running a klr with no oil never ends good; 08 is junk

[Michael A Zlotowicz]

Hello fellow KLR enthusiasts, I recently purchased a parts KLR650 to complement one I already own. It had been sitting outdoors for 3 years and written off as dead. I bought it for parts, but after a thorough fuel line cleaning, new plug/needle/filters/jets, it actually started and ran, so I cleaned it up and now have two KLRs. Now I have a vexing problem. It starts and runs strong, and runs perfect at all speeds. However, at idle, there is an irregular misfire. Every once in a while, the rpms will drop sharply for a half-second, then return. At 1.4krpm, it kills the engine, but if I hold the speed to 2krpm at idle, the engine will recover from the random dip. The idle jet is new, and so are the fuel and air filters. It otherwise idles normally, and this misfire is not predictable. It becomes less frequent as the engine warms up. I figured this was a post-sitting-outdoors gremlin, but it hasn't gone away despite putting 100 miles on the bike post-resurrection. I swapped the CDI box with my old bike, but that hasn't changed anything. The spark plug is new and gapped right. Is this ignition-related? A short in the safety switches? I traced all the wires and nothing is visibly shorting. Thanks for your feedback! Bike is 1997. Mike Z

[stevedyer@cox.net]

Mike, When Dr. Frankenstein created life from a corpse, I can think of two things going for him that you're missing: 2 new electrical contacts in the neck and a big-ass Van De Graaff generator. Check eBay. When his grandson found himself in the same situation he had a young Teri Garr to provide a few extra sparks, but that's a different story. Steve, whose A13 feels unbelievably large, stable and powerful after spending a week resuscutating and test-riding an '84 CT110. 7.6 hp will recalibrate your seat-of-the pants accelerometer very quickly. ----------------- ---- Michael A Zlotowicz wrote: Hello fellow KLR enthusiasts, I recently purchased a parts KLR650 to complement one I already own. It had been sitting outdoors for 3 years and written off as dead. I bought it for parts, but after a thorough fuel line cleaning, new plug/needle/filters/jets, it actually started and ran, so I cleaned it up and now have two KLRs. Now I have a vexing problem. It starts and runs strong, and runs perfect at all speeds. However, at idle, there is an irregular misfire. Every once in a while, the rpms will drop sharply for a half-second, then return. At 1.4krpm, it kills the engine, but if I hold the speed to 2krpm at idle, the engine will recover from the random dip. The idle jet is new, and so are the fuel and air filters. It otherwise idles normally, and this misfire is not predictable. It becomes less frequent as the engine warms up. I figured this was a post-sitting-outdoors gremlin, but it hasn't gone away despite putting 100 miles on the bike post-resurrection. I swapped the CDI box with my old bike, but that hasn't changed anything. The spark plug is new and gapped right. Is this ignition-related? A short in the safety switches? I traced all the wires and nothing is visibly shorting. Thanks for your feedback! Bike is 1997. Mike Z

[Jeff Saline]

On Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:11:42 -0400 Michael A Zlotowicz writes:

> Hello fellow KLR enthusiasts, > > I recently purchased a parts KLR650 to complement one I already own. > It had been sitting outdoors for 3 years and written off as dead. I > bought it for parts, but after a thorough fuel line cleaning, new > plug/needle/filters/jets, it actually started and ran, so I cleaned > it up and now have two KLRs. > > Now I have a vexing problem. It starts and runs strong, and runs > perfect at all speeds. However, at idle, there is an irregular > misfire. Every once in a while, the rpms will drop sharply for a > half-second, then return. At 1.4krpm, it kills the engine, but if I > hold the speed to 2krpm at idle, the engine will recover from the > random dip. > > The idle jet is new, and so are the fuel and air filters. It > otherwise idles normally, and this misfire is not predictable. It > becomes less frequent as the engine warms up. I figured this was a > post-sitting-outdoors gremlin, but it hasn't gone away despite > putting 100 miles on the bike post-resurrection. > > I swapped the CDI box with my old bike, but that hasn't changed > anything. The spark plug is new and gapped right. > > Is this ignition-related? A short in the safety switches? I traced > all the wires and nothing is visibly shorting. > > Thanks for your feedback! > > Bike is 1997. > > Mike Z

<><><><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><><><> Mike, Sounds to me like you've got a fun problem to play with. My first thought was maybe the slide/diaphragm is not responding but that's not in use for the idle circuit. When you said you raise the idle to 2K I thought, that's not at idle anymore, that's now on the needle. So I'm gonna make a wild guess here that you still have an issue with your idle circuit. If I was working on this bike I think I'd do a few things. First I'd check and adjust the valve clearances just so they would be known good and eliminated from any troubleshooting. I'd also make darn sure the vacuum line to the petcock was in good shape. Then I'd pull the carb and go through it again making sure all the passages were clean and freely pass air. New o-rings would be installed where used and they'd be lubed lightly with plumbers silicone grease. I'd also make sure I checked the float for proper function. Maybe even float it in some fuel to see if it compares with a known good float. If the diaphragm is torn (probably not from what you describe) I get a replacement at the Harley or V-Twin shop. One other thing I'd maybe consider checking is the exhaust for obstructions (mouse nest/parts). I'd also watch the tach and see if it dies with the miss (like if you turn off the key) or if it winds down with the engine. That might help figure out if it's electrical. Other than that I'd probably pull the tank and fairing and spend an afternoon cleaning electrical connections. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT ____________________________________________________________ Save on Security Cameras. Click Now! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/Ioyw6i3mYHqB6EVjLVxh5XctxNXS3l2ksxPZpPf4pt5J5V6bRbDKoU/

[boulder_adv_rider]

For sure I'd drop the petcock out of the tank and see what's hanging on the scream/filter. It could be rust or something plugging it especially a metal tank sitting outside. Then I'd pull the carb and thoroughly clean it. Inspect the spark plug and do a valve inspection. Then see what you get. Brian

[nakedwaterskier]

Just like the doohickey and spring. The dealer won't usually cover it because it usually happens after the warranty is up. Then, you end up with a blown or burned up engine. So, if you got stuck with an 08 that burns oil...better to admit it and try and get it taken care of ASAP I heard the dealers now have better rings for the 08, too. Also, Hastings rings are avail. Compression rings part# 46825 Flex Vent oil ring spacer part # 48809 Oil rails part # 48354 Compression rings part# 46825 The factory spec for these rings is 0.0461-0.0469 The Hastings rings are 0.0465 x 3.9375 These are 5 pound rings. Flex Vent oil ring spacer part # 48809 Oil rails part # 48354 These are 0.0800 x 0.0180 x 3.9375 The oil ring size is based on the factory size ring but it has twice the tension of the stock ring at 10 pounds. These are steel chrome faced rings and you can order a set from Hasting for $29.00