97 Honda trx300 probs

[whiteman350x]

I have a trx300 I can not get to crank. Have had it seveal years and it has always ran fine. My dad went to it the other day and it would not start. Well, I started looking. Has good fire and I have tried 8 different plugs. Carb is clean (took it all apart). Cleaned petcock, and replaced fuel line. No dice. Charged battery so was sure it was turning over fast enough. Took rocker box off and checked cam time, it was right. Reset valves, still nothing. The carb is getting fuel. Don't have a compression tester that will fit it. But rebuilt it in 2001 w/ 10.25 pistion and it did not smoke. Seems to have good compression. Was running fine when parked. Any ideas?

[ATC crazy]

Is the starter actually turning the engine over?

[Xowner]

hey is trailprotrailpro kill switch off? gas on also check and see if trailprotrailpro getting enought spark also check trailprotrailpro kill swithc make sure it isnt dirt my 350X did that to me running fine went in to get drink came back out to start it again wouldnt start for the work pulled the wire for the kill switch and it started its a long shoot but try it also timming? bad gas? filter pluged?

good luck

[whiteman350x]

Yes, the starter turns the engine. The kill is on and working. If that was the prob. it should not have spark. New gas, removed the fuel filter and replaced the line. (will not ride w/o filter just trying to make it run). Spark is pretty and blue. Better than any other atv I own. As stated in other post, timing is on. Thanks for the replys. Still looking.

[TimSr]

I dont know that model specifically, but does this have a compression release? I think my TRX250 had one.

[whiteman350x]

Has an manual release on the rocker box. What line of thinking were you going on with the compression release? Anyway it seems to work ( not stuck open) kicker dosen't work anyway.

[catfishwhisker]

Try to get you a compression guage and check it. The 300's are bad about bending valves if the cam chain gets a lot of slack in it. They are also bad about jumping the crank gear a few notches. A compression check should let you know.

[TimSr]

Yes, a compression check would also show what I was thinking. My TRX250 had a compression release, and a backup manual kickstart, and it was really hard to start it with the kicker, but the electric start always seemed to work fine. I never did spend any real time on it, but my theory was the compression release was not adjusted right, and that it was probably tied to the kickstarter, but not used with the electric start. I dont know that to be a fact.
I do remember it being a beast to start in very cold weather.

A different experience was TimJr's Raptor 80. It got super hard to get started after it was several months old. After several carb cleans, I finally checked the valves. They seemed just a hair tight, so I adjusted them to the proper clearance (about a quarter turn), and the thing has started super easy ever since.

I think Catfishwhisker has given you some good advice, and it may be compression related.

[whiteman350x]

O.K next question. Where in the world can I find a compression tester that will fit that plug hole? They are everywhere that fir 250r size, but can't find one to fit 4 strokes. Would just like to find adapter to use my guage. It has 2 sizes already but none small enough.

Whiteman

[Tecate performance]

motion pro sells a nice kit that will fit 10, 12, and 14 mm spark plug holes. i think you need the 12 mm adapter.