Saga continues...
 

Well here I am again folks, back on the sunny Colombian Costa Caribe, que calor! I am appealing to you once again to assist this bike idiot.

The "compression" thing, I am sure was an expensive red herring dreamed up by drunken Costeño bike mechanics. Nevertheless I have the polished cylinder and new piston rings.

With the much appreciated assistance of Phoenix, we established that whatever was wrong with the carburretor was beyond taking apart and cleaning. We never got it to work on his Kockney KLR. I had a nearly-new one sent out from Canada which looks spiffing.

I got the least drunken Costeño mechanic to rebuild the bike, (god knows what he might have done with the doohickey). I got the battery that I bought last time, recharged, but he said it didn´t have enough power to turn the bike over. I thought it might be the starter motor ´cos there has always been an intermittent starting problem. I took that out and tried it out on the NEW battery, and it worked fine, but granted without the extra load of the engine.

He insists that it is the NEW battery, but I have had it charged again, and bought a meter to test it.

NOW...forgive my almost complete and utter ignorance, but if the spark plug is removed, and I plop it into gear, shouldn´t I be able to turn the wheel, and listen to the piston flapping about? I´m sure I used to be able to do that on my Vespas back in the day - but it´s not a Vespa is it?

I think he´s stuck it back together so that nothing moves, no more.

HELP!, ´cos I need to get back to Bogota and feel the rain. This heat is killing me, man. It´s not funny anymore.

Mollydog, I knew you would not forsake me.

That rear wheel should turn, right? And I bought a VOM meter, AND it reads 12.6 v - very good!

HU Community? Patrick, I am the HU Community, and the only dealers round here are jetski dealers - that´s where I found the first drunken incompetent. I thought about paying to have the bike taken to Bogota, where I am sure I can find someone good with diagnostic tools. I also thought about flying someone in from Medellin or Bogota.

Good idea about the APB - IF THERE IS ANYONE IN COLOMBIA WHO KNOWS HOW TO FIX A KLR PROPERLY, PLEASE PM ME - I WILL MAKE IT WORTH YOUR WHILE.

Amongst other qualities, the thing I love about Colombians is their incessant optimism, skill with a hammer/machete and resourcefulness. Unfortunately owning up to your failings and shortcomings is not a Colombian trait.

Needs to turn over smoothly before trying to start it!
 

S/M,

When I put my TT600R back together I got the timing chain wrong (long story which is in the thread from last year). The bottom line was that the engine would not turn over "smoothly" - not at all basically (it felt like it was jammed in some way), and it felt like I was trying to force it via the kickstarter, which gave me the clue of something being wrong.

As Mollydog says, the same goes for you - if you can't feel the moving bits on the re-built bike as being "smooth" then it's not ready to be started - things, like the valves, are likely to get bent.

Dave,

Thanks for that. You and Patrick are confirming my fears, which is good ´cos I´d rather it not work for a reason seeking a solution, than be staring at a complete mystery.

Ah, Mick, I follow your continuing tale of woe with interest. I agree with what the guys are saying here.. it sounds like it could be a mis-timing issue from being mis-mantled one too many times by a bush-mechanic.

I have a copy of the official workshop manual now.. you want a copy?

Phoenix, I was wondering if I could get a copy of that manual. I just bought a KLR and I am going to be headed down south after the summer. I would like to get as familiar with the bike as possible.

Stretcher Monkey,
Any luck on shipping your bike to Bogota? Have you had better luck with mechanics elsewhere?

Step at a time
 

Know what you are saying, and I know how frustrating it gets.
One thing at a time and one day at a time worked for me, eventually. :rolleyes2:

@ Phoenix. You really are a class act. I´d love a copy. On second thoughts, why not bring it personally. We can have hours of fun taking my bike apart, and perhaps putting it back together again!


Cruthas, there is a very good and experienced moto mechanic in Medellin, (Moto Angel). I´m currently looking for someone to haul it over there. I am sure there is someone with experience of KLR´s in BOG, but I will have to find them first. My experience has been that for the basics, locals find working on KLR´s easy ´cos they are just like bigger versions of what they are used to. Anything else, like if it is the first time they have seen one and they won´t use a manual, and they´re favourite tool is a hammer, forget it!

Ah, now don't tempt me.. :) I'm currently in the process of looking for another contract in London, and given the way the Finance Industry is imploding right now, a trip around the Americas might be the best thing to do for a few months! I might take you up on that offer yet!

The manual.. ok.. just have to figure out where to upload it so.. Any suggestions on somewhere good to host it? Its too big to email..

I looked online before, and never managed to find it.. even using some of the obscure google search options. It may well be online somewhere now though, and if so, excellent!

I'll have a look later for somewhere to host it.

Dude, i'm guessing your in Cartegena? If your still having some serious problems with your mechanics, may i sugest you put the bike on a truck and get it over to Hector, Moto Angel en Medellin, pronto! These guy's will fix you up, guarenteed! I promise! Say hi for me!

...oops, i skipped over this post, your on the right track!

@Phoenix - nice one, I got the download. Thank you. Now I´m not wishing you a downturn in your career prospects, but in case you make it over, I´ll keep one on ice.

@Mr Ron - great minds think alike. I´ll say hello for you. In Santa Marta actually.

The upload took a while.. but all the good stuff is in there now.. :) It's just finished about 5 mins ago. I couldn't even see my gmail while it was going. Talk about hammering my pc!

Cruthas.. PM me, gimme your email, and I've give you access.

You'll see a ".tar.gz" file once you follow the link. .tar.gz is a tarred, then gzipped file.. In Windows, Winzip or WinRar should understand it, and if you're in Mac OSX or Linux ville (my world).. use the following shell command to uncompress it:

cd "whatever directory you want to use to contain the files"
tar -xzvf "KLR650.tar.gz"

Don't hang about too long in grabbing a copy onto your pc , as I don't want to leave this copy accessible for too long, for fairly obvious reasons.. :)

Ah yes, the thought of an evening with a few cold beers and a can of carb cleaner getting us high.. nothing like the simple things in life, eh? :)