Lt500r Kickin Back Hard

[dirtbike77]

i have a 1987 lt500r, the bike was just recently rebuilt..... had a port and polish job and a new flywheel and stator, basically just a redo of everything...


anyhow hurricane katrina came threw and dump alot of water in both of my machines 1986 atc250r and 1987 lt500r.... i got the atc runnin... but the quad isnt...

after turning the bike over and kickin and blowin out it seemed to be dry.... i kicked and kicked and kicked but no start... i checked for spark ''yes'' fuel ''yes''..

so i decided to dump a cap full of fuel and try it... the bike started to my suprise ran for a few minutes and shut off... everytime after i tried to kick it, it sounded like it wanted to start but didnt...

everytime i kicked down the kick start , it kicked back?

* can imagine the pain my foot is in... lt500r bored .120

any help would be greatly appreciated

[MTS]

Did you drain the carb and fuel tank, chance's are thers tons of water in them and they dont like trying to run on water

[dirtbike77]

fresh fuel? in tank n carb

[MTS]

Dose not matter, unless you compleatly took the tank off and carb and compleatly draind it right out, water dose not mix with gasoline, so you can have pockets of it floating around in there, also go for a new spark plug, the old one is probly logged with water a fuel and very nasty looking ..

[sblt500r]

pull off the stator cover and make sure theres no water in there. it can short out the electrical system if there is. also check the flywheel key now that its been kicking back, and while your in there check the timing.

[dirtbike77]

one quick question...


when i did get the bike runnin it ran pretty strong, but it was only when i poured a cap full of premix?

the eltrical stator and flywheel was ok

anyother ideas?

why she would kick back

[sblt500r]

did you do anything to the carb? like different size jets? especially the pilot jet. mine would kick back all the time after i rebuilt it. and its 100 over.

[Jason Hall]

If the bottom of the crank case is full of water then when the piston goes down it will push water up on top of the piston, & it could be liquid binding. I really can't see how it started with water in there, but anything is possible. I have seen times when you have alot of assembly oil in the cylinder, & that will seal the cylinder so tite the kick starter kicks rite back as soon as it fire's. Then the smash against your foot stops the engine before it can roll around & stay running. It takes a little time for the assembly oil to burn out. I found the easiest way to start any big dog is to roll Er around until you feel the compression start to build, then jump on Er once real good & get the weight off your foot as soon as you can. If you just kick it without rolling it around, you take the chance of the piston being all the way down. Then the cylinder fires rite when your leg has all your weight on it, then wham there goes your tender little foot.

[dirtbike77]

what do * guys reccomend doing to try and get the water out of the cylinder? or the crancase area?


the bike has a brand new plug...........

i clean the carb out and fuel tank............

fresh engine oil..............

[dirtbike77]

im gonna go ahead and try to start it again when i get off from work today........


any ideas for things to try?

[sblt500r]

did you flipp the quad right over unto its seat, and then kick it over to make sure most of the water was out of the cylinder? also pull of the pipe, and check it for water. it would be easier if you have some one pull you around to try and start it. just watch out if it grabs on the street, it will jump forward!

[dirtbike77]

after tryin and tryin to start the bike... i finally pulled out the plug and noticed water beads on the tip.... i decided to go ahead and remove the cylnder and head to investigate... and when i did i ound the crankcase area full of water and fuel...


also some coolant... i think may have possibly blew the head gasket on te bike while tryin to start it like that...

so im gonna replace the head gasket... and let her dry out

[sblt500r]

you might have had too much compression and blew it. also should replace al of the top end gaskets while you have it apart.

[dirtbike77]

ok i got home today i drain the engine completly dry of all fluids, coolant, oil, and water in the crankcase area.... put new top end gaskets on and tried to start the bike... no longer than the third kick the kick starter kick back, bangin my knee against the handle bars .... dont know wat it could be... it backfired out of the exhuast one time and that was as about as close to gettin the bike started....

now something wierd was when i jus rested my foot on the kick starter and got ready to kick it the kick starter kicked back like i was tryin to start the bike....

could this be some type of ignition problem? the bike has a brandnew staor and flywheel? upon removin the flywheel nut i noticed the flywheel kinda wobbled back and forth.... i used a spare key and it stop wobblin...

wat would cause it spark so soon when barely touch the kick starter?

[sblt500r]

with all that kicking back you must have sheared the flywheel key. if its out of time it will cause it to kick back. are you sure the stator is timed right? it would kick back like that if there was still a charge of fuel in the cylinder and you were at just the right spot of the stroke when you kicked it.