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cold starting on my K2
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:44 pm
by LBL
Hi All,
Just wanted to ask those more in the know than me, for quite a few months when starting the bike from cold in the morning its a real pain, battery is great but its as if (in old money ) it has no choke and the revs are low. through the rest of the day its on the button even when left for a few hours.
Will a new starter relay solonoid cure this or does it have a cold start senor or the like ?
Thanks all

Re: cold starting on my K2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:31 am
by Data
This may sound silly but you may just need to clean the spark plug lead and plug cap, making sure it's tight. Also the plug insulation (porcelain) may have dirt on it if you have the old type of plug cap. Cleaning all this will stop the build up of condensation on the lead, cap and insulator and fire here up without 'leaking' your spark to ground which is probably what is making starting so difficult and keeping her running awkward. After the engine heats up the condensation is gone and stays away until parked overnight meaning you can use here all day as normal. No, a new solenoid won't help as yours is working fine. If it wasn't the bike wouldn't turn over when you pushed the starter button. There are many other things that could cause this but often it's just something very simple. It tends to happen more in winter as the salt finds it's way everwhere drawing in the dampness.
Re: cold starting on my K2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:48 am
by pikey
Its an auto choke may not be working or do you mean revs of starter are low
Re: cold starting on my K2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 3:38 pm
by LBL
Thanks for the reply guys,
It has just been serviced 1 month ago with new plug and everything cleaned, it,s been doing it for about 6 months so i dont think it a plug and lead issue.
I feels like the auto choke isnt working ( i didnt know it had one ) it is just like starting a car/bike in winter with a manual choke without it on and it starts then dies or if you open the throttle to much it cuts out. i can always get it going just takes a bit of time standing there with the throttle open aboit 5mm.
Can i get a new choke ?
Re: cold starting on my K2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 3:48 pm
by 2up
The auto choke is electronic-solenoid operated. I would have thought if your engine is stone cold, with the ignition turned on, if you touch the wire on and off you will hear the solenoid clicking. If not you'll have to take the choke unit out and see if it physically works by connecting up to a battery.
Re: cold starting on my K2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:11 pm
by pikey
Read this although yours may be stuck in off postion they are talking about being stuck in choke on postion its not a solenoid its a heating element expands a metal plunger and gradually turns off enrichment .For what its worth I had a carbed 400 from new and you had to let it warm up a bit before giving any throttle you could try upping tick over a bit not too much as will kick the clutch in
http://burgmanusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18782
Re: cold starting on my K2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:50 pm
by 2up
pikey wrote:Read this although yours may be stuck in off postion they are talking about being stuck in choke on postion its not a solenoid its a heating element expands a metal plunger and gradually turns off enrichment .For what its worth I had a carbed 400 from new and you had to let it warm up a bit before giving any throttle you could try upping tick over a bit not too much as will kick the clutch in
http://burgmanusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18782
You are correct in saying that it is not a solenoid, so you wouldn't be able to check it in the manner I said by touching the wire on and off. However there is a needle which sticks out of the end of the device which when in operation shuts air off to the carb and gives it neat fuel.(
that's why I assumed it was a solenoid) The unit can only be checked by removing it, putting it across a 12v battery and watching that the needle moves. This can take up to 5 minutes. I don't know how much the unit costs but it would have to come out to be changed so worth checking across a battery to see if it's faulty before shelling out for a new one.
Re: cold starting on my K2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:30 pm
by pikey
Its £100 ive looked

Re: cold starting on my K2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:47 pm
by 2up
Ouch! and they say fuel injection repairs are expensive...
Certainly a costly alternative to putting your hand over the carb air intake to get it started.
Re: cold starting on my K2
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:49 pm
by pikey
Its takin the piss because no longer in production needs testing really or second hand carb