TC250 kick start problems

[qball80]

I bought a brand new 2008 tc250 this spring. Been riding it about 15 hours or so now. I have trouble kick-starting it when it's warm. sometimes takes 20 tries or so. If I pull the hot-start lever, or the red-knob choke, it feels like there is no resistance to the kick starter. So I find I just sit and wait for a while (or roll if on a hill).

Stock everything.

Jetting should have been set up for my town and elevations in the shop.

[ray_ray]

Nice bike I bet .... The no resistance part sounds a little strange ... there have been other reports of the TC models being hard to start when hot ... Most of us have the JD Jetting kit installed ... Not sure if that is UR problem or not ..

My 08 TXC250 blew a fuse last week and I had to kick start it all day ... It started OK except for a couple times ... Give it no gas and push the kicker down was my method ...And maybe use the hot start button ....

Are you track or trail riding UR bike?

[qball80]

trail riding. I understand that the hot start button and the lever do the same thing, no?

[ray_ray]

The lever might be the compression release ... that would explain the ease in turning over ... The red button on the CARB leans the gas \ air mixture some how ... I have never used the compression release on my bike ... But I do pull the red button when my bike is hot ...Seems to help starting ...

How does the bike feel on the trails so far?

[Lincolnlock]

I too had some issues starting when hot. It was really bad a few weeks ago when my bike was new. You don't need to use the compression release on the clutch lever but you can. The only time I use it is when I've crashed and the bike spent some time on it's side or upside down. After you crash hold the compression release and kick the bike over a few times. (maybe 5 or so) Pull the red button on the carb let go of the compression release and it should fire. Again, your bike has auto decompression and you shouldn't need to use the lever. On old 4 strokes you had to use the lever because there was no auto decompression. You would pull the lever, kick the bike slowly until you feel the most resistance in the kick start. Let go of the lever. Let the kick start come all the way to the top, and kick. My TC450 starts easily every time. Even when hot.

From your first post it sounds like you are holding the compression release in while trying to start the engine. The red button should be pulled out to aid in hot starting and pushed back in once started. You can lean the idle mixture out a little as well if the engine is still hard to start when hot.

[jwdirt]

I have an 08 TC250 (now 300) as well. I've had problems starting it in the past as well, mostly when I've stalled it during a hare scramble/ cross country. My system that seems to work pretty well is: pull the red knob out, pull in the decompression lever and give it 3 good kicks on the 4th let out the decompression lever and it starts almost every time. I would recommend the JD kit if that isn't installed as well.