Motor bike mechanical query

[terravista]

Greetings
We have a Yamaha AG200 bike from around 1996, which has a kickstart only, no electric starter on these little beasts.
Some days are a 1 kick start, other days you can kick it to death without a whimper.
Is it feasible to weld a nut onto the stub the kickstart lever fits onto and use a battery drill to spin the motor over?
Cheers
Ian

[Footy Shorts Shane]

It is, but it's much better in the long run to clean out the carby and throw a new spark plug in it.

[duggie]

I don't think you would get enough Torque from the drill to turn the engine over past the compression stroke,that is why the kick start is a long leaver/rod designed to overcome the compression.

[GeoffA]

It is, but it's much better in the long run to clean out the carby and throw a new spark plug in it.

....yep, and a set of rings probably wouldn't hurt either....

[Bird]

If I understand you right,  you mean weld to the kickstarter shaft - then no
Theres a large cast/steel/metal stop on the main shaft that the kickstarter is on inside the case which stops it continually rotating forever...

you can see it on the shaft on the right near the end of the shaft (this is an AG200 shaft)



http://ag200central.com/about/

[terravista]

Thanks Guys
Thanks for the informative response Bird, looks like all the bad things said about you may be wrong.
I may have to do a carby clean and new spark plug as suggested. The bike normally starts fine but other times it floods like the proverbial 40 days and 40 nights when Noah rode an Indian.
The bike has only been used a few times in the last year and probably needs a good run, or a bit of maintenance.
Fortunately new rings aren't required, this little bike is a genuine low kilometerage Granny going to church style condition, and has pretty good compression.
Cheers
Ian

[Dingo0163]

Don't forget to change your fuel after you do a carbie clean. No moter likes stale fuel , it's like me drinking flat beer. I will drink it after a few kicks but I might cough and splutter. 

[VKPrado]

Don't forget to change your fuel after you do a carbie clean. No moter likes stale fuel , it's like me drinking flat beer. I will drink it after a few kicks but I might cough and splutter. 

If you are only using the bike a couple of times a year then replacing the fule in the tank and carby is a good start. Todays fuel goes stale and is then no good at all.
The whole carby may not need to come off as maybe the jets need removing and cleaning.

[terravista]

Don't forget to change your fuel after you do a carbie clean. No moter likes stale fuel , it's like me drinking flat beer. I will drink it after a few kicks but I might cough and splutter. 

mmmmmmmmmmmm......flat beer..... if Australian it is still better South Pacific Lager or San Miguel, unless it's that Cascade crap, but thanks, the fuel was changed, just no real maintenance.

[Bird]

I may have to do a carby clean and new spark plug as suggested. The bike normally starts fine but other times it floods like the proverbial 40 days and 40 nights when Noah rode an Indian

Sounds like my old TZ250...

If it didn't fire up straight away then throw it on the trailer and go home... no racing that day.

[terravista]

If the carby is suffering from stale fuel, are there additives worth trying or just is it a matter of just getting down and dirty?
Cheers

[Dingo0163]

If your lucky you can just pull the fuel line off the carbie or the tap on the tank and let it drain into a container , put in a new plug and all should be good. You can get a fuel saver from most auto stores that keeps the fuel "fresh" longer. I use it in the boat fuel and haven't had to walk back yet, so it seems to work. 

[Bird]

Do it right
20mins to remove carby and clean out....

unless you've used high octane shell... 4 bikes me and mate had a coating of orange Shit like varnish but unmoveable inside carbs on XR's and WR's.

[CC2005]

I use it in the boat fuel and haven't had to walk back yet, so it seems to work. 

Love it

[Wortho]

I used to start my lawnmower with a drill and it worked really well (very low compression though). But for a bike as others have mentioned the kickstart is not meant to go around continuous. You would have to connect the drill to the ignition end of the crank but would need to make a hole in the crankcase cover to get a socket etc through. Bit dangerous as well if the bike backfires or you end up going around with he drill 

[Wortho]

unless you've used high octane shell... 4 bikes me and mate had a coating of orange Shit like varnish but unmoveable inside carbs on XR's and WR's.

Funny you mention that as when I bought a Suzuki DR650 in 2005 the bike shop told me specifically to stay away from Shell Optimax! now I know why 

[Wortho]

THE storage life of petrol in fuel tanks is one month, according to the experts at BP Australia.

They say this can be extended by topping up with one-third of fresh fuel, which restores the volatile components that have evaporated - however this is not a foolproof strategy for engines that are used intermittently.

They suggest using a fuel that contains anti-oxidants, metal deactivators and corrosion inhibitors to protect metal surfaces.

When preparing to store a boat for extended periods (two months or more), it is best to remove all fuel from the tank. If it is difficult or not possible to do that, maintaining a full tank of petrol and including a fuel stabiliser to provide stability and corrosion protection is recommended.

A partially-filled tank is not recommended because the void above the fuel allows air movement that can bring in water through condensation as the temperature cycles up and down. This condensation can potentially create operational problems.

When two-stroke fuel is mixed correctly, it has the same storage requirements as petrol. Problems arise when excessive two-stroke oil is added. Under this condition, the oil may separate from the fuel.

Diesel is not a volatile fuel, therefore it does not suffer from starting issues or from the evaporation that petrol does. The main issue with diesel fuel in storage is the formation of gums and sediments that can block filters. Moisture from condensation will create a favourable environment for fungus and bacteria which degrade the fuel. The solution is treatment with a biocide every six months when storing for lengthy periods.

Regular unleaded with up to 10 per cent ethanol has an equivalent storage life to regular petrol. As with regular petrol, when using an engine after a period of storage, always top up with a third of fresh fuel first. With ethanol blends, this will remove trace water and dry the system out as well as freshening up the old fuel.

Phase separation is when water contaminates the fuel tank or fuel system, causing the ethanol content to separate from the regular petrol.

The level at which phase separation can occur is determined by a number of variables, including the amount of ethanol, the composition of the fuel, the temperature of the environment and the presence of contaminants. It is very important that the system is inspected for significant quantities of water in the tank before fuel with ethanol and to limit exposure of the fuel tank to excess water.

If phase separation has occurred, you need to remove all water from the system and replace the fuel otherwise engine problems could occur.

Info: BP Lubricants and Fuel Technical Helpline on 1300 139 700.

[Bird]

Funny you mention that as when I bought a Suzuki DR650 in 2005 the bike shop told me specifically to stay away from Shell Optimax! now I know why 

Yep.. that's the Shit.. I have a shell servo at end of the street, and thought I'd give the old girl a birthday by running it... little did I know

[Squalo]

Thanks for the informative response Bird, looks like all the bad things said about you may be wrong.

Nah, they're not 

But he does know a thing or two about motorcycles.