Captain....
Yamaha WR400 decompressor is the easiest to put on the handlebar...
or... do as I did.. get an ASV F1 shorty that has a small lever for the decompressor


Vando

Whats the trick to using a manual lever operated decompressor? I've never used one myself, have a dodgy knee and putting a kicker on a high comp xt600 it's probably a good plan.

the trick is to get the parts for the job... it's a fairly simple operation...

You need the decompressor valve, spring, O-ring and small screw which I think has a thin copper spacer/gasket and the cable holder...

Than you have to lean the bike to the side enough to drill a hole on the black tap that is located on the top of the cylinder head.
Pull the tap out and insert the O-ring => valve spring => decompressor valve and finally the small screw on top of the decompressor valve.

After that you have to take on of the Allen bolts off the cylinder head and put the cable holder bracket and refit the allen bolt.

Depending on the manual decompressor lever you get, grab hold of one of those generic clutch cables and one of those things that has a bolt that you insert the cable through and tighten the bolt so it won't get off the cable LOol sorry.. Here in Portugal we call it "serra-cabos"

Also, get one of those black bicycle cable guides and cut length you need.


Also you will need to make a way for you to tighten or loosen the cable to correct lenght so you can operate the decompressor valve nice and easy....
I used one of those adjusters as we have on the clutch lever with an extra nut to tighten it in the cylinder head cable bracket (one on each side)

I'm gonna check the Yamaha Part numbers for you and will post them here.... which I think I've done in another post...

AND I'll make a drawing of how I used the "clutch lever adjuster" so you know what I'm talking about...


Vando


(I'm making up for the long time I've been absent from the HUBB sorry lol )

Here is all the info you need as for Yamaha oem parts for the kickstart and the manual decompressor
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/yamaha-tech/xt-600-e-kick-start-30064

The clutch adjuster is one of these pieces
https://www.bike-design.com/upload/p...1213863673.jpg
http://www.cyclepedia.com/wp-content...aintenance.jpg

Drawing: http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/5931/82874280.png


Bicycle black cable guide: http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3912/clutchcable.jpg
WR400 type manual decompressor: http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8114/051503side1.jpg


any questions just ask!

Vando

I have all the kickstart bits and the machining done to the clutch cover already, I also have the plug out of the head and a nice bit of 12mm bar (shaft from an old valve re-facer) that fits the hole nicely with the groove machined and the end shaped nicely to tip the rocker arm, it's just actually using a manual decompressor I've never done, I assume it's just to help get to tdc (comp) in the first place and then kick from there without the decompressor, would that be right?
I used to kick my old xt600 over no problem with a broken decomp. cable but that was 15 years ago and before a knee injury.

Yep - the decompressor releases the compression - so you can push it over TDC, ready for the KICK !!!!

Well thats the kickstart in and working, had to skim a bit off the boss inside the clutch cover as it went tight when I bolted it up due to lack of end float.

As other great things in live it is supposed to be tight! lol
If it was loose it would vibrate and in time could make damage .

also, did you put the special shim

part# 5Y1-15645-00-00
which is listed as SHIM, KICK SHAFT?

It is very important to not forget this part!
It fits on the inside of the engine cover where the kick shaft goes through the cover!

Vando

Yes the shim is in there, I assume it's there to stop the spring fretting the casing.
Tight is ok but rock solid is too tight, a bit of endfloat is always a good thing before things start to expand.

I think you're for asking the procedure to kickstart using the compression release?

I used this method successfully on my old XT500C ('76) from '76 thru '93

1) gently press down on the kickstarter until you feel the compression building up

2) pull (engage / activate) the compression release

3) EASE the kickstarter just a tad/smidgen/ small amount further

** NOTE** This is the entire trick.
You are merely getting the piston over Top Dead Center so you aren't fighting the compression build up.
Now when you boot it, the inertia of the flywheel, cam train, piston, crank will (if performed correctly) carry the piston through the next compression cycle without you needing a Superman leg ...
or the always-to-be-dreaded kickback (when you don't get the inertia necessary and upon firing the piston stops and reverses, levitating your knee into the bottom of the throttle housing with sufficent force to imprint the phillips screw heads on your knee)

4) release / deactivate compression release

5) allow the kick starter to return to its full upright / resting position

6) kick thru, a power kick is not necessary, a smooth uninterrupted stroke

I used to stand (back when I was a skinny young lad) on the kickstand and let everyone see the compression hold my weight in the air, then sit on the seat and casually kick it through.

of course I never mentioned the trick or the little lever under the clutch perch

__________________

I have to be honest, think id just go with a big push and a bump start over the hassle and expense of a kicker.

I Start it in 3rd or 4th gear roughly 10mph!!!!

Mark

Just found this old thread on here and I need to comment!!!

VERY IMPORTANT!! With the key turned off use the kickstart and find TDC!

to find the TDC go as said before... "kick" it only by putting your weight pressure on the kickstart or similar but not that power kick to turn the bike on.

You will find a point were you have alot of resistance! from there apply just a tiny bit of force until it passes that point and locks again and let the kickstart come back all the way up! YOU ARE THERE!

Now, on my bike I give it FOUR full quick throttles with the choke ON, TURN ON THE KEY and give it a big powerfull kick and it ALWAYS turn the bike on!



On a side note, If you have a complete dead battery on the post-1990(included) XT600E bike, no matter how much you try and kick the bike to life you WON'T BE ABLE TO! trust me on this lol!!



Vando