I have a 1986 Bayou 300 2WD that just doesn't want to start when the temperature gets down to 40º of lower. I had my local Kawasaki dealer work on it last summer and supposedly got it fixed. He worked on the carberator (he said), new plug, and new fuel shut-off valve. It didn't seem to help once the temps got cooler.

I have drained the fuel and put in fresh gasoline. It will start if I squirt starter fluid into the air cleaner, but I don't like to do this, as I have been told I could scorch the piston. There should be some way to get this sucker to start good in cooler weather. What do you all suggest I start doing to it (short of trading it in on a newer one) to improve the starting problem? Thanks for any and all suggestions. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

How is the compression? Have you had the valves adjusted?

Make sure the battery and cables and connections are all in good shape.

If your dealer looked at it I guess we are assuming there is no prob with the carb?

My brother's suzuki won't start easy. Low compression.

My friend's suzuki starts real quick. New piston. Good compression.

I hope you have a simpler problem, but it really is not hard to bore the cyl and replace the pistons and rings, and/or a little valve job.

 

Thanks for the comeback nyroc. The dealer was "supposed" to do a complete check and tuneup for me. I wanted a "reliable" machine that I could depend on getting me into some back country and then back out again. The way the machine runs and the fact that it doesn't start very easy tells me he did no do what I asked him to do.

My battery cables and connections are all in good shape and I have a brand new battery and it is fully charged. I'll have my brother-in-law do a compression check on it. I sure hope it is something simple too, but I guess when you ride is 16 years old, you have to expect to spend a few dollars to keep it running.

Thanks again for the suggestions.