2022 Kawasaki KX250 Troubleshooting Guide

2022 Kawasaki CONCOURS 14 ABS LOGO PRODUCT

2022 Kawasaki KX250 Troubleshooting Guide

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Troubleshooting Guide

NOTE
This troubleshooting guide is not exhaustive and does not give every possible cause for each problem listed. t is meant simply as a quick guide to assist you in troubleshooting for some of the more common difficulties.

Starting failure or difficulties

The starter motor does not rotate:

  • Main switch not “ON” position
  • Starter lockout switch trouble
  • Starter motor trouble
  • Battery voltage low
  • Starter relay not contacting or operating
  • Starter button not contact
  • Starter system wiring shorted or open
  • Engine stop button trouble
  • Main fuse 20 A blown

Starter motor rotating but the engine does not turn over:

  • Starter clutch trouble
  • Starter idle gear trouble

The engine does not turn over:

  • Valve seized
  • Rocker arm seized
  • Cylinder or piston seized
  • Crankshaft seized
  • Connecting rod small end seized
  • Connecting rod big end seized
  • Camshaft seized
  • Transmission gear or bearing seized
  • Improper installation of the vehicle-down sensor

Fuel does not flow

  • No fuel in tank
  • Fuel tank cap air vent obstructed
  • Fuel line clogged
  • Brake down of a fuel pump
  • Brake down of a fuel injector

Spark missing or weak:

  • Spark plug dirty, broken, or gap improperly adjusted
  • Spark plug cap or high-tension wiring defective
  • Spark plug cap not contacting properly
  • Spark plug type incorrect
  • Crankshaft sensor defective
  • ECU defective
  • Ignition coil defective
  • Engine stop button wiring defective
  • Alternator damaged
  • Wiring shorted or interrupted

Compression low:

  • Spark plug loose
  • Cylinder head insufficiently tightened
  • Cylinder or piston worn
  • No valve clearance
  • Crankshaft oil seal leak
  • Valve spring broken or weak
  • Valve not seating properly (valve bent, worn, or carbon accumulation on the seating surface)
  • Piston ring worn, weak, broken, or sticking
  • Piston ring side clearance excessive
  • Cylinder head gasket damaged
  • Cylinder head warped
  • Cylinder gasket damaged
  • Decompression trouble

Poor low-speed performance

Spark weak:

  • Spark plug dirty, broken, or gap improperly adjusted
  • Spark plug cap or high-tension wiring defective
  • Spark plug cap shorted or not contacting properly
  • Spark plug type incorrect
  • ECU defective
  • Ignition coil defective
  • Crankshaft sensor defective
  • Alternator defective
  • Wiring connector not in good contact

Fuel/air mixture incorrect:

  • Air cleaner element clogged, poorly sealed, or not installed
  • Fuel tank cap air vent obstructed
  • Throttle body assy holder loose
    Air cleaner duct loose
    Fuel pump defective

Compression low:

  • Spark plug loose
  • Cylinder head insufficiently tightened
  • Cylinder or piston worn
  • No valve clearance
  • Valve spring broken or weak
  • Valve not seating properly (valve bent, worn, or carbon accumulation on the seating surface)
  • Piston ring worn, weak, broken, or sticking
  • Piston ring side clearance excessive
  • Cylinder head gasket damaged
  • Cylinder head warped
  • Cylinder gasket damaged
  • Decompression trouble

Other:

  • ECU defective
  • Brake dragging
  • Clutch slipping
  • Engine over heating
  • Engine oil level too high
  • Engine oil viscosity too high
  • Drive chain trouble

Poor or no high-speed performance

Firing incorrect:

  • Spark plug dirty, broken, or gap improperly adjusted
  • Spark plug cap or ignition coil defective
  • Spark plug cap shorted or not contacting properly
  • Spark plug type incorrect
  • ECU defective
  • Crankshaft sensor defective
  • Alternator defective
  • Wiring connector not in good contact

Fuel/air mixture incorrect:

