This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Starting with choke only, hot or cold.

K

kzoo

Joined Sep 2005
494 Posts | 0+
Michigan
Ok, I'm sure someone will flog me over this but my '03 FE400 has been starting off of the choke only, hot or cold. When kick start it it will not even attempt to fire but when I put the choke on it's one kick hot and 2 or 3 cold every time?

2003 FE400

Stock needle, slide, start jet, needle jet.
PJ - 45
MJ - 190
Needle clip #2
Start Jet - 45

I live in michigan so the temps are around 50 - 60 deg F. I recently did a dual sport ride and noticed it popped like mad when deceling and also started on choke only. I put in the 45 pj and ran it. The popping is gone but the same starting issues. While in the carb I changed to a new needle and needle jet and also replaced the plug cap. I also cleaned the jets and carb passages. I checked the spark and it is a nice strong blue. Also, I checked the valves and they are right on.

Any help is appretiated. I just got my cycle endorsement so I can now ride the roads and test out my jetting! :D

Thanks in advance.

Jason

Edit: I read Taffy's post regarding properly selecting the pilot jet... A 45 is a "bit" to big since the big would load right up upon starting :oops: Just for grins I went to a 35 pilot jet and the bike fired up no problem (with choke), I had to adjust the idle screw and pilot screw... Could it be that the float bowl is off, or there is still muck clogging the starter jet passage?
 
Hey Kzoo, It would appear that you may still be a little lean off idle, try the next richer jet, or play with the fuel mixture screw some more. Three kicks cold is about right, so I think you are close to having it right, hope this helps.
 
kzoo

i'm getting confused here? you say that you have a 45 in your specs then you say that you went to a 35 just for grins and it works? so you don't have a 45? right?

thing is. i advocate a 35 and not a 45. so where is this going?

i suggest that all you need is a 35PJ and that you may try many, many other things.

lower the needle will help as long as mid/top power is better as well or the same at least.

try setting the carb again on the FS and idle screw. a soft tickover is important.

is the choke jet blocked?

whatever happens - you are running rich at tickover.

regards

Taffy
 
Taffy said:
kzoo

i'm getting confused here? you say that you have a 45 in your specs then you say that you went to a 35 just for grins and it works? so you don't have a 45? right?
Click to expand...

Taffy,

Correct on the 35. After reading your pilot, (choke jet), post I went out fired the bike up and it loaded right away with the 45. Then to make a drastic change I went and installed a 35 pilot jet and kicked the bike over while on the choke and it started right away. I didn't get a chance to adjust the idle speed FS setting as it was getting late and I was probably p**ssing off the locals, and I had to pack for a business trip anyway I had been through the carb with carb cleaner and air to clear the jets and passages. Did I miss one? Could be...

Anyway, I am going to mess with the carb when I get back. First thing is set the idle and FS. B.T.W. I've been reading about methods of setting the FS and idle so here's how I will set my idle and FS. If it's wrong please correct where appropriate.

1) Make sure that the intake is clean, filter etc...
2) Get the bike running and warmed up for 10-15 minutes by riding it.
3) Turn the fuel screw out about 3 turns
4) Set the idle according to the manual
5) Turn FS in until idle starts to drop.
6) Increase idle with idle screw until proper ~1800rpm
7) Adjust FS in until idle drops and back out 'til idle picks up
8) Adjust Idle back to factory specs

B.T.W. if the starting circuit is too rich then why will it start with the choke? I would think this would make the situation worse?

If that doesn't work I'll strip the carb clean it put it back together try again. If that doesn't work I'll put the bike away and take up checkers.

Thanks for the help everyone!

:)
 
Ok, so I put in the #35 pilot jet and adjusted the idle to ~1700rpm. Started the bike rode around for about 20 minutes adjusted the PJ and idle. Waited for the bike to cool down then started again and monitored how long on the choke before the bike idled down. Well it didn't so I upped the PJ to a 40 and went through the same procedure and the bike will now idle down after 60-90 seconds. The bike will start off of the button and kick again so that's good. Also, when cruising down the road in 2nd gear with the 35PJ at ~1/4 throttle I noticed a slight stutter. If I upshift to third and cruise at ~1/4 throttle I don't knotice a stutter. With the 40PJ the stutter is still there as previous but is less noticable... I made sure the air boots were tight so I don't believe there is any kind of air leak.

Here's where I left it -
MJ 190
PJ 40
Needle Stock at #2
Temps yesterday ~50 deg F
 
some of those needles have 3 and some have 5 clip settings?

this is the order you need.

set the MJ, set the needle, set the pick up and idle on the FS and idle adjustment screw.

THEN a day later when absolutely stone cold. check how she starts and runs on choke as per a previous write up from moi!

choke comes after and muctn't have anything to do with the running of the bike.

i have three dell orto choke jets which should tell you that i changed the choke jet AFTER all else was definately good.

regards

taffy
 
many like you, with this problem havent check the valveclearence. i just say is not always the carburator.
 
Here's how things stand as of now...

