Trouble starting new sled - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

Happy Jack · 12-19-2006, 01:55 PM

I have a new sled, an 07 Venture 2 stroke. When it is colder than zero F, it will barely turn over with the electric start, maybe one rev every 2 seconds, not enough to fire up. The pull start is almost impossible as well, it just feels real tight. Once it is warmed up, no problem either with the electric or pull start.

I had the dealer look at it - they tested the charging system, starter and battery (they swapped the battery for a new one). Of course it started fine when I picked it up, but it was 20 degrees at the time. The service manager said something about the compression being higher on a new sled and that would improve with time.

Now it got cold again, and I have the same problem. There's no power drain that I know of. Yes, the key is turned on. Yes, I'm using the choke. It's getting fuel. I swapped the plugs. Obviously I need to bug the dealer again, it's just a pain to trailer it in, plus I lose it for a couple days and we have snow.

Anyone have experience with this on new sleds?

Thanks.

tripletriple · 12-19-2006, 02:53 PM

I have never had a brand new sled but i can say that it probably has something to do with the compression of a new engine. It will loosen up when it gets some miles on it.
It sounds like the battery just doesnt have enough cold cranking amps.

tamacat · 12-19-2006, 04:04 PM

Need more info though. Is it carbed,or EFI??

If its carbed, I've had my fuel pump freeze from water in the fuel before. Engines are very hard to start when its that cold out, 0 degrees F

. Especially big bores and triples.Are you giving it a good hard pull.Take a deep breath ,grit your teeth and yank that SOB!!!

Good luck!

Happy Jack · 12-19-2006, 04:13 PM

Thanks Triple.

The CCA issue never ocurred to me. Maybe an upgrade is in order for my extra cold Winnipeg winters.

Happy Jack · 12-19-2006, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tamacat

Need more info though. Is it carbed,or EFI??

If its carbed, I've had my fuel pump freeze from water in the fuel before. Engines are very hard to start when its that cold out, 0 degrees F

. Especially big bores and triples.Are you giving it a good hard pull.Take a deep breath ,grit your teeth and yank that SOB!!!

Good luck!

It's carbed. It's only a 500cc twin. 0 degrees F here is a pleasant winter day.

I just heard from the dealer. He said wait till I'm past 200 miles on it and see how it goes.

**smallengineguy** · 12-19-2006, 07:09 PM

Bring him the battery and see if he'll give you one wit hmore CCA's.

BRANDOB · 12-19-2006, 07:49 PM

What happens after 200miles? Is there a hidden law in Canada that a sled cant be considered a lemon after 200miles?

BC_Dan · 12-19-2006, 09:27 PM

One thing to try... just before you shut it down for the day, put the choke on, the extra fuel delivered will wash some of the oil off the crank and cylinders, which will make it a little easier to turn over...

TUGHILLYAMMI · 12-19-2006, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Jack

I have a new sled, an 07 Venture 2 stroke. When it is colder than zero F, it will barely turn over with the electric start, maybe one rev every 2 seconds, not enough to fire up. The pull start is almost impossible as well, it just feels real tight. Once it is warmed up, no problem either with the electric or pull start.

I had the dealer look at it - they tested the charging system, starter and battery (they swapped the battery for a new one). Of course it started fine when I picked it up, but it was 20 degrees at the time. The service manager said something about the compression being higher on a new sled and that would improve with time.

Now it got cold again, and I have the same problem. There's no power drain that I know of. Yes, the key is turned on. Yes, I'm using the choke. It's getting fuel. I swapped the plugs. Obviously I need to bug the dealer again, it's just a pain to trailer it in, plus I lose it for a couple days and we have snow.

Anyone have experience with this on new sleds?

Thanks.

Ok I think I might have some suggestions. First as some of the other guys were saying that a new engine with high compression. I think that is BS cuz i have a 1000CC 4 stroke which has no problem. But maybe you might what to find a battery with a little more kick. When the machine is no in use do you leave the key in the ignition? If you do a Yamaha mechanic told me that this drains ths battery some how with the key in the machine. This might be draining your battery enough to where it has a hard time starting. Good luck let me know how you make out and if u need any other suggestions.

