[jentabeling]

Hi, hoping for some help here... When I try to kick start all seems fine when I use the decompress (moves freely after 2nd kick) and I kick it a few more times (key off) but then when I turn key on (no longer using decompress) the kick start feels 'gummy' and hard to move and of course the bike does not start. It did this a couple of times last summer but then ended up working. The only thing I have done since then is loosen the tappets so they rotate freely but not up and down. Could I have adjusted them wrong? Or is there some other issue?
Thanks for any help! Jen

[REpozer]

Sounds to me that you have the push rod tappets adjusted right.
The way I start my AVL is to slowly push down on the kicker until you feel the engine become stiff . Then keep pushing until the stiffness is gone. You might even hear the compression seep out though the exhaust. Release the kicker to full up , know kicker down firmly expecting it to start ( make sure the gas and key was on)

[jentabeling]

Thanks for responding but still the issue persists. I have gas, key and switch on. I was hoping the issue sounded familiar to someone as the 'feel' when swinging the kicker is normal with decom and on first kick with no decom I do the method you say below and it feels fine. But then when I go to give it a hard kick there is a different resistance than normal that feels like something is not engaging. Like its slipping internally maybe?

[tooseevee]

Thanks for responding but still the issue persists. I have gas, key and switch on. I was hoping the issue sounded familiar to someone as the 'feel' when swinging the kicker is normal with decom and on first kick with no decom I do the method you say below and it feels fine. But then when I go to give it a hard kick there is a different resistance than normal that feels like something is not engaging. Like its slipping internally maybe?

           I hate to ask this (and apologize preemptively), but after you do your preliminary kickovers (if any) and then turn the key On, you're not pulling the clutch in, are you?

[jentabeling]

No, not using clutch at all.
I went ahead and drained the gear oil box and replaced with new gear oil. Same issue. I guess you could say it feels like the kicker is sliding, not engaging (what I referred to earlier as gummy). You can move it with quite a bit of force but it does not feel normal and net result is still - it does not start.
I also checked and cleaned spark plug.

[tooseevee]

No, not using clutch at all.
I went ahead and drained the gear oil box and replaced with new gear oil. Same issue. I guess you could say it feels like the kicker is sliding, not engaging (what I referred to earlier as gummy). You can move it with quite a bit of force but it does not feel normal and net result is still - it does not start.
I also checked and cleaned spark plug.

             I'm afraid to advise you any longer not being there. I wish I was there to feel what you're feeling. It's difficult long distance.

[GBBet]

When kick start feels 'gummy', pull clutch in and swing it through a coupla times to free the plates up. Normally works.

[jentabeling]

Thanks to all, I did figure out the issue - my pushrods, one was too short and it slipped out. See my fix here: https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,25885.0.html

[tooseevee]

Thanks to all, I did figure out the issue - my pushrods, one was too short and it slipped out. See my fix here: https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,25885.0.html

               +1

              Good for you  !!

               

[heloego]

Having read your thread, gotta say "Nice going!"