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11 Oct 2012
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Location: XXX<-Portugal->Azores->Santa Maria (island)
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What are you guys on about?!
I can kickstart my 1990 XT600E easily with no auto-decompression system!
(I retrofitted the kickstart)!
Got problems with the kickstarting?
Turn the ignition key OFF(very important!)
Take of the auto-decompression cable.
Leave the bike on the kickstand and prepare to kick it.
CHOKE ON - NO THROTTLE
Apply tension on the kickstart until you feel heavy resistance.
Gently apply a bit more tension so the piston passes TDC just one tiny bit. (may take you a few times to practice this step, don't worry!)
Let the kickstart come all the way back.
Turn ignition key ON!
Apply little tension to remove the kickstart slack.
Big heavy powerfull FULL kick (as if you want to kick a hole on the floor. If you do not do this, the bike won't start!!)
If you can "JUMP" to get some momentum to kickstart!
Congrats, the bike is running!
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11 Oct 2012
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Bacardi is right. I had my bike's decompression cable snapped for a few days (until repaired) so I had absolutely no problem kickstarting it like that.
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11 Oct 2012
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Yes, that will work in an emergency. And i had not considered retrofitted kickstart because that would have been a different question.
But it's in the original poster's name: 34Lima. 34L tenere, 1983-'85. And 43F until i don't know when.
Soon you would break the clutch housing. Magnesium. There are no more new ones.
p
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12 Oct 2012
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I broke mine right hand side engine cover while kickstarting...
I didn't have the correct bolt fitted and the head of the bolt punched a hole..
Took the engine cover off, cleaned it properly, grinded, de greassed and JB Weld and let it cure on the greenhouse for two days, reground it to make it smooth on the inside and it's as good as new!
And I Welded a bit 1sq inch 1/4" piece of stainless steel on to the footstand to make a proper very strong kick stop!
I suggest everyone doing the same if they are using kickstart because the engine internal kickstops are very flimsy looking :S
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12 Oct 2012
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Quote: 'Big heavy powerfull FULL kick (as if you want to kick a hole on the floor. If you do not do this, the bike won't start!!)
If you can "JUMP" to get some momentum to kickstart!'
Quote: 'I broke mine right hand side engine cover while kickstarting...'
I rest my case.
p
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13 Oct 2012
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Pete, If you'd read my previous post you'd know what I did wrong to make brake mine. I went to my local hardware store and bought a bolt as I didn't have THE proper bolt for tightening the kick boss. It was the Bolt head that made the hole 5mm hole on the RHS engine cover -.-
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5 Nov 2012
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Here is the perfect example of how you have to kickstart the XT!
CR500-AF compression testing - YouTube
Same technique, different bikes!
Just watch what that guy is doing on those first few seconds!
AND don't touch the throttle!
Vando 
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2 Dec 2015
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Goan electric starter be fitted to the 43f ?
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2 Dec 2015
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No it can't, you would have to change just about everything on the engine, you could put a complet electric start engine in but you would have to respacer the back wheel, and a new wiring logo and the controls and the battery box and battery, it's to complicated m8
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2 Dec 2015
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 34Lima
Thanks for all that, it should keep me occupied for a while trying different things, I've definitely walked away from it a few times!
It does backfire sometimes when I have been kicking it with the choke on for a while but once it starts it runs OK, has to get warmed up before it will idle. It also backfires when I stop it using the switch on the throttle but not usually when I turn it off using the key.
I rebuilt it a few months back from a bit of a basket case and the inlet rubbers seemed OK but I will check them again, it also had a carb service kit at the same time, float needle seals etc.
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Under the float there is a filter sometimes this is missed when a carb service is done,
Remove the float take out the bullet shape fuel cut off valve under there is a mesh filter you will find that some dirt or some obstruction in there clean put back together, try that
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3 Dec 2015
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lowrider1263
No it can't, you would have to change just about everything on the engine, you could put a complet electric start engine in but you would have to respacer the back wheel, and a new wiring logo and the controls and the battery box and battery, it's to complicated m8
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Ok, thanks. Had one 25 years ago and was thinking of buying another but a bad back probably rules out all that kicking, it was tricky enough at times back then.
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7 Dec 2015
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My precocious 43f was a challenge for a while, having chased all the air leaks and mucky filters what works for me , even after weeks of not using it is:
5 kicks with no ignition on, switch ignition on and find technical as described by others, then full choke and kick smoothly and firmly, always starts when I do this. I do find after a week or so that fuel goes 'off' a bit so when I know I am not using. The bike for a week or so I switch the fuel tap off a few hundred meters from the house to run float level down.
