OK so here it is: 99 with a Big Air Kit, VH short shots, vented cap, new manifold, pumpless with a Grizzly jet. I did not do the fuel level adjustment with the float tubes however. Since taking the carb apart and fixing the crap work previous owner did I have been having really hard time getting this thing to start. It takes me 5 minutes of cranking a fiddling with the throttle to get it to catch and start. Mileage is good and it runs great at every speed and under every condition. No stumbles or hesitation. WOT is great and it idles perfectly. It has Dyna coils and new wires which I installed way before this problem. Some times it will backfire when trying to start it and it does a funny huff sound every 2nd or 3rd crank attempt. The huff pushes against the BAK as I see it move out when I hear it. Why will it not catch easily lime it should.

Do you open the choke all the way and twist the throttle once before firing 'er up?

I had to learn to become the pump after I went pumpless. I do that every time before I start now. No hesitation at all.

'Throttle fiddling' shouldn't be part of the starting repretuar.

Either full choke and no priming, or maybe a twist, or two, before hitting the button, but I would think any advancement of the throttle, after that, is not necessary during the starting ritual for it to catch.

It's flooded from the start, or not getting enough fuel from the get-go. Opening the throttle during cranking slows down the air and goofs up the proper atomizing of the fuel.

Pulling a spark plug after futile attemps will tell the tale. Wet- you're flooding it, or dry- it isn't getting enough.

Something the kick start lever taught riders back in the day, was procedure.

Lifeguard, I've also upgraded a lot of the electronics of starting.

- Warrior Relay
- Maxair Flamewires (I'd recommend Neil's cables instead. They're better.)
- Thunderfire Starter
- 2005 Stator and Rectifier upgrade
- Gel battery

All of those, combined with going pumpless and eliminating carb puke, have really created a better starting environment for me.

Ricohoc wrote:
Lifeguard, I've also upgraded a lot of the electronics of starting.

- Warrior Relay
- Maxair Flamewires (I'd recommend Neil's cables instead. They're better.)
- Thunderfire Starter
- 2005 Stator and Rectifier upgrade
- Gel battery

All of those, combined with going pumpless and eliminating carb puke, have really created a better starting environment for me.

Battery-----check
Cables -----check
Stator Rectifier-----need to replace
Starter--------------need to replace
Relay----------------What??? Not sure how that is an issue?

As far as my starting procedure: it is one or two blips of the throttle prior to turning it over the first time and then I cant engage the choke at all as it bogs down so much it is labored enough to not really turn over fast enough to catch. Is that a clue for anyone? Then it is let it turn over about eight or nine times then repeat. If it does not start after several attempts then let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes and try again with success after several more blips and attempts at starting usually with success. But it should not be this hard to start for sure.

Is the idle set to around 900rpms? It makes a big difference on starting. If the idle isn't high enough(850, to 900 rpms) then the throttle plate isn't letting enough air in. These bikes will idle as far down as 600 rpms, when their warmed up, so even though it idles fine, make sure the idle is correct.

As mentioned, a couple of twist of the throttle, and full enricher before hitting the start button, and don't touch the throttle after, until your ready to ride off. When the bike starts, don't touch the throttle. Within 10 seconds or so, the idle will start to get lumpy. When that happens, ease the enricher in about 1/2, and leave it there(don't touch the throttle until your ready to ride off) until the bike has warmed up(you've ridden it a ways, depending on outside temps), and then push it all the way in.

^^This is proper starting. If this doesn't work, then the float has been bumped, and is to high now(good mileage would seem to argue against that, but)....or,....

If you can't engage the enricher at all, I'd look to see if you or somebody else, put a main jet, in the starter jet hole, by accident. Wouldn't be the first time. Especially since the last guy had things bungled up. The stock starter jet, is a 56(I think),or it may not even have a hole.

Lifeguard wrote:
Relay----------------What??? Not sure how that is an issue?

If your issue turns out to be about fuel, the relay won't figure into it. I was just giving you a shopping list of what I did to correct my starting issues.

When you get a chance, do a search on the forum for 'warrior relay'. It is an upgrade from the stock starter relay in our bikes.

SKWEARpeg is a great source of info. He'll steer you correctly.

A worn starter or starter cables will make the thing a bear to turn over and get running, especially if it's not stock. Mine was horrible when I got it. Had to put a charger on it to get it turn over fast enough to catch. I replaced the starter with an aftermarket, all heavy duty battery & starter cables, Warrior relay. Now it kicks right over no issue. Don't even put the battery tender on it unless it's going to be sitting for a few months.

So when I try to turn it over with the enriched pulled half way to all out it really bogs down so much there is no way it will start. Bogs down to about half the rpms the starter has with no enriched. So that would be starter motor power issues. Since I already replaced the battery cables with larger ones then I am left with the starter motor. I looked on old eBay and don't see any that specifically state they are Warrior starters. What specifically should I be looking for that would give me the clue on which starter is which?

Ricohoc wrote:
[quote]Do you open the choke all the way and twist the throttle once before firing 'er up?

I had to learn to become the pump after I went pumpless. I do that every time before I start now. No hesitation at all.Do you open the choke all the way and twist the throttle once before firing 'er up?

I had to learn to become the pump after I went pumpless. I do that every time before I start now. No hesitation at all.[/quote

by the way I am still trying to get you some good point of contact for BACA.