Ok, I didn't sell the bike.

I slept on it a night and decided to go out and check the valve clearances. I was reluctant at first to do this because of the time involved and I truly didn't think my valves were out of spec after only 3100 miles. The left intake was in spec and on the tight side. The right intake was just out of spec, a little too tight. Both the exhaust valves were good. Here's what I did find... I started looking at the ACR and trying to figure out how it moved and really why it did what it did. With my fingers, I tried moving the part that makes the spring expand and it wouldn't budge. I finally had to get a screwdriver and put a touch of force on it. It gave free rather easily and from then on moved when tried with my fingers. Something had stopped it in it's place. What it was, I have no idea. I didn't see anything in, around or near it other than oil. While putting everything back together, I wondered if that had been the culprit all along... the non moving or hinging ACR. With everything back in it's place, I pulled the choke fully open, found the compression stroke with the kick starter and gave it a good kick. It fired right up!!!!!!!! Unbelievable. The first try. I could barely believe it.

Later that night (4 hours had passed) I went out and repeated the process. Started on the first kick!!!!!!!!!!!

The bike sat all last night and then all day. I went out a few minutes ago and repeated the process. It started on the first kick, AGAIN!!!!!!!!!

I know have a bike that I can kick start with one kick. How cool is that?

I may actually change out the ACR, since I don't know what caused it to bind, but for the moment I completely relieved.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I really did read all of them and try almost every one.

Jon

 

Very good work there. Congrats.

I don't know what would hang up the ACR. I personally wouldn't go in and replace it until it started acting up again. But I would get those valves in spec, and toward the high end of spec if you can.

 

Nice! I think everybody likes happy endings, and I'm glad you got the bike started too.
Dan

 

Something looks strange to me: your KACR was stuck in a compression release position (like it is normally when stalled), or in the normal running position?

If it was the first situation, then your engine would have run very bad once started. If the latter, I only see a harder to crank situation, which you would recognize easily, no? And I would not expect that to preempt the engine from starting...

 

Congratulations on having a bike that starts!

Raycour got to my question too. *If you thing it though, a Stuck KACR should either facilitate starting and inhibit running, or inhibit cranking and facilitate running, depending on whether it got stuck in the 'closed' or 'open' positions respectively.

Did you notice the effort required to kick the bike get any easier or more difficult after you freed the KACR?

Typographical errors by*iPhone

 

Sweet. Do the happy dance now and not the starter dance.

Adjust your valves and they will probably remain in spec for quite some time.

 

The ACR is not available as a separate part. You would have to order a new exhaust cam.......the ACR is included.

This is the first time I've heard of the weights binding up on the ACR.

Ride on
Brewster

 

I really can't answer the ACR questions. I understand the theory, but I can only explain what happened. The mechanism wasn't moving at my first attempt to discover how it worked. Maybe it was sticking periodically??? I don't know. There were times when it would start sooner than others, but not like it did yesterday or the day before. It's the only thing that I changed on that day.

On the subject of exhaust cams... Does anyone make one with an improved ACR? Are the Kawasaki brand the best we can find? I know someone said don't replace it, and I probably won't for the time being. Just wondering what's out there.

 

A defective KACR isn't a very common failure item. The starting issue where some have mentioned a dealership modding the KACR to allow more compression is one possible method of dealing with the poor cold starting, but I think the drilling of the starter jet is a bit easier and maybe better for the starter and battery. The starter jet allows the compression to be maintained at the lower level as designed with the KACR while providing the extra fuel needed for cold starting.

 

Stroker, now known as Four Stroke Works, used to sell and install a manual compression release. I don't know if it is still available.

Ride on
Brewster