Honda CRF450R issue- left for a year

[barronj]

I just got my bike back, it was left in Colorado (where we bought it) for a year with fuel in the carb. We were supposed to go back a month later for the wine festival but we didn't. I got it back yesterday and the fuel switch was in the on position (not how I remember leaving it), and the tank (which I remember refilling with ethanol free gas) was super low.

I tried kicking it over but got nothing.

Anyone want to offer up a plan, soup to nuts, on how I should approach this? I presume I should drain the tank, put a new spark plug in it, but this is the first time I'll have wrenched on the intake side of things (I pulled the clutch basket out last summer, but everything looked good).

Thanks in advance

2008 CRF450R

edited the year

[Sean88gt]

Were the 09's fuel injected?

[barronj]

No, '08 was the last year of carburetion

edited the year

[Super Cubano]

Drain all old fuel. Carb and tank. Clean or change plug, if fouled. Then refill and see if she fires up. If not carb may need to be torn down and cleaned. Did it feel like it had compression?

[barronj]

I would say it felt like it had compression, but it's always been a hard cold start, which I attributed to the altitude where I was when I got the bike last year, new to me, lots of bolt ons, but no history on the bike.

[lowthreeohz]

if you lost a bunch of gas (or think you did) I'd suspect that a the o-ring in the needle/seat failed and you've got a crankcase full of gas/oil. it's not uncommon. <- with respect to that, do you know if your carb has an overflow or not? the BSR on my DRZ doesn't, and when the bowl overflows it leaks into the cyl instead of an overflow tube. if yours isn't the same and it does have an overflow tube then you could skip the oil change.

I'd drain tank, do new oil and filter, then clean the air filter and see if she fires over.

[barronj]

Thanks.

[bird_dog0347]

I had an 06 CRF450 and the carb on that thing HATED the ethanol that is put into regular gas... I tried everything to keep it clean, shut off fuel and ran it dry every time and it didn't matter... had to clean it out completely every few months. Do yourself a favor and do a full detail strip of the carb and clean the fuck out of it.

[Cobraman]

2009 CrF450's are fuel injected....mine is

[jammeejamm]

09 is the first year of fi on the r.

not sure about an x. either way. if you have to turn a petcock, it is not an 09 r.

[Buick355]

Fuel evaporates in the bowl, float needle constantly allows bowl to refill since the petcock was left on. This leaves varnish. Pull the carb and clean it thoroughly. Replace the jets. I'm sure it will fire right up.

[ram57ta]

Its done for...basically just a parts bike now. I'll come pick it up and bring you a 12 pack of your favorite beer for the trouble.

[barronj]

Sorry, been out of town w/ no internet. Noticed the date sticker on the frame when I walked by the bike today, says its a 2008. I knew it was the last year for them to be carbureted, just hadn't seen it in a year, and forgot what year model it was.

[Fatass]

Have the carb cleaned, change the oil and check the plug.

Side note, the X still isn't fuel injected.

[davbrucas]

Change the jets...if it was jetted for higher altitude it's gonna run like piss down here.

Stock jetting can be found here...

http://motocrossactionmag.com/2008-honda-crf450-race-test/

I agree with the above. Take carb off and clean it thoroughly. Change the jets. Replace plug. Drain old gas. You might as well check the valve clearance while you have the tank off...