  • Air cleaner element clogged, poorly sealed, or not installed
  • Fuel contaminated with water or foreign matter
  • Fuel tank cap air vent obstructed
  • Throttle body assy holder lose
  • Air cleaner duct lose
  • Fuel line clogged
  • Fuel pump defective

Compression low

  • Spark plug loose
  • Cylinder head was insufficiently tightened
  • Cylinder or piston worn
  • No valve clearance
  • Valve spring broken or weak
  • Valve not seating properly (valve bent, worn, or carbon accumulation on the seating surface)
  • Piston ring worn, weak, broken, or sticking
  • Piston ring side clearance excessive
  • Cylinder head gasket damaged
  • Cylinder head warped
  • Cylinder gasket damaged
  • Decompression trouble

Improper acceleration

  • Throttle valve does not fully open
  • Air cleaner element clogged
  • Muffler clogged
  • Fuel contaminated with water or foreign matter
  • Brake dragging
  • Clutch slipping
  • Engine overheating
  • Engine oil level too high
  • Engine oil viscosity too high
  • Crankshaft bearing worn or damaged
  • Crankshaft sensor defective

Knocking:

  • Carbon built up in combustion chamber
  • Fuel quality poor or type incorrect
  • Spark plug type incorrect
  • ECU defective

Engine overheating

Firing incorrect:

  • Spark plug dirty, broken, or gap improperly adjusted
  • Spark plug type incorrect
  • ECU defective

Fuel/air mixture incorrect:

  • Throttle body assy holder loose
  • Air cleaner element clogged, poorly sealed, or not installed
  • Air cleaner duct poorly sealed

Compression high:

  • Carbon built up in combustion chamber

Engine overloaded:

  • Brake dragging
  • Clutch slipping
  • Engine oil level too high
  • Engine oil viscosity too high
  • Drive chain trouble

Lubrication inadequate:

  • Engine oil level too low
  • Engine oil quality poor or type incorrect

Coolant inadequate:

  • Coolant level too low
  • Coolant deteriorated
  • Cooling system component defective:
  • Radiator clogged
  • Radiator cap defective
  • Water pump not rotating

Clutch operation faulty

Clutch slipping:

  • No clutch lever play
  • Clutch cable improperly adjusted
  • Clutch cable defective
  • Clutch plate worn or warped
  • Clutch spring broken or weak
  • Clutch release mechanism defective
  • Clutch hub or housing unevenly worn

Clutch not disengaging properly:

  • Clutch lever play excessive
  • Clutch spring tension uneven
  • Engine oil deteriorated
  • Engine oil viscosity too high
  • Engine oil level too high
  • Clutch housing frozen on drive shaft
  • Clutch release mechanism defective
  • Clutch hub nut loose
  • Clutch plate warped or rough
  • Clutch hub spline damaged

Gear shifting faulty

Transmission does not go into gear; shift pedal does not return:

  • Clutch not disengaging
  • Shift fork bent or seized
  • Gear stuck on the shaft
  • Shift mechanism arm spring broken
  • Shift mechanism arm broken
  • Shift return spring broken or weak
  • Shift return spring pin loose
  • Shift pawl broken
  • Shift drum broken
  • Gear positioning lever operation defective

Transmission jumps out of gear

  • Shift fork worn
  • Gear groove worn
  • Gear dogs and/or dog grooves worn
  • Shift drum groove worn
  • Gear positioning lever spring broken or weak
  • Shift fork pin worn
  • Drive shaft, output shaft, and/or gear splines worn

Transmission skips gears:

  • Gear positioning lever spring broken or weak
  • Shift mechanism arm spring broken or weak

Engine noise abnormal

Knocking:

  • Carbon built up in combustion chamber
  • Fuel quality poor or type incorrect
  • Spark plug type incorrect
  • Engine overheating
  • ECU defective

Piston slap:

  • Piston clearance excessive
  • Cylinder or piston worn
  • Connecting rod bent
  • Piston pin or piston pin holes worn

Valve noise:

  • Valve clearance incorrect
  • Valve spring broken or weak
  • Camshaft bearing or cam face worn
  • Rocker arm worn

