• Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Sweden - About 1988 and older

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No Fire in '84 XC500 -- Any help?

Jon McLean

Jon McLean

Husqvarna
AA Class
I'm all kicked out and can't get any life--not even a hiccup or decent backfire--from my project XC500. I've never had any 2-stroke fail to light up when gas, air, spark and compression were there.

I've got: a) New, tested good PVL ignition, extra ground wire added to be sure. Good snappy blue spark showing, timing tried at 2.4mm BTDC and at 2.0mm too, b) motor to frame to coil mount points clean/sanded/tight, c) fine wire electrode NGK plug and many attempts with new NGK B8ES plugs, new plug cap d) tight-enough piston, new ring, good compression e) clean MIK carb with clear pilot jet, stock jetting, fuel flow and float level triple checked f) fresh gas, g) 6'3" and 240lbs of kick going at it.

Even tried a splash of gas in the plug hole, leaned it over until vents over-flow, couple of tablespoons of gas hose-fed into carb inlet. Nothing...

I've heard rumor that kicker gearing on 500s might not spin the motor fast enough for some ignitions. But doesn't explain the decent spark when plug is out and grounded to the head. Only other thing I can dream up is an "off" PVL that somehow has the timing marks wrong or wires crossed for 180degrees out--although Penton tech says not possible and tested good for spark at 300rpm. The correct rotation arrow/mark per PVL was also triple checked and is right.

Any ideas or other gemlins to check?? Should I dodge the PVL and go search for an old stock Motoplat?? Appreciate any help.
 
Damn 500's. I can't speak to a solution, since my '83XC is still dead. I did get it to cough a couple times after a few zillion kicks. I've done all the tricks you've done and then some, still no luck. It used to start years ago before it started being a beetch to start. I plan to replace the wet side crank seal this winter (dry side is new, but didn't help). Last resort is new ring and/or piston.

Make sure you're at just a tad past TDC before stomping the kicker. As to the spark with the plug out, but of course....you get better revolutions with no compression.

Get a rope....seriously...and have someone pull you for a friction start. If that don't work, then something is not right for sure.
 
I just went through same thing on my 430. Spark everything, even checked Pvl with ohm meter.

No go, then had a Sem around and put it on and she fired 1st kick?

Even with same plug.

Go figure?
 
I chased mine with new PVL (77 Husky 250CR). Always got good spark with the plug out. However, sometimes it would start after a few kicks and other times it wouldn't start before I couldn't kick it anymore. Put a Moto Plat back on and the PVL is sitting on the shelf.
I don't think Husky's kicking speed spins the motor fast enough for the PVL to make a good reliable spark.
I also have a PVL on my 72 125 Penton (Sachs motor), that one works perfect. The Sachs motor spins much faster when kicking though.
 
I read PVL don't work well in big bores bikes, 250 yes, 430 & 500 NO. Did you try jump starting it? Mine would fire if i jumped & almost never when i kicked it, til i found the
right procedure.

Before you thrash it, try this, make sure there's NO extra fuel in the pipe, take if off if neccesary. Kick it threw a bunch & see if another fuel dripples out the exhaust port.
Ok once you sure it's nice & dry & reassembly if you pulled it apart.

Mine only starts if i follow this procedure:
1) gas & choke on. 2) rock bike back & forth in gear count to 30. 3) choke off, put the bike in 2nd gear & roll it back til it stops, this puts piston at the top of the stroke.
4) put trans back in neutral, take kicker & move it down with your hand, til you feel the compression start to ease slightly . STOP, return the kicker to normal kick start position
5) Give it a good kick, make sure you kick all the way thru it stroke.

Mine start on the 1st kick, as long as i don't give it a crappy kick or pushed the kicker too far down before i kicked it over. It will take you a few times to get this technic
down right, but for mine it works every time as long as i follow those simple steps. If not you'll kick til your so pissed you'll want to sell it :banghead: .

Husky John
 
I might be interested in one of those unused PVLs for my '84 250 if you big bore guys dont want to leave them hanging around your garage.
 
I don't believe mine will work on your 84. My 77 has a smaller crank snout. But you can check it out,
my PVL is a model #70051
 
Ron said:
I don't believe mine will work on your 84. My 77 has a smaller crank snout. But you can check it out,
my PVL is a model #70051
Click to expand...

Correct you are...apparently in 82 they went to the medium shaft...Another wallet lightening attempt foiled !!
 
Hey Hey---SUCCESS! I ignored the arrows and the very specific instruction, pulled the rotor and re-installed it 180 degrees over. Starts and runs just like a champ! Must be a PVL crossed wire or install instructions are just plain wrong. Will use the big-bore kicker technique... Have a '92 KTM LC4 600 for practice. :)
 
That's very interesting. Mine would start sometimes after 5 or 6 kicks and run fine and then wouldn't start again 5 minutes later no matter how long I kicked it.
So your saying you just relocated the rotor 180 and timed it off the other mark?
I also installed a PVL on an 83 250XC and that one worked perfectly. That bike always started in one or two kicks hot or cold, usually one kick.
Might be worth trying it again, although I might add, there really wasn't a noticeable difference in the way the bike ran or revved compared to a stock Moto Plat. And the old Moto Plat has been stone reliable.
I originally bought the PVL thinking it would be an improvement over the Moto Plat and it might rev quicker. It's not noticeable if it does.
 
