I have a 2004 montesa 315 that is very hard to start,once it starts and is warm it starts right up.The choke feels limp and when it starts cold it does not seem to idle high.Can anyone help.Thanks,Steve

I'd change (or clean if I'm hard up) the spark plug and clean the air filter. If the spark plug is sooty then your problem is running too rich and fouling the plug over time.

After that I'd disassemble and clean the carb ensuring the choke circuit is all clean.

And then it gets trickier, low compression will cause hard starting ie. worn top end. How's the engine? Any tapping?

An electrical problem could cause a weak spark giving starting problems.

Difficult to diagnose, check resistances with a multimeter on the coil - Primary - 0.45 - 0.55 ohms across the two terminals, secondary 12.4 - 16.8 kilo ohms across one of the coil terminals to inside the plug cap

And the alternator - Across the connectors

Function----------Wire Colours--------------------Resistance

Ignition Pulse----Blue/Yellow to Green/White---90 - 110 Ohms

Charging Coil----Yellow to Yellow----------------0.64 - 0.79 Ohms

Exciter Coil-------Blue to White-------------------10.8 - 13.2 Ohms

Info is taken from the 2002 manual but should be similar. Hopefully you'll find the problem before you get to measuring resistances!!

Hope this helps.

John.

Edited June 8, 200818 yr by tt5th

John thank you very much for all your info.

Howdy,

Pack some grease around the choke rod and try it.

Kim