Starting a Big Bore

[Nick]

FYI, I just wanted to share this with everyone.  I bought a 1979 Maico 440 about a year ago (I still have a 1978 KTM 250).  I've only heard it run once, and that was about 3 weeks after I bought it (it took me that long to get it started).  I thought I would be able to start it again after that, but no luck.  It was kick, kick, kick, etc., until I was tired and couldn't kick anymore.  I tried a thimbulfull of gas in the cylinder.  I tried starting fluid.  I tried bump-starting it.  I tried kicking it again, and again, and again - still nothing.  So I considered selling it.  Then, over the Winter, I found this post on YouTube and figured I'd try it in the Spring - nothing to lose.  Well, I tried it yesterday, and it works!  I have no idea how it works, but it does - it started up in one full kick - that was one sweet sound!  I don't know if it makes a difference, but the Maico has a Mikuni, not a Bing.

So, I thought I'd pass this link along in case it helps you.  Here's the link:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FamfgXMW9Mc

If the link doesn't work, go to YouTube and type in: How to start a 2 stroke Big Bore Motocross Bike

Good luck.

Nick

[Kip Kern]

Cool! Doug Wilford had this set up on his bikes back in the day if I remember correctly.  I think it was shown in a bike rag just after the 73 Six days.

[SouthRider]

Nice tip!

On our Huskies that came equipped with Mikunis we always just leaned them over until fuel dribbled out of the overflow tubes.

they were pretty cold natured too....

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"We the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible, for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, that we are now qualified to do almost anything, with nothing."

1972 Penton Berkshire 100
1983 Husqvarna 250 XC
2011 Jayco 31.5 RLDS
2009 Chevy 2500 HD Duramax

[Mick Milakovic]

I ALWAYS had trouble starting my Huskys, until I learned about the float valve.  It was worn out and when I replaced it my Husky starts 2-3 kicks every time, warm or cold.

Mick

[tomale]

Alot of the problem maybe the way that the carb is set up. setting up the pilot is critical, especially in relationship to the idle, if the idle is set too tall, it can cause the need for  too large of a pilot, and if the float is too low, this too can mess with the pilot. both will actually make it run too lean at the bottom of the throttle and make starting more difficult.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)
74'250 hare scrambler (project)
74' 1/2 440 maico
78' 440 maico
72' cr125 Husky (project)
93' RMx 250 suzuki

[tofriedel]

This was problem was very common with big bore Macio's.  We always leaned the bike over until gas dribbled out of the carb.  Used the same procedure with a lot of other bikes with Bing carbs.


Tony