KTM SX65 killing spark plugs every warm up

Grovesy98
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Edited Date/Time 8/27/2020 12:17am
Hi,

I have a 2020 KTM SX65 with only 14hrs from new. I'm having a problem where every time I start the bike from cold it will start fine and then after a minute or 2 of warming up it will splutter and die. It then sometimes starts again for a few seconds and then dies again, and then won't go at all. If I replace the plug it starts up and runs fine from then all day. The problem will happen again the next time I want my boy to use it a few days later. Its literally needing a new plug every ride!

The jetting is completely stock, and suited to our weather conditions here in the UK. I've carefully cleaned the carb out, and have good fuel supply to the carb. The tank vent hose is fine, and all electrical connections seem good. I took the flywheel cover off and all still looks new and clean underneath.

Running 60:1 as the manual recommends.

Can anyone give me an idea of what else to try or look for?

Thanks

Mark
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Factor E
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8/21/2020 8:56am
What do the plugs look like?
Could be jetting and air screw
Make sure the coil ground wire is up against case first
Paw Paw
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8/21/2020 9:02am
Is you child running the bike hard enough to not allow a build up of unburnt fuel in the crank case?
If he is not riding it hard enough to keep this from happening this excess will collect and then foul the plug on the next start up, if it sets for a day or two. These little engines needs to be run hard. They are not designed to be putted around.
Try this... At the end of his next ride....You start and run the engine hard to be sure it is cleaned out before you put it away for those few days. If the next time it starts up ok then you have found the issue.
Also be sure the float level has been set correctly and that the fuel is shut off after each ride.

Paw Paw
FGR01
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Fantasy
8/21/2020 9:02am
The stock jetting is on the rich side for summer and the KTM 65 and the stock Mikuni are very sensitive to changes in temp and altitude. The bike needs an air screw adjustment basically every ride and it doesn't help that the air screw is very hard to access.

Based on helping my buddy with his son and about 5 or 6 of his KTM 65's, I'd say you'd probably be best off raising the clip 1 slot and putting a 1-size smaller main in and possibly a 1 size smaller pilot. My buddy ultimately gave up on the Mikuni and went with a Lectron because they frequently travel between 500 to 5,000ft week to week. and he got sick of constantly having to rip the bike apart to make jetting changes.
Grovesy98
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8/21/2020 9:24am
Cheers guys, really good info. He's only just moved up from a 50 at 7 years old so only going pretty slow at the moment. It's definitely getting a little oiled up I think, but strange that it only does it on warm up after being sat for a few days. Makes sense what Paw Paw says, I'll clear it through before I shut it off next time and see if that helps. His 50 was a 2020 and running standard jetting, and that was absolutely perfect every time, no issues whatsoever and a nice tan coloured plug. This 65 runs OK apart from the plug fouling, I'll upload a pic of the last plug I just took out. It only did around 1.5hrs of riding, and then died today on warm up

The Shop

FGR01
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Fantasy
8/21/2020 9:42am
Yep, she's rich and loading up. Between the jetting being rich and your son not keeping her "blowed out" this is what you'll get. Paw Paw's recommendation for you to giv'er her a good blowing out before parking it will help and ultimately you'll be best off to lean the jetting.
Grovesy98
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8/21/2020 9:46am
Thanks, it currently has the stock 210 main and 20 pilot. Should I go down one size on both?
Falcon
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8/21/2020 9:50am
X3 on PawPaw's recommendation. Blow that little thing out hard before shutdown - until the exhaust gasses are clear - and then your problem may get better.
Note: It is still possible your kid will foul the plugs. You may also want to try leaner jetting and/or a hotter spark plug until he gets faster.
Grovesy98
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8/21/2020 9:58am Edited Date/Time 8/21/2020 10:04am
Just ordered a 205 main and 15 pilot jet, I'll pick them up tomorrow. Hopefully with that and clearing it through after riding it won't keep killing plugs every ride!
FGR01
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Fantasy
8/21/2020 10:28am
I would raise the clip 1 position and put the 205 main in to start. As I recall, when we put the 15 pilot in the bike ran great at 4,500 ft and warm temps but when my buddy went to 1,000ft and cool temps the bike did not want to start. Was too lean on the pilot. The 15 might work OK for you when it's muggy in the summer but might be too lean when it gets cold and/or the humidity gets lower (I'm making guesses on UK weather here)
Grovesy98
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8/21/2020 10:36am
Our current weather is around 20c and medium humidity. By October we will be around 14c with a fair bit of rain around
slipdog
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8/22/2020 6:26am
I don't know much about stock jetting but I bought my son one in May with 40hrs on it. The owner said it was stock except he put the "special" Pax Racing needle in it to fix the jetting. I know it runs perfect and we had no plug issues as my son started off kind of slow. I see both Pax and R&D have a different needle they sell, maybe the same one.
FGR01
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Fantasy
8/22/2020 3:06pm
slipdog wrote:
I don't know much about stock jetting but I bought my son one in May with 40hrs on it. The owner said it was stock except...
I don't know much about stock jetting but I bought my son one in May with 40hrs on it. The owner said it was stock except he put the "special" Pax Racing needle in it to fix the jetting. I know it runs perfect and we had no plug issues as my son started off kind of slow. I see both Pax and R&D have a different needle they sell, maybe the same one.
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Grovesy98
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8/22/2020 3:23pm
Cheers guys. I've put the 5N17 needle in that was in the book pack, which is slightly different to the one that was in it. My manual says the the 5N17 is stock, but also shows the other needle in brackets as a stock needle too which is confusing. Anyway, I've gone to the 1st clip position from the top, gone down one size on the main jet, and turned the air screw half a turn out from stock. Will see what it runs like tomorrow and adjust again if needed Cheerful
dkurtd
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8/22/2020 6:38pm Edited Date/Time 8/22/2020 6:45pm
We run a 5N13 with a 195 main, 22.5 pilot with the clip in the second from top. The 5n13 is what I've been told PAX sells as their go to needle. This is with 93 pump gas.
Grovesy98
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8/23/2020 7:34am