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12 Sep 2017
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starting XT
Quote:
Originally Posted by pete j
It's here in this forum. Someone called it that, the holy grail. How to start an XT 600.
I have had mine for 3 years and i still can not start it on demand every time. Like a battle of wills, i do not always win.
There are things that make it easier:
You must set your decompression cable correctly. Research it.
If you have a dirty fuel tank and/or a leaky float needle or if your engine is not in a good condition, take the bus. Get the parts and fix it.
To start:
You must consider the temperature. Cold and choke you will need. How much you will learn. Mostly full choke. And NO THROTTLE. ALWAYS.
You must learn where to 'park' the crankshaft before you kick. Very important and not easy. You can listen to the clicks the decompressor makes.
Or you can find TDC at nearly the end of the kickstart stroke. Viewed from the side the lever should be at 7 o'clock and piston at top dead centre firing position.
Now release the lever to the top and calmly push down. If it does not start, kick again from the top. The engine stops in the right place, no need to find TDC.
Starting from hot is the same. Just no choke. And NO THROTTLE.
It is said that one can start and XT with the hand, and i believe it. There is no compression, taken care of by decompressor.
But not always. Sometimes i am not perceptive enough.
Cold; after 4 kicks with full choke and not started, it will be too rich and will not start.
Hot; 4 kicks (without choke) and it can be too rich and will not start.
At this point i want to walk away. Hey, it's not my bike, just trying to steal it...
Here i learned:
When failed starting cold, open the choke. Open and hold the throttle wide, gently kick the engine over a few times to dry it out. Now try starting again. If it starts you will need a little throttle to keep it going.
When failed starting hot, also open the throttle wide and gently kick the engine over 4 or 5 times to dry it out. You may want to operate the kill switch here to avoid a backfire. Now try starting again.
These steps may be repeated until you learn just what your XT is telling you and the engine starts.
It's also a great way to save that magnesium clutch cover from fracture due to booting the engine over compression.
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Hi Pete, all are truth what you wrote about this hard starting, beside we love our XT, we are angry and sad about this circumstenses. I am german, since 88 have my american xt 600, before since 82 XT550 and several Tenere in München. Only E start solved this common problem, but I do not want destroy the original ( 29 year old, 37 K mile) so we are all suffering about, no exemption. After long years experience, I quess the kick starter lucky adjustment could be some help. I said this, because my XT 550 started excellent, never have problem with, the kickstarter aliagment was very smouth, like you said easy start with hand as well.
But what is the right adjustment? I tried to adjusting light as possible, in this case not started because missing compression. I think we have to reach the closest point from this, thats mean, close to the point, where couldn,t start.... I blame the design, the kick aliagnment is not clear and easy understable
I like your mean, we dont need to lock it, nobody able start it, just some other XT owner. But the life make funny event, I told my son, (who never ride bike, but he wnat try it) id you are able to start it, you can ride with one hour. He just pushed easy one time and start, without knowledge, how could be the proper way. This happened with me as well, several time I gave up any hope, but just rutin in the end pushed one more time and..... started southly.....
Sorry because my bad english, please just focusing in the kick adjustment. and waiting for your advise.
regards
peter
Please help me, where you adjusted yours?
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19 Sep 2017
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Starting XT
Greetings pbuchmeuller72,
We have a small language problem, so to save time maybe you should go to the site https://www.xt600.de/ It is the greatest store of XT knowledge. It is in your language, so can help me maybe!
You may find what you are looking for. Even if you don't you will learn much.
And you can come back here anytime for help.
How to start an XT, latest version: start with a good bike 
I have been lucky. I am 3rd owner of my '87 2kf, It is standard, i rebuilt the engine and gearbox. No mods before i got it. My policy is to fix anything as well as i can, regardless of cost. Only genuine parts if possible. Found all manuals i needed, with some help from people here.
So the engine needs to be in a good mechanical condition, with clean carbs, good float level and a good spark. No air leaks into rubber inlets and a well set de-compression cable. It's in the manual. Learn to kick the engine from click or TDC. (there is a better description here than mine, to find tdc. top dead centre) Both work. Engine position is critical to start easily.
The settings you talk of: Xts are very fussy about fuel mixture strength. They are often more difficult to start when hot. Flood easily.
Use the advice given; consider what conditions the engine may need to start.
Cold, full choke. Warm, try some, or no choke. You will find that one eventually. Hot, no choke. Always dry the engine if it fails after 2 kicks. Learn how many turns it needs with throttle wide to dry it enough. If many you can set mixture screw leaner and maybe float level lower.
Practice. And tell us how you get on.
best,
p
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