Hello. I do not own this 1997 klx300. I am a HD and car gearhead and my Neighbor who is only 15 got this bike not running. He has tried to get it started the regular ways and couldnt. I have offered my help to him and I have it in my garage.

Okay, we have new plug. Fresh gas.

We have spark and a wet plug. It prev had a baja kit and they left the switch on it and I can toggle and cut the spark off and on so I assume its the kill switch.

He did get it to run shortly by push starting it. I have been kicking for hours and just a wet plug.

Can any help me help this very nice kid. He doesnt have the money to take it to the SQUEALERS and get ripped.

Thanks in advance.
Ryan in Reno

 

I would check the plug gap is set right first. Dry it off with carb cleaner or get a fresh one. Try starting it without the choke first with the throttle fully open. What happens?

 

The plug is gapped at 30 as I just guessed at it. I have tried both choked no throttle. Choked 1/4 throttle, choked wot.

Also the same with NO choke and I seem to get the same results.. The last 4 stroke I owned was a honda 350x and that was hard to kick.

This seems alot easier!

I did search the forum and only found general answers of things I already know.

I didnt know if there was something that was a "known" issue.

Thanks for any and all help

 

Have you checked the compression, this will cause hard or no starting?

 

Getting too much gas? I know that sounds crazy. If you have spark, and a fresh plug, the only thing that can "smother" the bang is too much gas (and bad compression; good call, slippery!)
What did plug look like after it ran (briefly)?

 

Sorry, I know how ignorant that sounded. I have an old Husqvarna that I need to have the fuel completely off when I start. I pour a dab of fuel (pre-mix) in the plug hole, kick it over, it runs, then I turn on the gas. Otherwise, if I kickstart with petcock on, it floods choke/no choke, etc. (yes, I know, but it works every time!) Runs fine.....very fine!
Try it.

 

ok, thanks for all the help.. mucho thanks..

I was not around when we first got this bike so I have no clue to what plug looked like when ran. The plug I just replaced looked with in limits not white or brown but a nice sooty black, but changed it anyways.


I tried the shut off the fuel trick and still nothing. Although with no fuel and wot the compression seemed to come up a bit and was harder to kick.

This bike had a Baja design kit on it and is no longer on it. But there was a toggle switch mounted that we thought was the on/off.. Just ran a spark test again and we get spark on both toggle pos.

What was the orig off/on/run configuration if anyone knows.. Again this is a 97 kaw klx300

Thanks

 

Welcome to KF

I would go back to basics again on an unknown issue. Carbs clean, 2.25 turns out on the a/f screw at sea level, check float height, compression check is nice to know, good plug. Spark check and all rubber lines or boot are clean with no leaks.

 

Fresh gas should include draining the carb as well. It does no good to put fresh in the tank when the carb has old stuff in it. I would start right there. Welcome to the forums.

 

Sorry for the double post, messed up the quote...