i am picking up an '06 today and its been sitting (in climate controlled enviro) for about 18 months. what procedure should i follow to make sure it gets off on the right foot at its new home?

thanks!

 

Don't leave any fingerprints.....

 

i always wear disposables and use burner phones

 

If it has been stored with gasoline in it - anywhere in it - you may be in for a real trouble..

Obviously you will likely need to change the oil and filter - unless they were changed just before storage..

Drain all fuel from tank and carb, check the in-fuel-line fuel filter or any other fuel filter (replace as needed) refill tank with fresh gas, open bowl drain and drain at least 1 cup of fuel through the entire system - make sure it flows steady and with good volume.

Pull the plug and hit the starter for at least a count of 10 - to get oil flow to all internal parts..

Replace plug and attempt starting with no throttle and choke on... Cross your fingers..

 

good info, thank you.

 

More FYI:

In climate controlled storage, it is not expected that moisture buildup from thermal cycling would have happened - causing deterioration of the rings and faulting with the piston-to-cylinder - but it certainly would not be bad to lightly spray WD40 into the cylinder and leave for a few days before hitting the starter for the oil pressure distribution ( prior to startup attempt ).. Don't spray so much as to cause ignition problems with the later startup attempt.. Moisture buildup in the engine case would cause rusting internally.. Draining the oil and checking it carefully for any water (in it) will tell you about any internal moisture..

If the air filter was stored with filter oil on it, it has likely become trash. If the filter is ruined, it must be removed before a startup attempt.

If the bike was stored with fuel in the carb, it likely will not start or, if it does, it likely won't run correctly. You will have no choice other than to become knowledgeable about CVK's. The end result will be that you will fully disassemble it, clean all pilot system and main fueling system passageways and components.. Note that you will do this over and over and over - until you do it right.

 

i posted an update but its not yet approved for some reason.. after removing the old fuel and getting the oil moving it fired right up so i took it for a short ride down the driveway - in second gear coming back up hill it seemed to lack in power until i got to about half throttle and it felt like it wound up and picked up speed pretty quickly. i'm assuming thats normal. i am very new to any motorcycles over 100cc so forgive me if this a dumb question.. i do appreciate the input regardless. i am going to take your advice and disassemble the carb and go through it. can't hurt and i'll get to know the bike better anyway..

 

For what it's worth, the KLX250 power doesn't really start to build until after 4000 rpm. Even my KLX650 doesn't pull strong until past around 3500 rpm. Riding off road/back road I seldom drop below 5000 rpm on the 250 and 4000 rpm on the 650 so I am always in the good power range. In town puttering around I may be around 3500-4000, but usually over 4000 just to be able to accelerate relatively quickly.

Don't be afraid to rev it some. That's where Kawasaki put the power, not down low. Don't try to keep it down low. Fact is gas mileage will be best if kept within the range of 4000-5000 rpm, not lugging it. This isn't just my opinion, when selling Hondas we had complaints about the mpg on 1100-1200 Gold Wings. We learned the riders were trying to lug them around at 2500-3000 rpm, Honda Service division told us to tell them the most efficient range for the engine was 3500-4500 rpm, to keep it there for best performance even if it meant downshifting. Owning a Honda GL1100 Gold Wing standard, I can vouch for that fact. I consistently got 50 mpg, even riding rolling hills and winding roads dropping to fourth gear. I took that experience to my 650 and get 60 mpg virtually regardless of the kind of riding.

When you disassemble the carb look at the jets and record the numbers on them and any logo type design, Kiehin has a stylized K on the main jet. KLXter can tell you what the Dyno Jet looks like. If it has an adjustable needle or any shims under it, the jetting has been modified. I believe the stock pilot jet is a 35. I forget what the stock main jet is. You want to make sure the jetting is done. Makes it so much easier to start and does run better.

Have fun with the 250, good ride, feels like a mountain bike compared to the bigger singles.

 

If I had the same situation, I would not go into the carb. I'd just ride it. There is a lot stuff that can go wrong going into the carb, especially as a newb!
If after a tank of gas, you have issues, then you know you have to go in.

 

that's a great point, give it a tank to get a baseline and go from there..