.
You are my lord and saviour. gg
Thank You!
Holy schmoly it looks to me like you're missing the dowel pins that keep the cam shaft bearings from moving sideways. Not so good. Cam could drop off one side of the saddle yaddle = no-no-noooooo.
Paul Haines, lol. That's not actually what the dowel is for but thanks for the input
Thanks! Sorry to get side tracked but can you then tell me what the holes are for on either side of the cam bearings (2x)? I'm putting an older XR back together and I always thought there was supposed to be dowel pins pressed in to keep the bearing from moving sideways.
i know im writing 6 years after the video, but yesterday i had a problem with my honda nx650 ( almost the same engine ) it was starting but one of the pipes was getting red hot the other was cold. i dissasebled the head and actually didnt find any problems. so i put everything back together , started the bike and the problem was gone. maybe it was the same problem. now i know , thanks for the video.
Maxvollume yes happens often by the sounds. Regular oil and filter changes help
hey, now when the bike was runing idle and i was going around it i noticed that one of the exhausts is hotter than the other .. not as much as before but still.. and the cooler exhaust is that at the valve with the decompresor.
in the user manual the intake valves's clearence should be 0.10 and the exhaust should be 0.15. but with these settings the bike dosent start at all, just has some explosions and thats all.. the minimum clearence that it starts is 0.30 intake , 0.35 exhaust.... but like this it ticks alot. where should i look for a problem? sorry for my bad english
off topic ,which model comes with e start ?
XR650L air cooled model only available in the states otherwise the liquid cooled 650 also has electric start. Very heavy bike though.
Bravo!
Exellent video
Kupię głowicę od Hondy xr 350 1983