'99 Bayou 300 4x4 Very Hard To Start
 

My '99 Bayou is very hard to start. I cleaned the carb, changed the battery and put in a fuel filter a couple months ago. I also replaced the starter solenoid and adjusted the clutch last year as well. When I start the bike using the "push-to-start" button, it will not budge, but when I use the manual way, it will start. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

What do you mean by "will not budge", not turn over on the starter, or not fire up and run?

The bike won't fire up and run. The starter is perfectly fine.

If the recoil starter fires it up,but the starter won't,but it's "fine" as you say and does spin over,could be anything from the idler gear to the starter clutch that could be the problem.https://www.kawasakipartshouse.com/o.../starter-motor

I think 420 rancher is referring to the dreaded "only sparks when I take my finger off the start button" syndrome. Lots of posts on here about different types of CDI ignition systems doing this, but few have solved the mystery.

Start by fitting a new plug, and if that doesn't work, check compression. However the Bayou is unusual, in that it has conventional "car style" ignition. The ignition switch feeds positive to the coil and CDI, another two wires from the trigger coil at the flywheel, send a timing signal to the CDI, there is an earth to CDI, and a wire from CDI to negative on ignition coil, this pulses power to the coil when the trigger coil tells it to. My guess would be a voltage drop to the coil or CDI, when cranking, is preventing a spark. This could be on the positive feed from battery, or negative side (bad earth).

When you engage the electric starter motor it reduces the amount of current available to make a good spark. You changed the battery, assuming with a new one, but is it a quality battery and even if it is there is no guarantee it didnt malfunction.

Check and clean the battery connections and wires connectiog starter.

Check to see how much spark there is.

Check the battery voltage when starter is engaged to see how much it draws down the voltage.

My 87 concours would turn over fine, in my mind, but wouldnt start. I had owned it since new and always ran the battery till till it had trouble turning over engine before replacing the battery. I connected jumper cables to a car battery, car not running, and the bike started right up. I then bought a new battery and the bike started right up without jumper cables and all was fine. My particular situation was I had installed plug cap type coils about 6 years ago and a new battery and removed the stock coils. I learned these require a battery in very good condition because my carbed bike didnt have the optimal amount of fuel upon startup and required a stronger spark to ignite the mixture.

Sorry for the inactivity. Finally have some time to get back to working on the ATV's and have found the problem that was causing my Bayou 300 not to start. The valve clearances are not set correctly and are in the process of being corrected. I also wanted to ask, does anyone know the recommended torque specs for the Final and Rear Gear Case Caps and Bolts as well as the front/rear wheel nuts? I have looked in the manual but could not find any torque specs for these caps, bolts and nuts.

I wanted to add one more thing to my last post...does anyone know the correct valve adjustments for the Bayou 300? Every website has a different adjustment setting and I don't know which one is correct.

Haven't got the book for the Bayou, but the "top end" of a Lakota is almost identical and clearances are, Inlet 0.1 to 0.15mm, and Exhaust 0.15 to 0.2mm That will be near enough.