I took the bike to the dealer since I was getting tired of messing with the thing and getting to the same point... As luck would have it the dealer found a small amount of silicone inside the portion of the intake that is welded to the frame. So they went to wipe if off and they found a small ~1-2mm hole in the weld! The crazy thing is that the silicone was painted blue on the outside so you couldn't see it from the outside! Looks like the factory did a quickie patch job... So now I know what got my carb all gummed up right after cleaning it. I had searched for a leak and thought I hadn't tightened one of the hose clamps... For the interim they've applied some JB weld and I'll watch it to see how it goes. Luckily, the hole is at a spot that could be easily welded if need be. Also, the decomp mechanism was worn down about a .1" so I had them replace it. Took the bike home, cleaed up the carb new plug and fired right up. Let it warm up, after a minute or so shut it off and if fired up with one kick and no choke...
 
kzoo

brilliant! now give it a good run!

never heard the one about the frame before....!

regards

taffy
 
Well, I went out and rode the snot out of the bike and everything checked out OK, started off of the button, first kick when hot. I need a new battery as mine is about 3 years old now...

That being said, I wash up the bike pull the cover off of start spraying down the stator and look what I find...

cracked SEM

:x
 
that's unlucky mate. try sending it to sparks in the UK. joeusa is chuffed to bits with his i believe...

regards

Taffy
 
Taffy said:
joeusa is chuffed to bits
Click to expand...

I don't know what the heck that means but I assume it's a good thing. :twisted:

I've spoken with sparks and as soon as I get around to it I'll buy a used but IMPROVED sparks SEM... :D Sparks new right were it was cracked before I PM'd the photo... I think he knows his stuff :wink:
 
I need to know how what adjustments you can do from the outside...

I read the description that Kzoo gave... and didn´t get it...

Maybe Kzoo or someone else could get a more in depth description... the same given... which probably is very good.... but so that a newbie like me could understand and try...

what´s the "fuelscrew"?

What´s "FS"?

And another thing... if you turn the idlescrew in does it add fuel or...
and the same thing with with the airmixscrew if you turn it in .... what does it do?

I´m going to take the carburettor out... which is the easiest way....sideways or backways... how do you do it?

Let´s start with this... and I´ll probably will come back for more.... :D

/Rikard
 
what´s the "fuelscrew"?

What´s "FS"?
Click to expand...

FS is an abbreviation for fuel screw...


And another thing... if you turn the idlescrew in does it add fuel or...
Click to expand...

The idle screw moves a small stop that changes the slide position at idle. Turning the screw in raises the slide, turning it out lowers the slide.
 
Hmmm... when I look at it now ... I feel... yes, stupid... it seems obvious... :oops:

but I´m still uncertain which one is the mixturescrew... in my downloaded manual they mark out a screw that to me more seems to tighten/hold the intakemanifold... is that the one or have the marked out wrong?

/Rikard
 
boheme said:
Hmmm... when I look at it now ... I feel... yes, stupid... it seems obvious... :oops:

but I´m still uncertain which one is the mixturescrew... in my downloaded manual they mark out a screw that to me more seems to tighten/hold the intakemanifold... is that the one or have the marked out wrong?

/Rikard
Click to expand...

Hello boheme,

Yes Husaberg has marked the wrong one. The Fuel screw is the screw in the picture that is between the ones marked 1 and 2.

Using very light torque, screw it in clockwise until it stops, counting the turns and part of turns. How many turns did it take to bottom out? Let us know...

Now for a question. Do you have a tachometer on your Husaberg?

Do you have access to an inductive pickoff tachometer so you can measure and set the idle speed?

If you follow the information in the manual and get it to idle good at the suggested settings then it should be O.K. during starting and partial riding conditions unless the carb needle and needle jet are worn. They rub together under idle and low partial throttle conditions and cause the idle mixture to become overly rich, causing the owner to turn in the fuel screw and and change the idle screw to maintain the correct idle speed to compensate. This eventually results in a condition that causes some of the conditions you have been experiencing.

I have to replace the needle and needle jet on my 00 501 about every 1500 miles during trail riding.

I only use the choke for the 1st start of the day on my 501.

Let us know!

Regards,

Joe
 
Thanks!

I´ll check out the turns... and I`ll get back to you.

I don´t have none of those things... but I´ll check around if I could find some to borrow.

Otherwise I`ll try to do it by ear...

I´ll get back to you!

/Rikard
 
ok, now I´ve checked... the idlescrew is 6 1/2 turns from bottom and the fuelscrew is 1 1/4 from the bottom.

I don´t know what´s "common" regarding the Idlescrew...

Since the guidelines for the Fuelscrew starts at 1 1/2 turns, and mine is just 1 1/4,

that must mean that my engine could use some more fuel on idling and low revs...
(as I understand it that screw adjusts the amount of fuel on idling and low revs???)

and that could be my way out of the hardstarting trouble and also to my problem that it easily dies on me on low revs and driving with clutchcontroll/low revs...

and as usual, I´m trying to learn things here so... correct me if I´m wrong... :eek:

/Rikard
 

Similar threads

J
94 FE350 - Dellorto VHSB 38 missing the idle emulsion jet?
Replies
6
Views
894
jfjong
J
G
CARBURETION ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS FE 450 2005
Replies
0
Views
44
GMC77
G
A
Keihin Carb
Replies
1
Views
539
Taffy
Taffy
A
Carburetor settings 400FE 2002
Replies
4
Views
731
Anjeba
A
F
FE570 low idle issue, outside of the usual suspects! (I think)
Replies
1
Views
418
rikschipp
R

Register CTA

Register on Husaberg Forum! This sidebar will go away, and you will see fewer ads.

Recent Discussions