2006 CRF 250X won't start

[Sixrr]

So I'm a fairly new rider and am having a problem with my bike starting. I have a 2006 honda CRF 250X. About a month ago I was having some starting problems and was told by several people I needed a valve job. So I took it in to a mechanic and had him do it for me and when it came out it was starting instantly. But about a week ago I took my bike up to the trails and was riding for about 2 hours and went to start it and it took me about 10 minutes to get it going. I have and electric and a kick start. Now it won't start with the electric or kick start and the only way I can get it running is to compression start it. Any ideas on what this could be?

[TDW]

Maybe the mechanic shimmed the valves to get it working for you and now it needs to be done again. Probably what needs to be done is a valve job now.

[Jim Dettman]

 As TDW said, do you know what the mechanic actually did?   If all he did was re-shim, it's possible the valves have streched again.

 

 Stock valves are Titainium, which have a coating on the face.  Once that wears through, the valves wear rapaidly and become cupped.  You generally can shim a couple of times, but once you start shimming, you're usually not that far away from a complete valve job; new valves, springs, keepers, seals, guides, and seats cut.

 

 Most opt to replace with stainless steel valves, which last longer then stock.

 

 So that's where I'd start.  Talk to the mechanic and find out exactly what was done.

 

 Won't hurt to check the basics either:

 

1. New fresh plug if you haven't had one in a while.

2. Disconnect the fuel line at the carb; are you getting a good strong flow of fuel and is it clean (no dirt/crud in the gas)?

3. Open the carb drain; fuel flow out?

4. Check the carb; is it being held tight?

5. Check the hot start; does it have free play or is it being held open?

 

Jim.

Edited September 4, 2013 by JimDettman

[Sixrr]

Is shimming the valves during the valve Clearance something that happens by mistake or is that something someone would do to make you think the problems fixed.

[TDW]

Well sounds like there might have been a mis communication about what was done. Maybe the best way to start off here is to say that if he did a valve job the price would have been alot more than if he did a valve clearance check and had to re shim a valve or two. A valve clearance check is just part of normal maintenance on these bikes, and sometimes the clearance is found to be out of spec and the shim needs to be changed to get the clearance back within specs. There are some guys that dont bother to re shim and will just get a valve job done at that time, because often times if the valve clearance is out of spec and you just re shim it, you have only bought yourself a few more hours before you would need to do it again or just get the valves replaced and seats cut. Were you charged alot?

[Sixrr]

Yes. $230

[TDW]

IMO that price seems to be in between, too much for just a valve check and re shim, and too low for the parts and labor needed for a valve job. I would be checking your paperwork from that or ask him what exactly did he do, whats his labor rate. 

Edited September 5, 2013 by TDW

[Jim Dettman]

IMO that price seems to be in between, too much for just a valve check and re shim, and too low for the parts and labor needed for a valve job. I would be checking your paperwork from that or ask him what exactly did he do, whats his labor rate. 

 

 My guess would be the valves had zeroed out, so he had to do it 2x.

 

For Sixrr, "Zeroed out" means there is no gap left to measure.  So you reshim with the smallest possible shim, put the cam back in, then re-measure to get the correct shim to bring it into spec.   Cam then comes back out, correct shim put in, then cam goes back in a second time.  Your probably looking at an hour and half all told.  $230 still seems high though.  Did he do anything else besides this?

 

And as far as the clearance, for the valves to open/close properly there is a specific gap that needs to be there between the top of the valve stem and the lobe on the cam shaft.  This is what is called valve lash.   As the valves wear (stem streches, top becomes cupped, or the seat wears), this gap gets smaller and smaller.  At some point, the valve no longer fully closes and hard starting is the result.

 

Jim.

[skuzera]

Might be full of shit here, but I took my 06 CRF250X to the dealer because of the same hard starting issue.

 

Turned out that this dealership did not work on Honda motorcycles but the mechanic owned one.

 

I've never heard of this but he said to roll the throttle 3X's before starting, after trying this it starts 90% of the time.

 

Another riding buddy mentioned that he also had trouble with Honda's starting and he would remove the gas cap prior to starting.

 

I know both of these sound like bullshit, but both of these have helped me start my 250X.

 

Shawn

[Jim Dettman]

Either of those might get you over the hump, but really you are compensating for other problems.  You should not have to do either on a good running bike.

 

Rolling the throttle 3x is pumping a bunch of gas into the motor.  What it means (unless it is unsually cold out) is that the bike is not jetted properly.  Having to crack the cap means the venting is plugged or partially plugged somewhere.

 

Jim.