My trikes let me down last weekend

[Frankencelery]

Being an avid (rabid?) deer hunter, I don't ride my trikes at all during hunting season. I do all my hunting right around the house, so try not to scare up the deer. Anyway, I shot a nice doe on Saturday, walked home to get transport, and neither the 250SX or the 200s would start. So while I was dragging the biggest doe I've ever shot uphill for 100 yards and another 300 yards to my truck, I was cursing my two previously reliable trikes and threatening to buy a....well, never mind.

We had family out for Thanksgiving, and one of the family is a guy who could walk into an ATV store and pay cash for two new monster quads, so I was ready to brag that my old trikes would fire right up, and the SX didn't start then either. I changed the plug and it finally grudgingly started, and then it ran fine, but I forgot all about it until now. That day it was 45 degrees.

Sometimes when it's really cold, the 200s doesn't want to start, but the SX has never failed me until now. I haven't had time to do any troubleshooting yet, but I was so discouraged I just had to come on here and cry about it....:cry:

[rdlsz24]

In my experience Hondas are cold-blooded. I used to kill my battery trying to get my 300ex quad to start in the cold

Rob

[Frankencelery]

Yeah, the 70 and the 90 are both that way, and the 200x doesn't start unless it's 80 degrees, but those two had never failed me. The only other one that always starts is the KLT110, and that one was unfortunately suffering the "running carburetor" issue, where it just keeps pouring gas out the overflow, so I had the tank drained. Not that I would want to try to drag a deer with the KLT110....

[bigred44]

Same here, all my hondas are cold blooded. Your jets are probably off some due to the cold weather.

[oldskool83]

my 300ex is the same way, my xr200 was same, i learned to just turn idleup on them during winter months, not let go of the throttle until motor is really warm, 3-4 mins and then go ride, no probs them.

normaly i see issues around 40 and below.

[Frankencelery]

Having to baby it or turn the idle up wouldn't bother me, but no fire at all, that sucks.

[oldskool83]

plugs? ???????

[4cfed]

wierd, my 84 200x, 85 200x and now my 86 all start in the cold, in fact my 86 will normally fire on one half hearted kick no matter the temp, it dont like to idle when its cold but it will always start

[Frankencelery]

Yeah, oldskool, that was the first thing I thought of on the SX when it wouldn't start on Thanksgiving. I had a DR8ES in there, and it was always harder to start after that, needing to be choked even in the summer. So I put in the proper plug, the DR8ES-L, and it started, but still very grudgingly. I'm thinking there might be a choke problem or maybe a pilot jet clogged? Would it even idle if it were the pilot jet?

Silly to speculate too much without digging into it, I guess, but I'm on a horrible tech support call to India and my mind is on more important things! :lol:

[k00leo]

what year 250sx do you have? the 85s are prone to having a cold start problem.

[Frankencelery]

Yeah, it's an 85 all right, but after 5 years of owning it, this is the first time this has happened.

[ailll1]

Had similar problems with my SX but in my case it was firing but would run. I would start it with e-start and would try to start but stall right away. Normally, it would take at least 10-15 stalling before being able to idle. Then i heard about shaking the bike from side to side for about 15 seconds. This and throttle pumping got rid of the stalling issues but it still needs to crank a little while before firing. I know it may seems silly but it works for me.
I'm not talking about 45F here more about -10F. Starts just fine over freezing point.

[RDH/86200X]

my 86 200x will start with out a problem. i didnt even have to use the choke the other day when it was 12 degrees and it started on one kick

[oldskool83]

your bikes not gonna idle if pilot is clogged. id take a day and clean the carbs.

[cbx1170]

Some Hondas have a small built in primer on LH of carb float bowl along with the normal choke mechanism. Its made for really cold starts. Reach down with left hand and try 1 maybe 2 maybe 3 pushes like snowmobiles have and you're running. If its hard starting cold and you are out in no mans land and you are SURE its lean and regular choke doesn't work lift one of the rear tires and tip machine up to waist or chest high, float will over fill a little bit set it down and crank without choke. A nice rich cold weather start. Longer up in air = more fuel. Dont Blip throttle or fouled plugs result. Learn to add choke incrementally or quick on & off while cranking may also give some help.
Simply raise jet needle .020in~.030in and idle mix screw out 1/3 turn in cold weather helps alot too. Worked in Minnesota anyway.

[Xpress]

but I'm on a horrible tech support call to India and my mind is on more important things! :lol:

Dells customer service sucks :lol:

[oldskool83]

just a dumb question....whens the last time u checked your valve clearances? hard starting it always the 1st sign on your intake valve running tight. my xr200 did it around 50 degrees but it ran find at 80 degrees. i check the valve and whadda ya know...0 gap.

[Frankencelery]

I know what you mean about Dell support. Even their top-tier support is now crappy. This time it's Microsoft. They'll fix the problem, as long as you have 6 hours to sit on the phone.

[Xpress]

^That's odd, I've never been connected to India for Microsoft..

