My Hot Starting Issues Solved [2010 TXC 250]

[Phoenix]

Well, it looks like we've finally gotten to the bottom of my hot starting issues. Drumroll please....malfunctioning auto-decompression cam. This may not be everyone's problem, but it is definitely mine.

Symptoms:

• Bike starts relatively easily cold, but gets harder to start as the bike gets warmer.
• Electric start is useless once the engine is warm.
• When kicking, you can kick through a couple of strokes reasonably easy, then it feels like you hit a brick wall. Its very hard to get past that stop point without some good leverage and strength.

Here's a video demonstrating my woes:

We ran a compression test and found that the compression cold was 89 psi and the compression hot was 102 psi.

If you are having starting issues when hot, I would definitely pop the hood and look at your ADC. Mine has a straight spring like below. Apparently that wussy little spring doesn't have enough ummph to open the ADC tab fast enough to keep up with the electric starter. The result is that the compression is not fully released or is not released at all.

Here's a pic of Ioneater's cam with a much nicer spring. Note the little bend in the spring. I'm assuming my new cam will resemble this one.

My enterprising friend that was doing the compression check for me decided to test the theory by putting a little bend in the spring. Sure enough, the bike starts MUCH easier now. In many cases the e-start will turn it over. In all cases, though, the bike is now a 1-2 kick bike. Most of the time it will kick with one stroke...and I suck at kickstarting motorcycles so that says a lot!

So, in conclusion, I have a new cam on the way from Halls Cycle. While the impromptu bend seems to help quite a bit, its still not great on the estart and i'm pretty leery of jerry-rigging anything in the engine. Unfortunately, you can't just buy the spring...you have to buy the whole exhaust cam.

The thing that kind of frustrates me is there have apparently been not one, but two updates to this cam since the first one was stuck in a bike. Yet, there don't seem to be any bulletins released to the dealers on the issue. Bizarre. I'll post the part number of the most up-to-date one when it comes in.

While I'm at it, I'd like to give a big thanks to Halls Cycle and, in particular, Chris and Jeff...who very patiently talked with me on the phone and watched my goofy little video. I wish Halls was in Oklahoma City!

 

[ioneater]

Great to see you stuck with it and got 'r figured out, Phoenix and company! I now understand your starting issue after watching the video clip. Is your 250 an early VIN for the US? I remember some threads from the European neighbors regarding cam replacement and the early ECU reflashing. I also think it is a complete crock of doodoo that you have to pay for this fix!

 

[Phoenix]

My 250 VIN is pretty early, but I don't believe it fell within the reflashing-needed numbers. Husqvarna USA just swapped ECUs with me, though, so I suppose I need to check the data on that ECU.

Here's the update on the cam. I received the new cam and installed it right away. We went for the first ride on Saturday and was pretty happy. The bike started much easier. However, the cam was NOT a miracle cure. The starter will still bind when the bike is really warm, and being in Oklahoma, the heat is already rising. The big difference is that the bike can now be easily kickstarted when warm, whereas it didn't start with the kicker very easily before. So, I suppose there may be a secondary problem. I'm not really sure where to go from here and am kind of tired of working on it. I'll probably just put up with the bike and see what Husky ponies up in 2012.

The biggest disappointment is that my new cam didn't work any better than the old cam with the spring that we bent ourselves. The spring on the new cam seemed to be a slight big stronger, but didn't it didn't make a noticeable difference in the field. If you're comfortable bending the spring, and you have the straight spring like mine, then I might just recommend saving the $230 and try bending the spring first.

 

[PeterHB]

You need a new starter motor. Mine was exactly like this with my old electric start motor, and with the new one it starts so easy.

 

[ioneater]

Well, on the bright side at least they kick easy. I kick mine several times per ride just to stay in tune with the routine. Mine wouldn't spin the motor over during one attempt this past Saturday on a trail ride. I bumped the motor with the kicker and it then started fine. Probably was in that "special" spot fighting compression. Not a regular occurrence on mine. Temps were about 60F. I know you've had your starter assembly out already. If you could put a multimeter on the battery on one of these non-starts it would be interesting to see the drop. If nothing crazy then measure at the starter. Seems like it could be narrowed down then if it's electrical. Pain in the ass but you guys seemed to have all the more common reasons covered. Let us know!

