Kickstart issue, again...

[Petew]

I have been fighting an ongoing battle with the kickstarter on my 1980 400G. I have had it in and out countless times.i line up the location post and spring as instructed, rotated the spring fully around to it's anchor. I installed the case and lever and tried to rotate the kicker and it stopped SOLID at 9:00. If I pull in the clutch the lever goes through full cycle and returns. I don't have another kicker to compare and I am afraid that if I go to hard I will have another broken journal. I would love some input, what am I doing wrong? The motor has compression and it is not locked up...suggestions?

 

[MrStubb]

This is likely a STUPID question but could it be possible that there's a problem deeper in the engine or transmission?

 

[spectra]

That is an odd one.............I fixed mine as I didn't wind it.......works great now.

Was tooling round last night on the other build and when I killed it I tried to hit the kicker and it went limp........not sure why there was nothing there. Hit the starter and fired right up then all was good with the kick start again.

I would think if you need to pull the clutch there is a lingering issues somewhere.......

 

[Petew]

The motor turns over with a wrench and i can shift all the gears with the bike on it's centerstand and turning the wheel manually. I did not go beyond checking the cylinder condition and if the rings were gummed up.So the gearbox and clutches were untouched. I will try again in the morning. If the kicker loaded and stopped in a different position I would be less concerned to kick it, but it always stops in the same 9 o'clock position. It worked before, it came out when I pulled the cover off to visually check the journal...that is my luck

 

[Petew]

This is likely a STUPID question but could it be possible that there's a problem deeper in the engine or transmission?

Not that I can see or find, I had the valve guides replaced and a valve grind done, other than that it is untouched and turns over with a wrench ( I just readjusted the valves today) I have even tried another gear and spring that I had here. I will pull out the assy andI will put a battery to it tomorrow to see if the electric start does anything. I had hoped for a kick or electric start bike with this one.

 

[kshansen]

Petew,
I know where there are a pair of XS400's you could open up to see how they go together!
Both the kickers on them work right now.

 

[Petew]

Thanks, I think I will. Unfortunately my problems began when I took the cover of this one to check the journal! Gear came out with cover.

 

[spectra]

Thanks, I think I will. Unfortunately my problems began when I took the cover of this one to check the journal! Gear came out with cover.

When you put it back in did you get it in there the right way? The tang or whatever its called goes to the rear of the motor when installing it.

After you told me about the spring I looked up a few videos and it worked for me.

 

[Petew]

I have thought so....about 50 times...

 

[Dave notasfastasiusedtobe]

not sure if this helps but i had similar kickstart issues :

trying to sort out why the kick starter is now solid i removed the kick start mechanism.done lots of two stoke yams in the past so wasn't to worried but on the 2 strokes the crankcase is sealed from the external clutch,kick start mechanism.not so on the xs - behind the kick start shaft is a big void which goes straight into the gearbox.not really a problem except that when removing the kick start shaft there is a shim on the back of the shaft which you cannot see. if you remove the shaft it can easily fall straight into the crankcase/gearbox which if you cant get to it would mean a complete strip. you might not even know it has fallen in. luckily on mine the oil had stuck the shim to the crankcase but it was slowly sliding down when i noticed it.got it in time

 

[Petew]

Thanks for the input. I have the shim. It did come off once but iI was able to retrieve it by laying the bike on it's side and fishing it out with a magnet! Thank goodness.

 

[Petew]

Will the engine turn over by turning the crank bolt if the gear box is "frozen" up? I can turn the crank with a wrench but the kickstarter is meshing with the gears and I cannot rotate it by hand at the kicker.. The trans shifts through all the gears. The clutch is adjusted properly

 

[kshansen]

Just a thought or two. Have you tried putting bike on center stand and shift it into gear and turn the crank with the wrench on crank bolt? Try doing it in each gear. Then for "kicks" (no pun intended) pull plugs out and see if you can turn engine over by putting it into gear and pushing bike by hand. Just trying to come up with some safe ways to be sure things in transmission are free to turn.

If it would be of any help I could roll one of these XS400's over to the garage and pull the side cover off to have a look or take some pictures.

 

[Petew]

Don't bother. I have buttoned it up again. I have turned it over with the crank bolt. I will try it in gear. I may just need to swallow hard and give it a.good swift kick! I always need something to do! I am trying it with the starter later. Thank you sir! See you next week!

 

[Petew]

I finally talked to a few people who reassured me that these bike kick through pretty had. I was so leary of breaking the journal I didn't go hard enough. Today I went for broke. I oiled it up and jumped on it and it kicked through. Probably was right those 50 time before, just didn't have the balls really go at it Thanks to all on your input, it really made me look hard at a bunch of stuff. There is always an answer here!!! Great group of people!

 

[spectra]

Good to hear it worked out for you.