RK Tek head

W

Wypipo

New member
Could the higher compression RK head cause more starting issues? I have done all of the updates, new cables and new battery but the bike still has trouble starting. I wonder if the head could be causing it.

Kelsey reccomended happing the spark plug to .018 so a very small gap. Does anybody know where this number came from or has tried different numbers and what were the results? I?m not doubting him just wondering how he came up with that number and if anyone has tried anything different.
 
Well, I initially had problems with my starter, did all the upgrades, battery, cables, remap. Still had no joy.
What I found it to be was the bearing for item 16 (start shaft) was no good. Would never work when cold and then sometimes when hot. While removing the bearing I had to heat it, then the shaft would turn. New bearing and good to go.
As far as the RK Tech head causing an issue I doubt it, I installed my new head about 4 weeks ago and have not had any starter issues. Still working out the jetting but that's another story.
 
Does your new battery have at least 240 CCA? On 2018s a battery with 180 CCA, for instance, won?t to do the job! My dealer tried a couple of options, and the GG recommendation was the one that worked.

BTW, the 2019s would start with the smaller stock 2018 battery. Wish I knew what they changed. But my 2018 starts great now, cable update and the right battery did it for me.
 
It?s a 220 CCA shorai. It?s the biggest I could find that would fit. Where did you get the 240?
Wimpy525 what size batter do you have?
 
Wypipo said:
It?s a 220 CCA shorai. It?s the biggest I could find that would fit. Where did you get the 240?
Wimpy525 what size batter do you have?
Click to expand...

I have a 240 anti-gravity, my dealer hooked me up with. But again if I was you I would pull that ignition cover and check that bearing. I think my bike would start on the stock battery now.
 
Wypipo said:
It?s a 220 CCA shorai. It?s the biggest I could find that would fit. Where did you get the 240?
Click to expand...

It seems like the 220 CCA Shorai would be enough. One way to find out is to hook up to a bigger battery with known higher CCA just to find out if that works. For instance, I set a jet ski battery (360 CCA or so) on the subframe (since it wouldn't fit in the battery box) and attached the cables as a test. My bike started right up.

With a CCA that is too low, sometimes the engine will spin over just fine - it cranks nicely...and cranks, and cranks...without starting. I am with those who believe that there is a large amperage draw somewhere in the system (maybe the starter) which does not leave enough to create a strong spark.

Info. on an 240 CCA battery can be obtained from GG Tech Bulletin TB-GG-17-12 which I will send to you, thanks to Kiwigasgas (http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=23392&page=7).

Have your dealer contact GasGas USA per the bulletin. They recommend an Antigravity YTZ-8. My dealer only got $10 off of the list price; I had expected the discount to be higher. But there may have been some confusion in our communication with GG.

Don't stop trying things until you figure things out and get that starter fixed! It is possible, and you will be happy! It's a great bike :)

Jeff
 
fred99999au said:
Hey Wimpy525 how did you go about removing the bevel gear and the shaft?

Was it just heat and BFI? (Brute Force and Ignorance)
Click to expand...

I never did get it out, my dealer took another ignition cover and shaft off the shelf. Pretty sure he did this out of the kindness of his heart. But the bearing is the same as the water pump.
 
farmerj said:
It seems like the 220 CCA Shorai would be enough. One way to find out is to hook up to a bigger battery with known higher CCA just to find out if that works. For instance, I set a jet ski battery (360 CCA or so) on the subframe (since it wouldn't fit in the battery box) and attached the cables as a test. My bike started right up.

With a CCA that is too low, sometimes the engine will spin over just fine - it cranks nicely...and cranks, and cranks...without starting. I am with those who believe that there is a large amperage draw somewhere in the system (maybe the starter) which does not leave enough to create a strong spark.

Info. on an 240 CCA battery can be obtained from GG Tech Bulletin TB-GG-17-12 which I will send to you, thanks to Kiwigasgas (http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=23392&page=7).

Have your dealer contact GasGas USA per the bulletin. They recommend an Antigravity YTZ-8. My dealer only got $10 off of the list price; I had expected the discount to be higher. But there may have been some confusion in our communication with GG.

Don't stop trying things until you figure things out and get that starter fixed! It is possible, and you will be happy! It's a great bike :)

Jeff
Click to expand...

The only other battery I have is my car battery. Could hooking up a battery this big possibly damage anything?
I hope I can get this figured out, the bike is awesome but I have a GP and harescramble series starting soon and all the races are deadstart which I?m worried about right now.
 
I would not hook a car battery up to jump or start your bike.

