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Greetings from Florida new member with M1030M1

Hey M1KLR I am a new owner of a M1030M1 too, got mine in and running good , had to put a brand new 920 CCA AGM battery to get it running , was told you have to have a battery that 100% to get these started , the starter does struggle to turn these over, Wish there was a manual kicker but I know this would be hard to kick but the battery only start scares me that I might get stranded if the battery runs down, Neat bike , the lack of spares also worries me but to own one of these military diesels is worth the risk , hopefully some spares might turn up from mill surplus some day ? I think NO technical manuals were made because this was considered a commercial off the shelf item but they missed the mark here because the HDT diesel was far from being commercial off the shelf , anyway stay in touch and good luck with your bike ,
 

glcaines

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Hey M1KLR I am a new owner of a M1030M1 too, got mine in and running good , had to put a brand new 920 CCA AGM battery to get it running , was told you have to have a battery that 100% to get these started , the starter does struggle to turn these over, Wish there was a manual kicker but I know this would be hard to kick but the battery only start scares me that I might get stranded if the battery runs down, Neat bike , the lack of spares also worries me but to own one of these military diesels is worth the risk , hopefully some spares might turn up from mill surplus some day ? I think NO technical manuals were made because this was considered a commercial off the shelf item but they missed the mark here because the HDT diesel was far from being commercial off the shelf , anyway stay in touch and good luck with your bike ,
I recently acquired an M1030M1 also. The Odyssey PC625 AGM battery was completely flat because the key was left on when I picked the unit up. I had a difficult time charging the battery. A volt meter indicated 0 volts on the battery. Fortunately, I have several "smart" chargers, including a NOKO Genius 7200. That charger also wouldn't work until I tricked it. I used jumpers to another fully charged battery hooked up in parallel and then hooked up the Genius 7200 to the two jumpered batteries and put the charger into repair mode. Nothing happened for about three hours. Finally, the charger started charging the battery. I then removed the jumpers and left the charger in repair mode for another four hours. I then put the charger into the AGM+ position, which charges at a slightly higher voltage. I left the charger on for 14 hours and it charged up to 100%. The battery now starts and runs the motorcycle fine. If you haven't disposed of your old battery, you might want to try to resurrect it. This phenomenon is quite common for AGM batteries that are flat or almost flat.
 
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I recently acquired an M1030M1 also. The Odyssey PC625 AGM battery was completely flat because the key was left on when I picked the unit up. I had a difficult time charging the battery. A volt meter indicated 0 volts on the battery. Fortunately, I have several "smart" chargers, including a NOKO Genius 7200. That charger also wouldn't work until I tricked it. I used jumpers to another fully charged battery hooked up in parallel and then hooked up the Genius 7200 to the two jumpered batteries and put the charger into repair mode. Nothing happened for about three hours. Finally, the charger started charging the battery. I then removed the jumpers and left the charger in repair mode for another four hours. I then put the charger into the AGM+ position, which charges at a slightly higher voltage. I left the charger on for 14 hours and it charged up to 100%. The battery now starts and runs the motorcycle fine. If you haven't disposed of your old battery, you might want to try to resurrect it. This phenomenon is quite common for AGM batteries that are flat or almost flat.
Hi Gary My Odyssey was not dead flat , its weird off the delivery trailer I cranked and cranked it and it did not start so I ran it down , I think I let the glow plug warm enough , but it would not start , appears these have to have a real good battery to start up, I knew about this charging process on the AGM units so I dod not want to try to charge it with my old 10 amp buzz box so I decided to go get a new one at local auto parts It fits better than this Odyssey which you have to almost grease to get into the battery box and they ground the fins off on the lower part of one end to make the clamp fit , I see why they used these ENER SYS supplies the big AGM batteries for the HMMMWV so they most likely made these for this KLR Diesel , I hope this one I got can start the bike for the long term , I do not own a GENUS charger yet have been looking to but a smart charger just have not yet , do you like the 7200 , I did keep my odyssey battery and will try to get it back in shape as a spare back up unit for my bike, How has your bike been running , I have not had mine long but look forward to riding it , I also own a 1985 Armstrong MT500 rotax MIL bike , thank you for you're reply ,
 

glcaines

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Hi Gary My Odyssey was not dead flat , its weird off the delivery trailer I cranked and cranked it and it did not start so I ran it down , I think I let the glow plug warm enough , but it would not start , appears these have to have a real good battery to start up, I knew about this charging process on the AGM units so I dod not want to try to charge it with my old 10 amp buzz box so I decided to go get a new one at local auto parts It fits better than this Odyssey which you have to almost grease to get into the battery box and they ground the fins off on the lower part of one end to make the clamp fit , I see why they used these ENER SYS supplies the big AGM batteries for the HMMMWV so they most likely made these for this KLR Diesel , I hope this one I got can start the bike for the long term , I do not own a GENUS charger yet have been looking to but a smart charger just have not yet , do you like the 7200 , I did keep my odyssey battery and will try to get it back in shape as a spare back up unit for my bike, How has your bike been running , I have not had mine long but look forward to riding it , I also own a 1985 Armstrong MT500 rotax MIL bike , thank you for you're reply ,
I have a Genius 7200. My first one failed after one week, went completely dead, but the company replaced it quickly with no questions. I've now had the replacement almost a year and I love it. It will charge both 12 and 24 volt batteries, AGM and standard and also lithium batteries. We'll have to see how it holds up, but for now I love it.

