20 HP Kawasaki wont start when hot

[BenDawg]

I have a 97ish Conquest with the 20 HP Kawasaki in it. When it cold she will start right up. When it warms up if you dont start it just right it will almost vaporlock on you you wait maybe 10 - 15 minutes it will start right up..... But again if you let off the key a bit to early it will " vaporlock" on ya again. Its kinda weird the valves sound good I dont think it needs an adjustment. Anywhoo looking for some ideas.

Thanks all

[Castro]

You have this for sale do t you?

[BenDawg]

No I just swapped my Max for it yesterday.

[plott hound]

loosen the gas cap off,maybe vent is plugged.gas line might be deteriorated????????????????

[BenDawg]

Wow plott there is no way anything in my life could ever be that easy but ill check it out thanks :-)

[spookum]

change the spark plug When it is hot and "wont start" pull the plug out, drop a heaping tablespoon of gass down into the engine, screw the spark plug back in and start it. If it starsts up "easy" you have fuel delivery issues. My guess is poor fuel flow... check the lines... or a fuel pump! but new spark plugs... that would be the ticket! WHen i hot start my snow machines, or the argo, i give them 3/4 throttle and they start every time.. good luck

[plott hound]

Wow plott there is no way anything in my life could ever be that easy but ill check it out thanks :-)

oh yes,it happened to me once on the riding lawn mower.damn thing drove me crazy half the summer before i found it.

[BenDawg]

Thanks pal,

Im bringing the kids to the bus stop this morning when I get back ill give it a whirl

[Coop]

Sounds like classic ignition coil failure: runs fine until it gets warm, then it will quit and not re-start until it cools off. Next time it quits, check for spark at the plug, I'm betting you don't have any.

Coop

[Old Tucker]

That happened to me in the passed, And it was the coil in my case. The thing would start fine when it was cold but when it was warm, no way in hell would it start.

Sounds like classic ignition coil failure: runs fine until it gets warm, then it will quit and not re-start until it cools off. Next time it quits, check for spark at the plug, I'm betting you don't have any.

Coop

[BenDawg]

I think I might not have explain myself thoroughly enough. when it warms up can I go to restart it she doesn't even turnover. it does sort of a half of crank then just stops. it doesn't keep turning over. kind of like a piston gets to top dead center and just stops. it almost feels like the cylinder filled up with gas and couldn't be cranked over anymore.

WArgo 1.jpghich brings me to my next thought.

Screw it I'm tearing the entire thing down and go through the entire conquest. chains, bearings the whole 9 yards. I don't think I'm going to rebuild the motor though. I will just clean that and the tranny up. It has under 500 hours on the machine and actually does run good when it runs lol... anyway I figure if I stay out here in the garage long enough maybe my wife will quit chasing me around so much :-) Here is a pic of the beat up old girl....... My conquest that is not my wife

[plott hound]

ahhhhhhhh,ok.i just bought a conquest last month that acted like that.it would start up fine and run great.then after a few minutes it would begin to smoke,with excessive moisture coming out of exhaust.when i pulled the engine down there was a blown head gasket and was coolant in the # 2 cylinder.i have not put the engine back in the machine yet since i rebuilt it.will find out in a month or 2 if that solved the problem.

I think I might not have explain myself thoroughly enough. when it warms up can I go to restart it she doesn't even turnover. it does sort of a half of crank then just stops. it doesn't keep turning over. kind of like a piston gets to top dead center and just stops. it almost feels like the cylinder filled up with gas and couldn't be cranked over anymore.

W[ATTACH=CONFIG]8440[/ATTACH]hich brings me to my next thought.

Screw it I'm tearing the entire thing down and go through the entire conquest. chains, bearings the whole 9 yards. I don't think I'm going to rebuild the motor though. I will just clean that and the tranny up. It has under 500 hours on the machine and actually does run good when it runs lol... anyway I figure if I stay out here in the garage long enough maybe my wife will quit chasing me around so much :-) Here is a pic of the beat up old girl....... My conquest that is not my wife

[spookum]

make sure that you put a seat back on that front seat. It doubles how enjoyable the ride is.... look at other argos that have the factory seat back rest. It isnt too hard to make, just some plywood, some foam ( old couches work fine) some vinal and a staple gun.. Took me a wile to fiure it out on mine!

[Flying Bone]

some kawasaki motors have an ignition ignitor on them it is a small square silver thin box usually near the oil fill tube it has one screw attaching it to the shroud and one wire plugs onto it im not sure if its that or the coil both are 50-100 bucks depending were you go. good luck.

[BenDawg]

Ok so its not a fuel delivery issue. It doesn't crank when hot. Im thinking about changing the starter out. Maybe take it apart and clean it ?? If not the stadter what would stop it from cranking over ?? Valves ? I cant figure this one out. Oh ya what size are the bearing sizes for this ? I know the Max is 72mm by 1 1/4. Od and 62mm by 1 1/4 for the inside ones. Are the Argo ones the same ? It would be nice so I can just go right to tractor supply and get um.