Yep, just pulled the rotor, spun it with the timing mark to the other marker line on the stator leg, at about 2mm BTDC. It's a new PVL with arrows on it to indicate which mark to depending on rotation of the crank. Definitely was installed right, definitely work only when 180 degrees off from that. I've also never had any issues with Motoplats and never had one fail, although they got the moto-splat reputation somehow. Would have stuck with it if I had a stator. I do have the internal Motoplat rotor from it, and it weighs about 3/4 lb more than the PVL's 1.4lb rotor. So may need to get a $100 flywheel weight to add on, just to get it back to Motoplat performance.
 
i do like the motoplats...easy to set up and kinda reliable....does anyone know if they can be rewound for more lighting output?
 
ruwfo said:
Before you thrash it, try this, make sure there's NO extra fuel in the pipe, take if off if neccesary. Kick it threw a bunch & see if another fuel dripples out the exhaust port. Ok once you sure it's nice & dry & reassembly if you pulled it apart.
Mine only starts if i follow this procedure:
1) gas & choke on.
2) rock bike back & forth in gear count to 30.
3) choke off, put the bike in 2nd gear & roll it back til it stops, this puts piston at the top of the stroke.
4) put trans back in neutral, take kicker & move it down with your hand, til you feel the compression start to ease slightly . STOP, return the kicker to normal kick start position
5) Give it a good kick, make sure you kick all the way thru it stroke.
Mine start on the 1st kick, as long as i don't give it a crappy kick or pushed the kicker too far down before i kicked it over. It will take you a few times to get this technic
down right, but for mine it works every time as long as i follow those simple steps. If not you'll kick til your so pissed you'll want to sell it :banghead: .
Husky John
Click to expand...

John,
Thanks for the starting procedure. I know we've discussed big bore 2-stroke starting procedures before.
There are definitely hard and fast rules when starting, especially if its a big bore.
Starting my 430s does require a starting procedure similar to yours. And it does take some practice to get a feel for.
Dave
 
I enjoy reading these starting procedures immensely, don't forget to hold your tongue in the proper position :D
my brothers and I rode together with two CR500's an XC430 (me) and a 550 KTM, we shared procedures till we put them together and found what works
turn on gas as soon as you unload your ride, gear up, push down enricher lever (remember don't touch throttle as it defeats enricher), hold kill button slowly kick 2 or three times depending on weather, just kick it
the reason for turning on the fuel early was how slowly the bowl actually fills
 
2premo said:
I enjoy reading these starting procedures immensely, don't forget to hold your tongue in the proper position :D
my brothers and I rode together with two CR500's an XC430 (me) and a 550 KTM, we shared procedures till we put them together and found what works
turn on gas as soon as you unload your ride, gear up, push down enricher lever (remember don't touch throttle as it defeats enricher), hold kill button slowly kick 2 or three times depending on weather, just kick it
the reason for turning on the fuel early was how slowly the bowl actually fills
Click to expand...


Yep, love those starting procedures. And don't forget to say a prayer to the 2-stroke gods before starting!
I think I'll start a thread about starting procedures.
 
OK- got to make a confession... Turns out my trouble with my PVL not firing and solution of installng at 180degrees from what instructions indicated to get it to work was ALL due to my doing, not a problem with the ignition afterall. After sorting things out and finally getting the bike to run, I made a follow up call to the tech at Penton Imports (super nice people, BTW) re my PVL solution. He asked "you sure you don't have the wires installed on the coil reversed? Is the wide female connector on the wides spade, and narrow to narrow?" I've attached a hundred Motoplat coil wires, can't cross them over--skinny won't go on wide. Well...guess what...pulled the tank to take a peek, and I had the wires crossed on the coil. Doh!

You have to look into the end of the PVL connectors to see the wide from the skinny, and if you push firmly, skinny goes on wide no problem. Now that I've REALLY straightened things out, reinstalled everything per directions, works great, starts fine....all is Good! Sorry for crying wolf...but learn from my mistakes!
 
OK so what Spark Plug Cap are You guys running? I find that the NGK ones are as good as any, but I can't find one that doesn't have a resistor. Remember we are not supposed to be running a Resistor because supposedly it makes it harder to start, right. The plug Caps that are not resistor ( probably an outboard motor) are kinda Cheap looking and plain old don't look that good. Anybody pulled the Resistor out of a NGK ?
 
1982 XC 430 said:
OK so what Spark Plug Cap are You guys running? I find that the NGK ones are as good as any, but I can't find one that doesn't have a resistor. Remember we are not supposed to be running a Resistor because supposedly it makes it harder to start, right. The plug Caps that are not resistor ( probably an outboard motor) are kinda Cheap looking and plain old don't look that good. Anybody pulled the Resistor out of a NGK ?
Click to expand...
View attachment 35589View attachment 35589

I'm running a spark plug boot from NAPA...non resistor type...fits 14mm plug. Their catalog number is NGW 8955. Works well
 
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