Other noise:

  • Connecting rod small end clearance excessive
  • Connecting rod big end clearance excessive
  • Piston ring worn, broken or stuck
  • Piston seized or damaged
  • Cylinder head gasket leaking
  • Exhaust pipe leaking at cylinder head
  • Crankshaft runout excessive
  • Engine mounts loose
  • Crankshaft bearing worn
  • Camshaft chain tensioner trouble
  • Camshaft chain, sprocket, chain guide worn
  • Alternator rotor loose

Abnormal drive train noise

Clutch noise:

  • Clutch housing/friction plate clearance excessive
  • Clutch housing gear excessive
  • Metal chip jammed in clutch housing gear teeth

Transmission noise

  • Crankcase bearing worn or damaged
  • Transmission gear worn or chipped
  • Metal chip jammed in gear teeth
  • Engine oil level or viscosity too low

Drive chain noise:

  • Drive chain slack improperly adjusted
  • Drive chain worn
  • Rear and/or engine sprocket(s) worn
  • Drive chain inefficiently lubrified
  • Rear wheel misaligned

Frame noise abnormal

Front fork noise:

  • Oil level or viscosity too low
  • Spring broken or weak

Rear shock absorber noise:

  • Shock absorber damaged

Disc brake noise:

  • Pad installed incorrectly
  • Pad surface glazed
  • Brake disc warped
  • Brake caliper defective
  • Brake cylinder damaged

Other noise:

  • improperly mounted or Bracket, nut, bolt, etc. tightened

Exhaust smoke

Excessively white:

  • Piston oil ring worn
  • Cylinder worn
  • Valve oil seal damaged
  • Valve guide worn
  • Engine oil level too high

Black smoke:

  • Air cleaner element clogged

Brownish:

  • Air cleaner duct loose
  • Air cleaner poorly sealed or missing

Poor handling and/or stability

Handlebar hard to turn:

  • Cable, hose, wiring incorrectly routed
  • Steering stem nut too tight
  • Steering stem bearing damaged
  • Steering stem bearing inadequately lubricated
  • Steering stem bent
  • Tire air pressure too low

Handlebar shakes or vibrates excessively:

  • Tire won
  • Swingarm sleeve or needle bearing damaged
  • Rim warped or out of balance
  • Front and/or rear axle runout excessive
  • Wheel bearing worn
  • Handlebar clamp loose
  • Steering stem head nut loose
  • Spoke loose

Handlebar pulls to one side:

  • Frame bent
  • Rear wheel misaligned
  • Swingarm bent or twisted
  • Swingarm pivot shaft runout excessive
  • Steering maladjusted
  • Steering stem bent
  • Front fork bent
  • Right/left front fork oil level uneven

Shock absorption unsatisfactory (suspension too hard):

  • Front fork oil excessive
  • Front fork oil viscosity too high
  • Front fork bent
  • Tire air pressure too high
  • Rear shock absorber was improperly adjusted

Shock absorption unsatisfactory (suspension too soft):

  • Front fork oil level insufficient and/or front fork leaking oil
  • Front fork oil viscosity too low
  • Front fork and/or rear shock absorber spring weak
  • Rear shock absorber leaking oil or gas
  • Rear shock absorber was improperly adjusted
  • Tire air pressure too low

Poor braking performance

  • Air in the brake line
  • Brake pad or disc worn
  • Brake fluid leakingg
  • Brake disc warped
  • Brake pads contaminated
  • Brake fluid deteriorated
  • Brake master cylinder primary and/or secondary cup(s) damaged
  • Brake master cylinder scratched
  • Brake maladjusted (lever or pedal play excessive)

Battery trouble

Battery discharged:

  • Charge insufficient
  • Battery faulty (too low terminal voltage)
  • Battery cable making poor contact
  • Alternator trouble
  • Wiring faulty
  • Regulator trouble

Battery overcharged:

  • Alternator magneto trouble
  • Regulator trouble
  • Battery faulty

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