Hey guys, i went riding friday and the klx had some starter problems. It was off and on, i think it did it more when it was hot. When i hit the starter button it would just click, put it in gear let clutch out rock it and it would usually fire. I get home fires right up. New starter is 256$ Kick starter kit is 295$. I havent done any digging to see what it really is, but what sucks is that its intermittent. Didnt do it all the time, and it appears im going to have to get the bike hot to get a chance to reproduce the problem. Anyone else have an issue like this? This might be a good reason to save up for the kick starter. So even if the starter has a problem i can get it fired. Oh, when i was having trouble with it starting it would bump start fine.

few pics from the ride.








made it the highest up this hill climb.

 

Could be a frayed wire? Starter solenoid could be on the way out. Starter brushes? Starter button could have crud in it. Rocking it to get it to work would indicate something physical inside the starter like brushes.

 

Maybe mud got in there. LOL

 

That's the most interesting bike parking technique I've seen in a while.





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I was expecting to see him go over the bars. but he just stopped there like that. LOL my other buddy helped him out.

 

Typical "hot engine/no start" problem areas: fuel pump relay/other relays (or solenoid) near engine getting too warm-need replaced, check electrical ground, low battery, poor/obstructed intake air path, valve seals allowing oil seepage into cylinders upon restart. Just suggestions....

 

Thanks jeff... Just picked up a starter solenoid off ebay. It was cheap. Ill try that.

 

Sound like the starter motor to me. The click is the solenoid. If it clicked every time you hit the button, it's probably ok. Assuming your battery is good and your connections are tight when you rocked the bike you spun the starter motor from the dead winding to a good winding... maybe.

 

Well I took the starter off today, opened it up and there was motor oil everywhere inside. There is an o ring to seal the starter gear off from the outside, so the gear and needle bearing get oil, but on the inside of the starter shaft there is a seal that has appeared to have failed and let motor oil go to the inside of the starter. It was dripping.

 

Sort of a good news, bad news thing. Good news is you found the problem. Bad news is...it's not as simple as replacing a solenoid. Hope it goes back together with no difficulties!