And yeah, valves might be something you need to check.

[Frankencelery]

This is the Microsoft Exchange Team. Most of the server groups are in India.

When I get time to get back to it, I'll try a little starting fluid. If it pops right off, then it's probably a carb issue, and I'll do what oldskool suggests. I've never taken a carb apart on the SX before.

Here's something interesting....the 200s and 250sx not starting and the KLT overflowing the carb all happened AT THE SAME TIME, as in the same batch of gas! Hmmmmm.....

[code200k]

This is the Microsoft Exchange Team. Most of the server groups are in India.

When I get time to get back to it, I'll try a little starting fluid. If it pops right off, then it's probably a carb issue, and I'll do what oldskool suggests. I've never taken a carb apart on the SX before.

Here's something interesting....the 200s and 250sx not starting and the KLT overflowing the carb all happened AT THE SAME TIME, as in the same batch of gas! Hmmmmm.....

notice you didnt say anything about a Yamaha being a pain to start!!

[oldtime3wheeler]

I kick start my 85 Big Red in winter months. The e-start wont start it unless it has been run with in a day or so. My 85 x will start first or second kick on some days, and not at all on others. The decompression isnt hooked up so it can be a beast to start.

[big red hemi]

the exact same ting happened to me with my 85 red. it had not been run in a few weeks. even though it was in my heated garage it still would not start not even fire. i remembered hearing about the enricher valve having an undersized orifice in the 85 model. honda came out with a service bulliten advising drilling it out (cant remember the size) then problem solved.

now this might sound crazy but some one else mentioned it already. if you shake the bike back and fourth till the tires are bouncing off the ground it will start first touch of the button. i dont know why this works but it does. give it a shot

[big red hemi]

heres the bulletin

http://www.3wheeler.org/tech/06161-HA0-305_INSTRUCT1_50.jpg

[Xavier Lange]

if im right becouse I got a 1984 yamaha tri 225 wen myne dont start up on the first pull u got to pull like ten times if it sites for to long

[beets442]

On my 350X I use quartz lights, one under the pan and one facing the carb to warm her up and usually fires up with in a dozen kicks
On that bulletin it looks like they are going caveman on the jet proceedure:lol:...Beets

[Mr_RPM]

Id say its because They were sitting. The cold might be it but im guessing its just adding to your problem.

with the ways gas have been changing over the last few years and your machines are getting older each year sitting can sometimes do weird things.

If you have a garage or a way to keep your bikes quite to make sure you dont scare the deer, then id just start them and let them get to full temp at least once a week, if not more.

[83ATC185S]

my 185 is hard to start in the cold,what I do is pull the plug, bring it inside and hit it with the hair dryer for a min to heat it up a bit. usually starts right up after that.

[Chazz of Blades]

Hmmm, hitting a plug with a hairdryer.......I like it!



But can I use a hammer???



Show that plug who's BAWS!

[torker]

C'mon guys...It's a 25 year old bike + it has never given any trouble till now...
Just give the bikes a little love, will ya', just a little and they'll pull your deers for the next 5 years.
Trikes need love. On the other hand talk your friend into buying you a new quad too. And keep your trikes!!!

TORKER.

[Thorpe]

Next time, take it hunting with you... It was probably jelous... I had to brush the snow off the BR to pull a big 10 pointer out, but it was happy to fire up and go to work! (still havent fixed my cold jet)

[Frankencelery]

It was warmer today, about 28 degrees. I finally got a chance to check out the trikes. The 200s started after about 7-8 pulls and then ran fine. Buzzed around the yard for a few and then let it idle for 10 minutes in the driveway.

The 250sx was my real concern. This trike always started in any weather. No go tonight. I got thinking about what you guys said about checking the valves. I had adjusted them in August, and my hard starting came on right after that. So I checked, and both intake and exhaust were at .003, which is in spec...right? Someone mind checking that for me? Anyway, took the air filter off and shot starting fluid into the carb, and it fired up. Had to do that 2-3 times before it would keep running, then it idled fine with the choke on and when I took the choke off it ran fine as well. Took it out and rode it for 20 minutes, and it is running like normal. Must be something in the carb, but I'm not exactly sure what. If the pilot jet were clogged, it wouldn't idle at all, would it? I fixed a buddy's 185s a couple months ago that wouldn't idle, and it was a clogged pilot jet.

[ailll1]

Yes, valves need to be at 0.003'' on both sides.
You might want to get a service manual if you dont have one...

[Frankencelery]

Oh, and Thorpe, I do all my hunting within about 400-600 yards of my house, so I walk to all my stands. I only use the trikes when I need to get a deer back home. Maybe it WAS jealous that it had been neglected for so long. Speaking of jealous, got a pic of that 10-pointer? I had such an unlucky bow season that I finally gave in and shot a young buck just to get some meat in the freezer. I know that offends all the "antler hunters" out there, but...whatever. Can't eat antlers. That doesn't mean I wouldn't rather shoot a nice wall-hanger and have both!