Choke problem

[Powertrip]

Hi all! I've mostly been a lurker here since I got my 2002 750cc Kat a couple of years back.

Here is my situation currently:

I am forced to keep my bike outside during winter. This has caused problems in the past however I haven't done the simple and fairly cheap thing of getting a cover for it and the problems I'm looking at during the start of this riding season I'm sure are a direct result of my own negligence.

I threw a jump pack on the back last week and got her started after about five to ten minutes of starting for 15-20 seconds at a time, rest, repeat. However I have a problem which I'm not sure how to tackle, even after going through the service manual PDF.

The problem I've got is: for whatever reason, the choke is stuck in the full open position. No matter where I move the slider on the hand control it doesn't come down. Now, the slider itself moves easier/freer than I remember it doing last year so I *believe* that either the cable has snapped/pulled free somewhere. I can see nothing detached at the hand control so I'm assuming that it's either inside the control box, somewhere down the line, or at the engine connection.

First off: Did I miss information in the service manual about this and just need to go back through it to start troubleshooting?

Second: If not, any pointers?

Thanks in advance everyone, I can't wait to get her on the road... We're hitting fifties/sixties now regularly!

-Stay safe.

EDIT/FOLLOWUP:

Is it possible to get a look at/access the engine portion of the choke mechanism?

[steves]

It sounds like the cable is broken. You should be able to see it through the left side of the fairings. It goes to the top of the carbs, between the motor and the carb bodies. Check out carbs 101 or carbs 102 in the wiki... you should be able to move the choke rail with your fingers if you are careful.

[Black_peter]

The cable can rub under the tank. CyberPoet actually suggested a different route than the factory one. If even the plastic wears through moisture can get in there and rust the cable causing it to stick or the cable can wear through. I would also inspect the rail. The "choke" is really an enricher circuit, on the side of each carb is a poppet valve that adds fuel to the mix. All four poppets are connected by a sheet metal rail, that rail slides on a groove in the carb bodies. So the rail could be bent or binding.
The cable only pulls the rail, there is a return spring and springs in the poppets, so even if the lever is returned to "no choke" the choke could still be on. On the pre 98 there is little securing the choke cable to the carb, I'm not sure about the 98+ so the cable could get dislodged easily IMO.

[Powertrip]

Thanks guys for the information. After looking at the PDF of the carbs 101 thread and reading your responses I've got a good idea how everything is connected.

As it was working fine before end of season, I'm going to assume (*cringe*) that it wasn't something that got bent and more an issue with something rusting and either sticking or snapping.

It was mentioned that I should be able to follow the cable down to the carbs but as I do that... I can't get my hand much past the frame in front of the engine near the forks... Am I resigned to taking body panels off at this point if that's the limit of my getting hands in there to feel stuff out?

The impatient part of me just wants to spray PB blaster down in there and hope for the best but I ... shall ... resist ... lol

Again, thanks for the quick tips.

[steves]

You may just be able to pull the tank off to determine what's going on. That's fairly painless and quick to do.

[Powertrip]

lol... The simple solutions

(no I haven't accomplished anything but I had completely overlooked that as an option; thank you.)

[Powertrip]

SUCCESS!!!

The issue was actually far simpler than I expected. There was some sticking on the choke cable right before it enters the hand control box (that little metal, round slide piece) had seized up. I had accidentally oversprayed some PB blaster up by that area and it fixed it

First ride of the season and she was purring like a champ after I got her all hot n bothered. Thanks again for the help.

[steves]

You might want to consider putting that cable on the list of things to be replaced