As far as my M1030M1, it starts very easy. The engine doesn't even turn over more than one revolution before it starts, even when cold, as long as you let the glow plug heat up. If the glow plug isn't heated, it won't fire at all if cold. When warmed up, it will start instantly without the glow plug heating. Are you certain that your glow plug is functional? Also, make sure you release the compression each time before trying to engage the starter. Was the fuel system empty when you received the unit? If so, perhaps you have air in the fuel system that needs to be bled. Alternatively, you may have a fuel pump issue.
 
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Hi Thank you for the review of the Genius 7200 , I had some Litium batteries for the MRAP and they were basically dead but I had a local police equipment place that needed one for a local police department MRAP repair and the police equipment company had the Genius charger and they got 4 of the 5 older discharged batteries back to life and charged up and working , nice chargers ,
On the M1030M1 I dont have a way to test the glow plug and have been doing warm weather starts but your later comment hit me about the compression release , so what your saying you have to release the compression by turning the lever open once the bike is off then return the lever back before starting ? I noticed the starter really struggles to turn it out of the gate , this might be my problem , the glow plug indicator light seems to be working fine , lights up solid then turns off to signal start time then once on blinks and then when warm is off , sound correct ,
Also whats the best way to bleed the fuel system , is this the same as the fuel filter change open brass tee valve then pump lever until some resistance then close the T valve ? let me know if you know and thank you for all the help , all new owners will need some help with this unique bike , another one just sold last night so more are getting into public hands , this is great , cool bikes
 

Floridianson

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If it is like any other small diesel compression release it closes it's self. Don't know your set up but leaver in open position and hit the starter. Compression will close it and if it does not start open it again before cranking the second time.
The fuel barge I work on had a small two cylinder diesel generator hand crank engine. It would release both cylinders compression and when you got some rpm you flipped one cylinder compression release and if she started popping then you flipped the other release and off she went.
 
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glcaines

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I don't have a manual for the M1030M1, but I've been told by two different people that the procedure is to move the compression release lever fully to the left and then to close it prior to starting. That's what I've been doing with mine and it seems to work well. As far as bleeding air from the fuel system, I have never needed to do this on mine. However, for the other diesel engines I've worked on, I've simply loosened the fuel line at the injector and turned the engine over until there are no air bubbles coming out with the fuel. I haven't changed my fuel filter yet.
 

Floridianson

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Now I am wondering where is the leaver for the compression release? The small engine I have it is on the the head. Is this one on the handle bars? Does the bike have kick start? It makes no sence to release compression if your not trying to start it. The compression ratio has to be high on the bike to run diesel. If it had a kick start then you would put pressure not try and kick hard but kick starter easy till it stopped on compression stroke. Then release pressure and kick it maybe 1/4 kick till it got past TDC then close compression release and do a hard full kick. Myself I am thinking for electric start release compression and hit the starter then close the compression release.
 
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glcaines

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Now I am wondering where is the leaver for the compression release? The small engine I have it is on the the head. Is this one on the handle bars? Does the bike have kick start? It makes no sence to release compression if your not trying to start it. The compression ratio has to be high on the bike to run diesel. If it had a kick start then you would put pressure not try and kick hard but kick starter easy till it stopped on compression stroke. Then release pressure and kick it maybe 1/4 kick till it got past TDC then close compression release and do a hard full kick. Myself I am thinking for electric start release compression and hit the starter then close the compression release.
The compression release is on the left handlebar and is marked as a choke because the choke lever on a gas powered bike is used for the compression release. The M1030M1 is electric start only. The compression release is to relieve any existing compression when the piston starts its journey up when the starter is engaged. It allows the engine to spin faster when starting.
 
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Floridianson

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Existing pressure? I have changed a lot of spark plugs, injectors and or glow plugs and never found them to be under pressure. You really believe a motor that has sat for a days still has compression. Lets say it does. You open up the compression release and release the compression and close the it. Now as soon as the piston keeps going up the compression is built up again before TDC. Google this question and I believe you will find the old timers talking about it and if its has a pony motor or started by hand you get the crank spinning first then you close the compression release. You release the compression and spin the motor over then close compression release is what I have found and what I did to start the little diesel on the barge. Makes it easer to start and easer on the starter load plus could bring up some oil pressure is my .02 and with my little barge motor I could have never spun it over without releasing compression.
 
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glcaines

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Existing pressure? I have changed a lot of spark plugs, injectors and or glow plugs and never found them to be under pressure. You really believe a motor that has sat for a days still has compression. Lets say it does. You open up the compression release and release the compression and close the it. Now as soon as the piston keeps going up the compression is built up again before TDC. Google this question and I believe you will find the old timers talking about it and if its has a pony motor or started by hand you get the crank spinning first then you close the compression release. You release the compression and spin the motor over then close compression release is what I have found and what I did to start the little diesel on the barge. Makes it easer to start and easer on the starter load plus could bring up some oil pressure is my .02 and with my little barge motor I could have never spun it over without releasing compression.
Sorry, poor wording on my part!
 
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