Just bought a '94 model LT 230 a few weeks ago. I was 'told' by the previous owner that it was a 1994 year model but that may or may not be the case. This particular bike has five forward gears plus reverse (neutral - 1,2,3,4,5). Also has an electrical starter with an auxiliary rope pull starter.

Here is the problem... The battery is as dead as a hammer so we have been using the rope to pull start it. To get down to the issue, about every second or third time you attempt to pull start the bike something seems to bind up inside the crank case and makes a gear whine type of noise as you pull the rope. Along with that noise the resistance required to pull the starter rope just about doubles or triples. You can still do it but you really have to exert some force on the rope to get it to spin the engine fast enough to crank it. Obviously I always check to make sure the transmission is in neutral to rule that out as a possible cause.

Again, it does not bind up like this every time you start it, just about every 2nd or 3rd time. When it behaves normally the tension on the starter rope is really very light and it pulls out fast and spins the motor fast and easy.

I am actually hesitating to put in a new battery if there is a chance that this intermittent binding action may burn up the electrical starter motor.

Anyone in here have any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks!

 

If I remember correctly (and I may not be). I think there is a compression release lever on the top of the head to use when pull starting. The resistance your getting is probably due to the compression stroke.

Hope this helps.

 

hey, welcome to the forum!

i'm not sure if it applies to all pullstarters, but i know that its common in lawnmowers and other small engines to have that screechey-whiney noise in the pullstarter from time to time, and it adds alot of drag when it happens. id take the pullstarter cover off and give everything a nice lube.

if there is anything major that is wrong with the engine from a mechanical standpoint, if its apparent at pullstart speeds, it would definatley be very noticeable at operating speeds.

 

There is a little lever on the right side of engine. About where your knee sits, you have to push it up each time before you pull . do it before each pull makes the pullsmooth and easy. Sorry I don't know technical terms I just ride

 

You sure its a 1994
I thought they stopped them in 93??

 

15 year old post and OP states that "I was 'told' by the previous owner that it was a 1994 year model but that may or may not be the case".