Hard starting CRF 230

Bet I've had the carb apart a dozen times. Jets are OK. Float reset every time. Have to "baby" the choke to get it up to temp. Throttle response isn't crisp. Any thoughts? Thanks

Check valves. Maybe too tight?

We had two for a few years. One was ridden enough that didn't have carb problems. The other would not start when they were traded. It was always pull the carb off and blow air through the different jet circuits and I could get it to run.

carb gummed up, valve adjustment, stale fuel. on my carb machines they run like garbage with pump gas that is over 2-3 weeks old.

Sounds dumb but make sure you have enough restriction on the intake to pull fuel, if you did any airbox mods it can make it lean. blow air and carb cleaner through every hole you can find in it. make sure plug is gapped right.

Each time you ride when you end let it run til it cuts off. The carb needs to sit empty. Do that and it will start great and run good. My 1984 Honda XR200R (RFVC head and 2 carbs - great engine exactly like today's bikes but better carb) and my current KLX250S requires draining carb after each ride. If I don't it is almost impossible to start. Gas builds up moisture in carb just sitting even for as little time as a week.



This may sound silly but it works. I learned that on the XR. I would kick it til my leg was numb and resorted to starting it by being pulled behind an ATV. Started draining carb or running til carb empty and never had the issue again. It is not ethanol related since the XR had the issue before Ethanol existed. The KLX is electric start but if I dont let carb sit empty I will about kill the battery trying to start it. It's sitting empty now and if I go out now at 34F and turn gas on it will start in 2 seconds with choke on. HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Thanks for the replies. I did "uncork" it with intake and jetting mods. Ran fine for a long time. Jet passages were blow out with carb cleaner. Throttle acts like the slide(main jet) doesn't move like it should. Since it's push/pull cabling can it get hung up by misadjustment? The most improvement I've made is in lowering the float. Any tricks there? RandyR may have given me a clue.

Make sure cable moves free. Cables can be an issue especially if mositure gets in them. WD40 lubes them well. Generally if the settngs has been good I don't mess with it other than clean and lube. MY KLX250 is as uncorked as possible and runs great. Just gotta keep filter clean or it will go rich...

Update. Turned out to be a plugged idle air jet(the one in the fuel bowl). FYI

Update (2) - "O" ring on the pilot screw replaced.  Good to go again.  Starts on first turn.