Kaw 13HP Twin Cycl. Starts Hard

[290]

Originally Posted by piston slapper

Another thing to check is the airgaps on the coils...
If the coils are too close to the flywheel...you will have a weak spark when the engine is cold..
When the engine warms up...the engine expands the airgaps from .002 to .004.....allowing the engine to start every time...

I just learned something new....

[ed2hess]

New coil within a year and each put on at different times and plugs
are new so nothing there.

I will go get manual for spec on coil gap and lifter gaps and start
there and then go to manafold.


Unfortunately I am hung up tryign to install locators on our trucks so we can find out where the people are.

[herler]

Hard to start = Spark plug Gap too wide.

Guaranteed you forgot to set it when you installed them, or you set it too wide.
It's all too easy, many a times have I thought I set them right but upon re-checking they came out to some way open setting, if what you are saying from your description I'd guess yours are probably .040 or wider.
That's why it's hard to start, but with a shot of ether it fires and then runs fine after.

And I know the manual calls for .030 but that's the problem, just a tiny miss on the adjustment gauge and you're .035 or worse, then your engine has brand new plugs yet it won't start.

Set those things to .025
Maybe get a new gauge, too.

[290]

Originally Posted by ed2hess

New coil within a year and each put on at different times and plugs
are new so nothing there.

I will go get manual for spec on coil gap and lifter gaps and start
there and then go to manafold.


Unfortunately I am hung up tryign to install locators on our trucks so we can find out where the people are.

I was always taught to simply use a business card to gap the coil.

[ed2hess]

Originally Posted by herler

Hard to start = Spark plug Gap too wide.

Guaranteed you forgot to set it when you installed them, or you set it too wide.
It's all too easy, many a times have I thought I set them right but upon re-checking they came out to some way open setting, if what you are saying from your description I'd guess yours are probably .040 or wider.
That's why it's hard to start, but with a shot of ether it fires and then runs fine after.

And I know the manual calls for .030 but that's the problem, just a tiny miss on the adjustment gauge and you're .035 or worse, then your engine has brand new plugs yet it won't start.

Set those things to .025
Maybe get a new gauge, too.

I just checked t hem and both was bout .023" but i don't remember gapping them in Oct. I was surprised to see one was a little wet on the pump side No gas visible laying in carb though. And the plug on the other side had a lot of black scoot. Now I had adjusted valves recently

Originally Posted by 290

I was always taught to simply use a business card to gap the coil.

coil gaps was .007" on one and .011" on other

[piston slapper]

Ed...you may have found your problem...
Reset you coil airgaps to ..012....and change the sparkplugs...

[ed2hess]

Originally Posted by piston slapper

Ed...you may have found your problem...
Reset you coil airgaps to ..012....and change the sparkplugs...

Will do.....running a little experiment right now. I had used pump so I went to put it on and noticed the little short vac line wasn't fitting very snug. So I went ahead and put different pump on with plastic tiewraps on vac line.

[ed2hess]

The hard starting after sitting a couple days turned out to be either the fuel pump or leaking vacumn line going into the fuel pump. Put in different fuel pump and tie wrapped the vac line at both ends going into the pump. unit
is starting fine on first pull. Likely leaking vac line.

[Restrorob]

Thanks for the update Ed, And good to hear you got it sorted out !