Work Case #20: WR250 2-st "Won't start!"

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Thedktor
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Work Case #20: WR250 2-st "Won't start!"

Post by Thedktor »

Over 4 years in my new job and still haven't finished posting these! :? Well. I was too busy doing other stuff over the summer, but anyway, here its is, and the previous one can be found at:

Previous #19 CRF250

A somewhat distressed customer turned up out of the blue all the way from Stoke-on-Trent, 200 miles away, after his local motorcycle shop had failed to fix his dead bike despite charging the best part of Β£500 :/

I was quite amazed how a business could do that to a customer, and this was not the only occasion this kind of thing happened!

Back to the bike and a quick check of all the obvious - fuel, a good spark, and plenty of compression. So that really only left one thing - the sparky bit wasn't sparking at the right time! So the flywheel had probably slipped.

Er, no it hadn't! So I took the flywheel off expecting to find the pick-up coil loose, bent, or burnt, but er, no again! Oh.

Everything was in the right place and in good condition, so what was the final factor in this unsolved ignition timing equation?

The flywheel magnets, which define the timing, and I noticed immediately that though they were all nicely in place round the inside of the flywheel they were not actually stuck down! Just held in place by their own magnetism against the steel flywheel - a good shove and I was able to move them! That was clearly the problem then, and found in less than an hour :)

One new flywheel, another 400 mile round trip for the customer, and the bike started first kick when he arrived. Result :)
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One of my favourite "work cases", and a sharp contrast to some jobs that were completely baffling and took days of puzzling on and off until finally resolving. As mentioned at the beginning of these cases, with the pre-KTM Husqvarnas I was quite literally the last stop, with no-one else to turn to for help.

Anyway, this was going to be the last work case, a nice way to end, but something unexpected happened and I will do one more....
- Steve



Southampton area

DR350, 349, DRZ, 701
ggp59
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Re: Work Case #20: WR250 2-st "Won't start!"

Post by ggp59 »

Have always found these 'work case's' really interesting, and will miss them if they stop!

They give me faith that everything can be fixed with the right knowledge and skill - and when to give up, and look for it elsewhere when I run out of both :D
PHILinFRANCE
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Re: Work Case #20: WR250 2-st "Won't start!"

Post by PHILinFRANCE »

Same here , i hate not being able to fix a problem but have nowhere near your skills
Brenhden
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Re: Work Case #20: WR250 2-st "Won't start!"

Post by Brenhden »

These are great, I really enjoy reading you fault diagnosis and fixes. Where are you based?
And now, Harry, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.

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Re: Work Case #20: WR250 2-st "Won't start!"

Post by Nico-D »

Yep, I really like these work case posts too, interesting and very useful for us types who do all our own bike fixing. :D
Ksithumper
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Re: Work Case #20: WR250 2-st "Won't start!"

Post by Ksithumper »

You're too young Steve. All the husky 510 /610 ignitions were prone to that failure back in the day. Ask your old boss he must have replaced hundreds under warranty.

They still do it ; we had an air cooled 510mx bike stop with cam bearing failure recently at full chat whilst leading a race. Top end rebuilt, a few days later, it wouldn't start, heatsoak had completely unglued the stator!
Richard Simpson Mark II
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Re: Work Case #20: WR250 2-st "Won't start!"

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

It was a happy day when I sold my Husky!
Thedktor
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Re: Work Case #20: WR250 2-st "Won't start!"

Post by Thedktor »

Thank you for the comments, and sorry to mention the "H" word Richard on your "honeymoon" or whatever you are up to :)

Brehnden I say I'm from Southampton but live enough miles out of it not to be, and was born in Winchester, so eternally confused culturally.

Ksithumper unfortunately "young" is a word long forgotten but having mainly Jap bikes is perhaps why I have not come across some of these quirky [design!] issue before ;)
- Steve



Southampton area

DR350, 349, DRZ, 701
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