450 kick start

[anathema]

Mike I think he is saying it starts better with MORE cranking compression, achieved by milling off 0.005 inches off the decompressor lobe of the cam.

[mike989]

Yeah, That would be much easier than adding material to the dimple.
I found on my old FSE the lower the cranking compression, to point of course, let the motor spin a litte quicker and fired easier.
My situation is like comparing apples to oranges, four years of advanced technology.

[Metalefty]

Originally Posted by drzdemon

Nearly everyone has problems starting their 450 FSE's. They're great bikes once you get them started, IF you can get them started.

lol...never had a problem here and I'm pretty sure that not nearly everyone of them has starting problems. Maybe '03 and '04.

[flybars]

Metalefty is right. The '03 and '04 have auto camchain tensioners that are way too tight. The DRZ 400's have had same problem. Do a search here and U will find a machinest who makes a manual cam chain tensioner for the '03 and '04 FSE's which rememdies the hard starting. U give the chain a little slack and the starter turns over much easier. From '05 on this has been remedied. As far as the kickstart problem, Nick has the '05 FSE also. Grinding .005 off the exhaust cam decomp. might only work on the '05. Better have Nick clear this up. He's been very busy at this time due to new ventures etc. and it might take him awhile to get back. But he's been a great help to me and other FSE owners. Thanks, Bob

[bergerhag]

Yep, I finally mastered the FSE kick start procedure. It rocks.

Feels really good to know that a fading battery won't stop me.

OK, here's what I do:

* Stand on the pegs, bike supported somehow. A tree at the bar end?
* Ignition Off
* Slowly kick until TDC. You'll feel it. Press on, just past the compression point. It'll kinda klick. I think its the camshafts positions that makes the distinct feeling(Anyone with english as their native lang. can perhaps fill in here.)
* Ignition On
* Let the kick lever return to its highest position, and take up the slack.
*Now kick the hardest you can, like you're the one sending the space shuttle on its way. KICK!!!

Works every time, hot or cold.

If you should fail, turn ignition off and kick it full stroke a couple of times with throttle fully open. Then back at the top of my list.

[cobrad]

bergerhag, out of curiosity, what year is your bike?

[bergerhag]

Originally Posted by cobrad

bergerhag, out of curiosity, what year is your bike?

It's a '05.

[bergerhag]

Has any other FSE'ers had any success with my kick start procedure?

[INABIL]

That is what I also heard, somebody adding to the auto decompressor.

Clearly my auto decompressor never worked and was wondering about a manual decompression lever.

I have an '05 kick lever advanced one knotch forward on the spline to give it a longer kick and installed a manual cam chain adjuster to loosen up the chain a little but haven't had the time to fix starter clutch to see if it'll kick start.

[flybars]

+
A friend of mine has recently installed the manual camchain adjusters on his '03 and '04 FSE's. He also replaced oem kickstarts with the '05 kickstart levers. Last week we were riding and his battery is shot and needs to be replaced. He was able to kick start his '04 every time thru-out the whole day! There are previous posts on this subject and phone numbers etc. to buy the aftermarket mcct. It really works!
As for our '05 fse's??? Nick's suggestion sound's great, but wouldn't know who to take it to around here. Also, maybe the mcct would work on our '05's?
Has anyone looked into shaving the exhaust cam?