i rode my 2008 4rt the day after i bought it, when it got hot it was a night mare to start.

i've been told 2 techniques

hold down kill button

kick it over very slowly 3 times

let go of kill button

start it

and

hold throttle wide open

kick over slowly twice

close throttle

start it

both of these work eventually but sometimes it would take 10 attempts.

since riding it last ive, cleaned air filter (which was saturated with oil and dirt), removed the metal air filter holder (which was also 90% blocked), cleaned every part of bike, fixed slight hole in airbox, fitted new plug.

IT'S STILL DOING IT!!

any ideas? again thanks for any help you give.

wayne

This worked for me:

hold throttle wide open

kick over slowly once or twice

close throttle

start it with a long slow kick.

If this don

Unofficial technique - as told by Mont supplier and stood me well for 5 years

Always stop with kill button.

Always start with no throttle - slow steady prod - make sure clutch not dragging - put into neutral if in doubt.

If doesn't start fist time flick throttle open and let snap shut and then press kill button - do it a couple of times and then kick normal

If it doesn't start then

3 long slow kicks with throttle wide open - slower than when trying to start it.

Then try the throttle flick/kill button

If the bike has been running this should do it.

Agree make sure tick over is high enough and throttle is closing.

Also watch out when putting a fresh clean oil filter in - seems to confuse o2 sensor and can be a pig to start.

Good luck

If your sucking dirt past the air filter, this can wreak havoc on your valves.

Tight valve clearance makes 4 strokes a bear to start. Hope this is not the case!

It might be as simple as no throttle needed!

It might be as simple as no throttle needed!

+1

i try not to open throttle to the point where i take my hand off the bars!

looks like i need to print this thread and laminate to take round the trial on sunday!!

think i might be doing the routine and giving it a massive kick.

i'll try these sunday and see how it goes

thanks everyone, look forward to my next question next week

Edited May 27, 201115 yr by original

It might be as simple as no throttle needed!

+1

+2 & stop kicking it, stroke it. If it doesn't start, stroke it 2/3 time throttle open then stroke it closed to start. A 2008 bike should quite happily start in gear.

I don't buy the kill button one, my last 4rt ran without one for quite a while last year, it made no difference to starting.

Also watch out when putting a fresh clean oil filter in - seems to confuse o2 sensor and can be a pig to start.

Good luck

Do you mean air filter? Where is the o2 sensor located?

Sorry - meant to say fresh oiled air filter.

Think throttle body must be affected by this.

Sorry - meant to say fresh oiled air filter.

Think throttle body must be affected by this.

It is...................all fuel injected bikes, hate newly oiled air filters (don't ask me why, I know )

I usually oil it the night before and leave to 'acclimatise' on the bench and then pop in the following morning, before loading up for a trial

Edited May 28, 201115 yr by Johnnyboxer

I have two friends with 4RTs. I had trouble starting them and was told that starting is more reliable with a slow steady kick, I tried it and it works. Next time I tried a harder faster kick like I'd use on a 4T and it wouldn't start. I suspect there is something in the EFI system that switches to a starting mixture below a certain speed.

As an owner of a current (no phun intended) and a past 4RT..

There are rumours of "resetting" the system with the kill-switch and turning the throttle while kicking..

a) The 4RT doesn't have a O2 sensor. It doesn't adjust mixture according to O2 levels.

The 4RT ecu doesn't reset using the kill-switch while kicking

the biggest issues are:

a) people overdoing the air-filter oiling. Or cleaning.

people tend to twist the throttle while kicking hard (hence the "slow push" works better)

c) problems starting in gear? Check gearbox oil and clutch drag

Solution? One or two kicks with wide open throttle, close the throttle and kick again.

(or else - check plug (replace), valve clearance, piston clearance)

so why does

a lightly oiled filter put straight in mean the bike will not start but same filter in 1hr later and no issue.

Stop the bike by stalling it an not best starter. Stop bike with kill button and starts every time.

Bike won't start, flick throttle and press kill button. Starts next kick

so why does

a lightly oiled filter put straight in mean the bike will not start but same filter in 1hr later and no issue.

Stop the bike by stalling it an not best starter. Stop bike with kill button and starts every time.

Bike won't start, flick throttle and press kill button. Starts next kick

Air-filter oil doesn't really evaporate. It becomes sticky. Just oil it lightly and let it settle before putting it in the bike. Is your airbox beneath the filter sticky? Too much oil.

Stopping the bike stalling it, probably results in revs dropping rather slow before it cuts off - thus dropping fuel pressure and/or discharging the capacitor. Then it would require a kick or two more to start.

It's basically just down to physics - there aren't really many sensors on the 4RT (and it doesn't need them). And they would need to be in the programming software as well.

a) stall-sensor (cutting the spark when the bike is sideways)

engine speed (ignition and somewhat predefined fi)

c) throttle sensor

Aside from other modern 4-stroke engines, it lacks following sensors:

a) Air pressure

Inlet pressure

c) Air temperature

d) Fuel temperature

e) Detonation

f) Exhaust temperature

g) Exhaust O2 levels (lambda)

Best way to get it started is to kick it once WOT and then without throttle. This is to flood petrol into the engine (same thing but less fuel if kicking it with just the kill-button)