[wmgeorge64]

Well in the process of getting my new to me 1985 454 cleaned up, new plugs, new battery and the rest. Yes I have a Cylmers ordered along with the replacement air filters which were as clogged as I have ever seen on any motorcycle. BUT the machine was running when I picked it up, see my other Hard Starting When Cold post.

First off is the Choke lever, (marked as such) really a choke? It appears to be working enrichment plungers at the engine end of the carburetors? Not a choke flapper at the air box side. If so its a different thing all together.

So IF you have a 454 tell me how you start yours?? Most MC/s I have owned in the past have had chokes.

 

[elr658]

Full choke no did I say no? I meant NO throttle.

 

[wmgeorge64]

Full choke no did I say no? I meant NO throttle.

So is it Choke or enriching primer?

It looks like a primer that gives it a squirt of gas right into the intake of the engine. If what you are saying is the way you start yours, then that would be one primer squirt and hands off the throttle, correct? Thank YOU!

 

[76brian]

I'm not sure about the carb setup, but my EN500 is nearly identical to the EN450 (aka 454ltd)... I never have a problem with it not starting. It can be below freezing, and with full choke it will start almost immediately. Then after a few seconds (when the engine starts to rev high) I go to half choke till it warms up a bit more. Average warm days it will start with half choke no problem. I never have to touch the throttle when starting. It even sat all winter in the cold and after putting the battery back in it started easily with no drama at all.

Something is not right. Put some seafoam in the fresh gas and run it for a while. Then rinse and repeat. Have you checked the float valves or the petcock? What about your valve clearances? If you can't hear the valves clicking away, that's probably a bad sign. There's another forum with great picture instructions on how to do it on the 500 (which should be the same for the 450). I have the service manual and it covers both bikes, I will confirm the valve clearances when I get home but for the 500, clearances are .005" to .007" for the intake valves and .007" to .009" for the exhaust.

edit: yup, same clearances for the 450

I should also add if any of your vacuum lines are misplaced or if the plug is not capped on your #2 carb, you'll have issues too.. at least I did.

 

[wmgeorge64]

Brian, Either I have a one of a kind or there were some changes made. I used the Bike Bandit OEM parts look up for mine, which shows exactly what I have on my carbs. Link> http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/1985-kawasaki-motorcycle-454-ltd-en450a1-us/o/m3215

They call it a #16016 Plunger, Starter. Each Carb has one and the linkage between goes to the "Choke" lever on the handle bars. I have never seen a choke after the carb body, and it looks like an plunger that shoots gas directly into the intake tube of the engine. So if it is indeed a one shot primer, then the whole leave the Choke on thing goes out the window.

I just read your tag line and looked up your bike, its exactly like my carburetor. I guess I will need to read my service book when it gets here to understand whats going on?

Once again, THANK YOU for taking the time to reply... you both have helped me a lot.

BTW once I get the bike running, it runs fine with the new gas, carb cleaner and new correct spark plug.... and not forgetting removing the worlds dirtiest air filter. I put in some air filter material (inside the old screens) I had left over from a air conditioning job until the new ones get here.
I will be checking the valve clearances.

 

[Cyclemut]

It's a different style of choke, nothing like an old Chevy or flapper valve.

Put the lever on full when starting in colder temps, half in engine cold but warmer weather starts and in both situations, leave it on. Don't 'pump' the choke, it's not a primer pump. The terminology can be a bit misleading in that regards, but they're not primer pumps.

Put the choke the appropriate setting, start the bike (no throttle) and allow to stay like that until it starts to rev higher, easing off the choke lever until the bike will idle on it's own without the choke.

So in short, not a primer, it's a choke, just not a choke like you're used to. Acts the same way.

 

[wmgeorge64]

Ok, I guess I learned something, in fact I learned a lot, thanks to the experts who took the time to answer.
I looked at the parts breakdown and it looks maybe like this Starter, Plunger / Choke may be bypassing the idle jet and allowing more fuel into the cylinders? And without the owners manual and my service book still in route I was at a loss. The PO was not a mechanic, in fact his fix to the center stand weld broken, was... what else but JB Weld! Good thing I have a shop and welder.

I did take the bike out for a short spin and its runs great, once I figure out how to get it going.

 

[StarGate]

I looked at the parts breakdown and it looks maybe like this Starter, Plunger / Choke may be bypassing the idle jet and allowing more fuel into the cylinders?

The "choke" is an enriching circuit that allows extra fuel to flow directly into the throat of the carb on the engine side of the slide. It doesn't squirt any fuel when you pull the leaver though and it doesn't have a flap/butterfly that closes like the old style chokes.