Hello Everybody

I need some help to sort out my 348 Cota. I don't ride it that often but when I try to it will just not start unless I take the plug out, pour a bit of two stroke down the plug hole and then it will go revving its dinger off for about 30 seconds and will settle down to normal revs. Once it is warm it will start first kick every time. I suspect that it is sucking air in somewhere but have no idea where. It does not like choke to start and runs fine after it settles down. I replaced crank seals, rings, bearings, ect, ect, recently, points and timing are spot on, had the carb (Amal) reconditioned but just does not like a cold start. Any help much appreciated. Thanks

Pull the carb off and check the pilot jet isn't blocked

Dave

Carb sounds like the problem, choke not working ? Also give the carb longer to fill before trying to start. Might also be a sticking float.

Dave

Pilot jet is fine. I have cleaned the carb about 10 times now. If it was a cloggled pilot jet, how come it starts first kick after warm?

Dave

Pilot jet is fine. I have cleaned the carb about 10 times now. If it was a cloggled pilot jet, how come it starts first kick after warm?

I'm not saying it is a blocked pilot jet, but to answer your question, a bike with a partially blocked pilot jet may run and start OK when warm, but not start cold, because motors need a richer fuel/air ratio to run when the metal parts are cold than they do when warm.

If you have the MK2 AMAL on yours, check both idle mixture routes where they exit the body. One hole is under the rear edge of the slide and the other is about 5mm further along towards the motor and is a very fine hole.

Why is using the choke a problem for cold starts?

Edited March 11, 200917 yr by feetupfun

I had a 348 and a 349 for years. Had the same problem with the 348. This sounds backwards from your solution to get it started, but the next time it won't start, pull the plug and see if it's wet. If it is, put the plug back in, hold the throttle wide open and kick it a few times. It may be that you have a bad mix of fuel/oil in the cyclinder and it just won't fire up. Pouring the fresh gas in cleans everything out. Kicking with the throttle wide open will clear everything out as well. I had the problem when I trailered the bike or didn't start it for a while. If your plug is dry, never mind, you have a carb/intake problem.

It sounds like a plugged jet. Depending on the carb that's on there, it may have 3 jets, main, pilot, and starting. The choke lever sends fuel through the starting jet. It is very tiny tiny and clogs up easily with just dried up fuel.

Thank you all for your suggestions on what the problem may be. I will pull the carb out when I get a chance and do as you suggest. However, I still maintain that it is sucking air in somewhere (high revs when it starts and then settles down) and when the engine gets warm wherever the air is getting sucked in, closes up. I will keep you posted on how I go.