One of the biggest shadows you're going to be chasing is "CCA" ratings by powersport battery manufacturers. None of them actually use the "CCA" standard and have their own formulas for coming up with what ever numbers they print on their website and they often don't line up from one company to another. I look for what companies document for "burts" rating etc. Amperes over a 10 second crank etc. I also don't mess with batteries that don't have a built in battery management System/circuit "BMS" but that's a different subject.

Have you removed the starter mounting bracket and the ground points and made sure there is no powder coat or corrosion causing resistance? My cranking improved a lot when I pulled the starter mounting bracket and sanded off all the black powder coat and then the red powder coat on the frame lug under the coil.

What's the actual battery voltage measure before you crank? What about during and after?
 
Wypipo said:
The only other battery I have is my car battery. Could hooking up a battery this big possibly damage anything?
Click to expand...

As long as the polarity is connected correctly, a car battery can be used to jump start your bike. There is no problem. Just be careful with the connections. The car does not need to be running.
 
dzhitshard said:
I would not hook a car battery up to jump or start your bike.

One of the biggest shadows you're going to be chasing is "CCA" ratings by powersport battery manufacturers. None of them actually use the "CCA" standard and have their own formulas for coming up with what ever numbers they print on their website and they often don't line up from one company to another. I look for what companies document for "burts" rating etc. Amperes over a 10 second crank etc. I also don't mess with batteries that don't have a built in battery management System/circuit "BMS" but that's a different subject.

Have you removed the starter mounting bracket and the ground points and made sure there is no powder coat or corrosion causing resistance? My cranking improved a lot when I pulled the starter mounting bracket and sanded off all the black powder coat and then the red powder coat on the frame lug under the coil.

What's the actual battery voltage measure before you crank? What about during and after?
Click to expand...

I did this one my bike as part of it's predelivery/pre ride setup. No other upgrades to cables, batteries, etc.
 
dzhitshard said:
Have you removed the starter mounting bracket and the ground points and made sure there is no powder coat or corrosion causing resistance? My cranking improved a lot when I pulled the starter mounting bracket and sanded off all the black powder coat and then the red powder coat on the frame lug under the coil.
Click to expand...

I do this for all electrical stuff that uses the frame as ground. Helps with everything from the coil to the E-start even the battery terminal to ground.

I raced a KTM 450XCF for several years, this motor had NO KICK starter and E-start only. The ground circuit was battery to subframe, subframe to main frame, frame to motor, motor to E start... All of them had coatings on them. I sanded all of those touch points added a slightly higher cranking amp battery and would pull holeshots on dead engine starts regularly.

I also make sure the ignition coil is sanded to the frame...Every little bit helps.
 
450exc115 said:
I do this for all electrical stuff that uses the frame as ground. Helps with everything from the coil to the E-start even the battery terminal to ground.

I raced a KTM 450XCF for several years, this motor had NO KICK starter and E-start only. The ground circuit was battery to subframe, subframe to main frame, frame to motor, motor to E start... All of them had coatings on them. I sanded all of those touch points added a slightly higher cranking amp battery and would pull holeshots on dead engine starts regularly.

I also make sure the ignition coil is sanded to the frame...Every little bit helps.
Click to expand...

exactly. And on this bike my starter bracket was fully powder coated and providing a lot of resistance.

PS, for the OP.
It would really benefit you to take some posts cautiously regarding "I jumped my bike with my car and there's no problem with it" type posts.

Take it at face value and you may miss some pertinent information like was the bike battery a LiON type, if it was did it have any over/under voltage protection, how long was the connection made, how far out of balance was the amp capacity between the bike and car battery. Unless I stood a chance of dying in a Himalayan snow drift next to my dead bike there is no way I would connect a Shoria to a car battery in attempt to start it.
 
dzhitshard said:
PS, for the OP.
It would really benefit you to take some posts cautiously regarding "I jumped my bike with my car and there's no problem with it" type posts.

Take it at face value and you may miss some pertinent information like was the bike battery a LiON type, if it was did it have any over/under voltage protection, how long was the connection made, how far out of balance was the amp capacity between the bike and car battery. Unless I stood a chance of dying in a Himalayan snow drift next to my dead bike there is no way I would connect a Shoria to a car battery in attempt to start it.
Click to expand...
Using a car battery is 100% safe to jump start a bike regardless of battery type or amperage rating. A battery is nothing more than a storage unit for an electrical charge. How it's stored or how much amperage is available makes no difference. The only time you would possibly have an issue is if jumping from a running car. In that situation the alternator from the car will actually be pushing current and could be too much for the electronics of the bike.
 
Which part are you guys saying to sand and make sure there is metal to metal? Is it part #19 ? That part feels like plastic to me?
 

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