Did a couple hours on the bike today with the new settings, ran fine although just checked the plug and it looks lean I think?
Grovesy98
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8/24/2020 8:59am
Does anyone agree that the last pics show the bike is running lean? I'm thinking of moving the clip position back down 1 position, and just turning the air screw 1/4 turn back in, but leaving the smaller main and stock pilot jets as they are. My other option is to go one size smaller on the pilot jet, and turn the air screw back to the stock position?
FGR01
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Fantasy
8/24/2020 10:17am
I wouldn't say that plug looks overly lean. But all the changes you're considering are free so the easiest thing to do is try them and determine if it's an improvement or otherwise.
Grovesy98
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8/24/2020 10:23am
Cheers, he was on a wide open flat track yesterday so was really revving the bike out. On most tracks we go to he's not on the pipe anywhere near as much. If that doesn't look overly lean I'm tempted to leave it as it is to allow for the slower tracks and more loading up
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Paw Paw
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8/24/2020 11:14am
That plug does not show a lean condition. It does show a good bit of lower rpm usage with occasional wide open running. Leave the jetting as is and allow the child to learn to use the power that is there and monitor the spark plug for jetting and see if it changes. Adjust the jetting only if you see changes in the spark plug color.

Paw Paw
Grovesy98
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8/24/2020 11:19am
Thanks Paw Paw, I know what a rich condition looks like on the plug, black and oily, but what is a sign of lean running that needs urgent attention? I always thought a little dry and white was too lean
Paw Paw
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8/24/2020 1:42pm
Watch the center electrode of the plug. It can be brown to light grey and be ok. White would be showing lean.

Paw Paw
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15tc150
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8/25/2020 7:43pm
Running motul premix aren’t you?
Grovesy98
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8/26/2020 2:39pm
15tc150 wrote:
Running motul premix aren’t you?
I'm using Motorex Crosspower
15tc150
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8/26/2020 6:02pm
I call it moustache mix, cuz it grows the worst deposites I’ve ever seen on pistons, changed lots of top ends, and lots of minds when I’ve shown them what motul does to a piston vs maxima k2, black carbon, vs clean and oily. Another major problem I have with motul, is its flashpoint, it’s way too high for most kids on bikes, and they will never ever get the cylinder temps up to actually hit the oils
Flash point, so it just stays and lingers in your engine and builds and builds. Swap to any full ester premix, and you will see good results no more hideous black plugs that snuff out due to excess carbon build up. k2 is awesome, iPone is amazing mix, but it has a very high flash point, k2 is close in centistoke rating, but has a much lower flash point. As well, find an iridium plug, and go back up a size on your pilot, your bike IS running lean, and due to your son learning, he’s not spending enough time In the upper rpm range, to warrant a taller main jet.
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Grovesy98
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8/26/2020 11:12pm
Thanks but there's a few points in that reply that doesn't make sense

I'm using Motorex not Motul

I haven't changed the pilot jet

I went down a size on the main jet, not up
15tc150
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8/27/2020 12:17am
My appologies, I though let you lowered your pilot jet, and motorex isn’t good either, my bad, I always get those two mixed up cuz they are both crap lol. Again, sorry for the confusion, but switching mix will get rid of the excess carbon build up
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VeeKay10
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6/10/2023 6:29pm
Grovesy98 wrote:
Cheers, he was on a wide open flat track yesterday so was really revving the bike out. On most tracks we go to he's not on...
Cheers, he was on a wide open flat track yesterday so was really revving the bike out. On most tracks we go to he's not on the pipe anywhere near as much. If that doesn't look overly lean I'm tempted to leave it as it is to allow for the slower tracks and more loading up

Sorry I'm late, but I also had this exact same problem on my KTM SX 65, I had four key things in my solution to it, my bike is now running good, it used to have this problem

1. Open the Seat, then take your air filter out, after you do that, use as much cleaning tool ( I used brake cleaner ) to take out the Green layering over the filter, I am not too sure what it is, it is sticky, so I doubt it is any lubricant, anyway, get rid of all of it, when you finish, the air filter should be white and yellow
2. Drain the Carburetor Fully ( It may have excess fuel if you are not riding hard )
3. After all this, Put in a brand new spark plug, I use a LR8B.
4. After every ride, make sure you turn the fuel tab off, and rev her a lot! You should rev it so much that the bike dies on its own, then put it in a warm storage area, the next day, turn the fuel tab back on, wait a few minutes, then kick, if that is not working, what you can do is put it in gear, pull the clutch in, roll it, drop the clutch, and it should start ( Roll Start )


There is how I fixed my bike, it is now running sweet as long as I follow these steps! Sorry for the late reply though.

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JB 19
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6/11/2023 10:03am

Go down one size on the pilot jet.  I forget what size that is.   Also check the power valve for sticking.   It's very common for them to stick and eventually break.   

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