 

[joedirt]

which rekluse are you running?

 

[Phoenix]

I'll do that check with the battery and motor sometime. I've tried a couple of different batteries.

The Rekluse is the Core EXP. I like it a lot...seems a little touchier than the Pro that is in our 450 TXC.

 

[jxg]

is there any update on this. my '10 250 just started doing this too. starts cold fine, but after a ride up the road and back, just clicks. will start with a kick though. PO had the starter rebuilt in May. I wonder if this is the issue again.

 

[R_Little]

mine did it too.

Dealer replaced the starter for free but it still happens but not as much.

 

[jxg]

doubt the dealer would replace mine for free, since i am the second owner. i think i am going to do the rebuild route, even though a new starter was just put in 2 days before i bought it.

 

[Phoenix]

Yeah, really mine still won't start well when hot even with the new cam. It starts like a charm with the kicker, though, so I've pretty much just resigned myself to using it. I still think its something with the compression and not the starter motor because when it does e-start, it e-starts fine.

 

[jxg]

actually mine starter is now not working at all. just clicks. battery is fully charged (and tested). so its either a relay or the starter itself. Clicked it over on the third kick today when cold (didn't get to ride it, but just wanted to see how easier it would start). Planning on pulling the starter out tomorrow.

 

[Phoenix]

A little update on my bike. Over the last two weeks, I almost completely stripped the bike down and did some much needed maintenance. The main point, though, was to replace the starter. I bought a starter, worm drive and ring gear from Halls, but ended up only installing the starter motor for the time being. I haven't gotten to take it on a ride yet, but I did let it run for about 10 minutes in the driveway and then rode it up and down the street. When I got back, the bike would stop, start, stop, start all with the estart button. Normally, If I did that same procedure, the starter would bind if I tried to restart right after stopping on a warm engine. I'm hoping this is a permanent fix!

 

[ioneater]

Hey, thanks for the update. I was wondering how you were doing with that issue. How's it running otherwise in the RPM range? (feel free to answer in another thread if if pertains)

 

[Tessier]

As a new TE310 owner it's kind of disconcerting that Husky isn't addressing these issues and stepping up to the plate. IMO they should be ecstatic to have guys like you for route causing there issues.

 

[R_Little]

A little update on my bike. Over the last two weeks, I almost completely stripped the bike down and did some much needed maintenance. The main point, though, was to replace the starter. I bought a starter, worm drive and ring gear from Halls, but ended up only installing the starter motor for the time being. I haven't gotten to take it on a ride yet, but I did let it run for about 10 minutes in the driveway and then rode it up and down the street. When I got back, the bike would stop, start, stop, start all with the estart button. Normally, If I did that same procedure, the starter would bind if I tried to restart right after stopping on a warm engine. I'm hoping this is a permanent fix!

What did the gears look like in the worm drive?

Mine is acting up again and I've seen another motor with those gears all worn out.

I guess you could yank it all out and put a TC250 blank cover on it and have a kick only bike.

 

[Phoenix]

Hey, thanks for the update. I was wondering how you were doing with that issue. How's it running otherwise in the RPM range? (feel free to answer in another thread if if pertains)

I need to plug it back up to iBeat and do a read-out on that. I just kind of played it by feel at the time. I'll post an update on that...

What did the gears look like in the worm drive?

Mine is acting up again and I've seen another motor with those gears all worn out.

I guess you could yank it all out and put a TC250 blank cover on it and have a kick only bike.

I didn't take apart the entire worm gear assembly (should have while I had it out), but the spiral teeth on the shaft showed some wear where they make contact with the ring gear. The ring gear also showed wear on the flat sides of the angled teeth. If you want to inspect that without too much trouble, the ring gear is really easy to see by removing the worm gear and looking through the hole with a flashlight.

 

[Drew Edwards]

I have a 2011 TXC250 that is currently doing the same thing once its warmed up. I just gave up and decided to go back to using the kickstarter. It is also acting like its getting way much air whenever it get really hot. Ive had to be towed out twice now because my bike wouldnt start back up. It would act like it was going to start, then when you would give it some throttle, it would choke out. I called the closest dealer and talked with a tech for about 20 minutes about it. The tech and myself came to the conclusion of it either being a coolant temp sensor or a fuel pump. I already bought the sensor just havent riden since i received it.
Anyone have this issue before?