My Xplorer 300 is a pain to start when the engine is cold. Particularly if it's been sitting for a week or more.
It might require a minute of cranking. I'm a bit concerned I'm going to damage the starter. Then all of a sudden it starts right up.
Once it starts, I can shut the engine off and it not even be warmed up (like after 30 seconds) and it fires right up within 1 second, even with one pull of the recoil starter.
And it runs fine, idles smooth, has plenty of power and never stalls. When we went trail riding the other day for 30 miles, it never hesitated to start and I shut the engine off about 20 times.
I'm wondering if it's something I'm doing (flooding it out) or it's an issue with the carburetor.
Yesterday I tried starting it without the "choke" or "fuel enrichment valve" as I'd like to call it. That didn't work.
One thing I might be doing wrong is holding the throttle open while trying to crank the engine over.
I'm thinking maybe the thing is to turn the fuel tap on and leave it on for a few minutes before trying to start it. Maybe it's an issue where the fuel bowel doesn't have any fuel and it's just a matter of letting it refill? The fuel filter I'm using is a standard 1/4" lawn mower fuel filter. Which is actually bigger. Not the tiny one that is supposed to go on it.
I know the fuel enrichment valve is working because I can flip it on when the engine is running and it either stalls or idles poorly like it's getting too much fuel.
I've yet to install a "new" spark plug but beadblasted and gapped the one that came with it. I realize I can buy of of these at any autopart store. It was just easier to bead blast it at the time.
So does this sound like a carburetor , ignition or cold starting technique issue? Any ideas?
I guess if push comes to shove, whenever the bike is stone cold, just give it a shot of ether and be done with it. But that sounds like a band aid solution. I think it's something I am doing wrong.
Another thing. The battery maybe getting a bit tired. Could it be the engine is not spinning fast enough to start? Yesterday I turned it over for about a minute which leads me to believe if the battery was that weak, it would not spin the starter for a minute.
