strange zuma kick start problem

[johnnyk]

Hi,
When I try to kickstart my zuma, after a few attempts (or maybe even the first), the kick jams and I hear a weird clunk sound. It might stay jammed for a few kicks. When I say jammed, I mean it moves, but it doesn't have full range of motion and will stop abruptly. If I don't have the ignition on and just kickstart without spark, no issue. 
I need to turn the throttle at just the right time, and then it starts up no problem and rides with no issues either.
I have mvt digital direct ignition, I checked timing.
I think this just started happening this season. I can't try just electric starter as the motor isn't able to spin up the athena 70cc kit. I also replaced the starter gears thinking the OEM one was causing the issue. But I just checked the CVT and everything spins correctly by hand. 
Any ideas? Will try removing the electric motor gears on the crank to see if that helps (why would it only be an issue when kickstarting??).

Thanks!

[pili]

You seem pretty handy, try cleaning and lubing the kickstart components lightly with hi temp grease. It might be the return spring is weak; it's available from Yamaha for about $15. Hopefully the shaft and pinion gears are ok because they're discontinued. Also, it's odd that the starter won't crank the engine because of the kit. Sounds more like a battery or starter clutch issue to me.

[johnnyk]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply.
The kick returns back just fine actually, its the downward motion to turn over the engine that ends up locking up. Like I said, its really only during ignition; if I take out the key, its just fine. I tested the kick with the cover off but turning it manually a few times, and I couldn't find any faults with it.

The battery is brand new, I installed a antigravity restart lithium battery since it has good CCA, but even then, the engine just barely turns. It turns fine when i take out the spark, so I assume the high compression is at fault. The starter clutch is brand new!

[pili]

Wow that is weird. Same battery I have; it's awesome. With the cover off, how hard is it to turn the variator by hand? Have you measured compression?

[aeroxbud]

The only thing that comes to mind is, the variator might be spacer out too far. Putting pressure on the castle nut with the case closed.
Does it start with the CVT cover off?

[johnnyk]

The scooter starts with the cvt cover on and the kickstart. The issue that after a few kicks (random amount) it locks up, cannot go down anymore, and then I ease into it, and it works.

I removed the idle gear (connects to the starter motor and the wheel gear that turns the cvt). It actually helped, I no longer hear the clonk sound, which I guess tells me there is something interacting with the gear.
With the gear removed, the cvt still jams, but it kicks over a lot quicker than it did, I get it started on the 2nd kick, whereas I was struggling before.
But it still jams, and now the gear spins freely. I'll reinstall the gear, but remove the springs from the starter clutch so that it can no longer engage. Hopefully that clears up the jam. Very strange