MX bike issue

kellen

kellen

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bike-2004 KX250F

When I had the bike stored over the winter, I could not roll the bike while in gear with the clutch in. Nor could I start it. Came on here, found out it was prob just due to the cold and the clutch plates sticking together.

Spring comes, bike seems fine. Been on 3 rides this season, including one good one last sunday. Today I'm out at storage and I decide to fire it up and take it for a ride around the lot. Start it, let it idle for a minute, pop the clutch and go and about 20 feet later my rear wheel locks up and the bike stalls.

Now it's the same thing. No start, can't move the bike in gear with the clutch pulled in. If I put the bike in 2nd or 3rd gear and pull the clutch in, the bike will roll but it's very difficult.

Any ideas?
 
how much clutch free play is there?

will it start in neutral?(these bikes should always be started in neutral anyway)

is the clutch arm engaging/disengaging?
 
reciprocity said:
how much clutch free play is there?

will it start in neutral?(these bikes should always be started in neutral anyway)

is the clutch arm engaging/disengaging?
Click to expand...

very little clutch play.

Won't start in neutral (would never want to start in gear anyway)

clutch arm seems to be working, I even tried pushing it that extra few mm with a wrench with the clutch lever pulled in and it still won't roll in gear
 
kellen said:
yells, it rolls fine in neutral, but won't start in neutral though
Click to expand...

Can you kick it over? If so, does the resistance feel the same as previously? Any noises when trying to start it?
 
sircastic said:
Can you kick it over? If so, does the resistance feel the same as previously? Any noises when trying to start it?
Click to expand...

yes I can kick it over and resistance feels about the same. It's making the normal thud-thud-thud when i kick it but with no hint that it's going to start.

Sent from my SGH-I896 using Tapatalk 2
 
Hey man, where abouts have you gotten as far as trouble shooting with this?
I know I gave you a list of stuff to check, even some stuff that seems a bit off the wall to check, just curious if you've gotten 'er runnin again?
 
sircastic said:
Can you kick it over? If so, does the resistance feel the same as previously? Any noises when trying to start it?
Click to expand...

actually I tried again when I put my race bike away yesterday...instead of thud-thud-thud when I kick it over, it just kinda did one thud.
 
I have the copy cat bike, RM-Z 250. There's a gear positon sensor just to the front of the shifter. Make sure the connection is clean and tight, and there's no damage to the wires.
When's the last time you changed the oil?
 
Just bumping this back up. I never did get a chance to look at anything on my MX bike....with road racing season going, sold a house/bought a house, some other stuff going on as well. Anyway next week I'm planning on finally working on it. Could this be a clutch issue itself? A broken or stuck plate or something? I was thinking of just replacing the clutch as it's fairly cheap and i've never done one before, and would like to.
 
Rob said:
I have the copy cat bike, RM-Z 250. There's a gear positon sensor just to the front of the shifter. Make sure the connection is clean and tight, and there's no damage to the wires.
When's the last time you changed the oil?
Click to expand...

I did check this sensor, seemed ok. I also changed the oil, no change.
 
I have had luck before with tearing the clutch apart and putting it back together (without replacing the parts). Sometimes, after sitting for a long time, everything sticks together. Manually pulling it apart and oiling the plates and then reassembling made it act like a different animal.
 
GreyGhost said:
I have had luck before with tearing the clutch apart and putting it back together (without replacing the parts). Sometimes, after sitting for a long time, everything sticks together. Manually pulling it apart and oiling the plates and then reassembling made it act like a different animal.
Click to expand...

what were the issues you had prompting you to take it apart
 
Pop the cover off and pull the clutch out. Pay attention to the order of the plates, inspect it all to see what you see.
 
ok so here's my "progress" so far. Bike still won't kick start in neutral, or roll while in gear with the clutch pulled in, so I cant try to bump start it. When it first it just bounces off the gear, similar to when your car is in park. But when in 2nd or third gear it will roll in gear, barely, with a ton of resistance. And I just realized today, if I try to kick it over in gear with the clutch pulled in, the bikes jumps forward, like I don't even have the lever pulled! Not sure if all that is related to the non-start problem. Checked all wiring and grounds, everything seems to be ok. Fuel in the tank, fuel on. Fuel in the line to the carb. Took the plug out plugged it into the wire and kicked it over, there is spark. The bike has backfired a couple times after 25 or so tries to kick it over. Now, I think my choke is a little wonky, it doesn't always stay out, but still, that wouldn't have cause the bike to just die suddenly while riding. Ugh. What now? Is this one problem?? or two separate ones?

edit-valves were just done this summer by a shop, maybe one ride after they were done
 
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Have you looked at your clutch? Sounds like your plates are sticking together, try pulling the lever with the cover off to see if its working ok. I don't know if this has anything to do with getting it running but this sure isn't going to help if you do get it started and it decides to ride away from you.
 
bump this up. Haven't even really touched the bike until today. drained the oil, took the clutch cover off. Took the clutch plates out. They looks fine, no damage, no discolouration of the steel plates...

The only visible damage I could see is the grooving in the basket and inner hub. the grooving on the basket is pretty minor but the hub is grooved pretty good.

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The clutch plates all move when I put the clutch lever however. With the lever pulled I can move them out a little bit more with my finger. I took all the plates apart, then put it all back in and it still won't roll in gear. I don't know what to do next.
 
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