Hard to start

I have a 97 KZ1000p. It is hard to start, but once running and warmed up it does fine. If it sits over night, it takes a couple of minutes of turning the engine over with starter and with full choke before it actually starts to fire up. It even does this after just sitting for a couple of hours, although it doesn't take quite as long, you still have to turn it over repedeatly before it starts to ignite. Any ideas???

thanks

If not already doing,

cold start-up should be performed with full choke and NO throttle whatsoever --- don't even touch the throttle.

Enrichener circuit is designed to function with carb slides fully closed all the way down.

Good Luck!

Edit -- this presumes that the carbs are designed with an enrichener circuit as opposed to a simple butterfly style true choke whereby carb air intake is restricted.

How many tools do you own? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Do a complete tune-up as per your owners manual. If you dont have the owners manual, you REALLY NEEEEEED to have one. Or at least a clymer manual.

Check valve lash.
Check your plugs. Are they fairly tan in color?
Check spark intensity.
Have you messed with the carbs at all? Are you origional owner?

Try the simplest stuff first... run a can of seafoam thru a new tank of regular.

Let us know what happens

Cheers, n' gooodluck!

I guess the bike has a vacuum actuated petcock?
If so, you could try priming the carbs first by setting it to PRI for a minute or two.

If not already done, would also assure integrity of vacuum line from carb nipple to petcock. Hose should be clear and without any kinks or obstruction, and without any cracks, and snugly attached at both ends.

Vacuum furnished through this hose to the petcock is what allows the petcock to flow fuel.

Good Luck!

An old timer told me his trick was to put it on prime for 20 - 30 seconds and tip the bike over to the right hand side to fill up 3 and 4 carb.

Put the petcock back to ON, no throttle, choke 100%, and hit the starter.

Revs should fire up to 3500 - 4000 with 100% choke, 3/4 choke 2000 - 2500, 1/3 1500 - 2250, off 900 - 1200 rpms.

Good luck, also might want to check the voltage at the colis to see how much power is getting to them.

Yukabodos Buddy :blink:

Okay, lets see.
I am not the orginal owner. After purchasing I pulled carb apart and cleaned it, replaced spark plugs, changed oil and air filter. I do have a clymers manual.

Yukabodos: I tried that trick of tilting bike to other side and priming carb, but I think it actually made it worse. It took probably 10mins of turing engine over before it started to fire.

It smelled like it was flooded, but when I pulled a spark plug it was only very slightly damp. Plugs look light tan with maybe a little carbon foul.

Once engine starts, with Full choke rpms quickly climb to 4000, and I gradually start to push in choke as it warms up.

Have you checked compression ?