SawBlade · 12-20-2006, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC_Dan

One thing to try... just before you shut it down for the day, put the choke on, the extra fuel delivered will wash some of the oil off the crank and cylinders, which will make it a little easier to turn over...

until the engine is broken in (200 miles) i think BCDan has the best solution. The rings need to seat and wear down the micro ridges in the cylinder. when its that cold, you'll probably need to pull start it until its broken in. lift some weights, gain some muscle and then pull like hell.

good luck.

srt20 · 12-20-2006, 09:56 PM

You sure that isnt a four stroke? Yami has had a few probs with this happening and i think some guys have been putting coolant heaters on their sleds. Others have put in stronger batterys. Do NOT put the choke on as you are shutting it down on Yami 4-strokes. You will be putting new plugs in every time you want to fire it back up.

P.S. I am not buying the compression thing either, but I have been wrong once or twice before

Spark · 12-21-2006, 07:43 AM

I've a lil 500 too and it was a hard mother to cold start when it was new.No electric start though. It got easier after I put a few hundred miles on it.

Happy Jack · 12-21-2006, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srt20

You sure that isnt a four stroke? Yami has had a few probs with this happening and i think some guys have been putting coolant heaters on their sleds. Others have put in stronger batterys. Do NOT put the choke on as you are shutting it down on Yami 4-strokes. You will be putting new plugs in every time you want to fire it back up.

P.S. I am not buying the compression thing either, but I have been wrong once or twice before

It's the last of the yami 2 strokes.

Thanks everyone. I'm going to keep it in my heated garage for a while. That was my plan from the start, but my wife said no way. Now I can tell her it has to stay inside, the internet told me so... lol. I think I will keep my eyes open for a new battery too.

Merry Christmas.

**RJ Gleason** · 12-21-2006, 09:32 AM

You might want to consider a "battery wrap" to keep the battery from getting so cold that it loses cranking power.

TUGHILLYAMMI · 12-21-2006, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srt20

You sure that isnt a four stroke? Yami has had a few probs with this happening and i think some guys have been putting coolant heaters on their sleds. Others have put in stronger batterys. Do NOT put the choke on as you are shutting it down on Yami 4-strokes. You will be putting new plugs in every time you want to fire it back up.

P.S. I am not buying the compression thing either, but I have been wrong once or twice before

HUH??? Ive never heard of choking a machine when you are shutting it down. Why would you want to dump raw fuel in the cylinders? Thats deff not good for it. Any reason for that??? just curious not critisizing

svrider · 12-21-2006, 08:22 PM

When you have this problem check the battery with a volt meter. Make sure that the battery does not drop below 9.6v when cranking, ideally it should not drop below 10.6v . You may have a bad battery a week starter or a voltage drop that is causing the starter to not turn over fast enough dew to low voltage or low current. The starter should have enough torque to turn over a new engine. The dealer telling you that you just have to weight for 200km for the motor to brake in is a bunch of bull. Just think a starter is able to turn over a large truck motor with out any problem why shouldn’t a 600cc engine turn over in the cold.

Mazda Tec
svrider

mmrosshere · 12-21-2006, 11:31 PM

My realitives in St. Alexis picked up a pair of the 07 Ventures and like he said when they are cold they do not like to pull over. Those sleds now have 1000 km on them. 200 that I put on them

. When warm you hit the starter and it takes off with less then 2 revolutions. By rope ( I forgot bout electric start) from the seat 1/2 pull. When it was cold the starter would barely turn it over and the rope felt like you were trying to pull the motor out of the sled. It would only allow you to give a long, slow, hard pull. Monday they had gotten some Magna block heaters from Canidian Tire. That did wonders.

To tie it all up I would say that it is not you or your sled. I think yama messed up with the wrong grease in the bearings. making it stiff in the cold.

P.S. That is a nice sled you have there and I think you will enjoy it.

upersleder · 12-21-2006, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TUGHILLYAMMI

HUH??? Ive never heard of choking a machine when you are shutting it down. Why would you want to dump raw fuel in the cylinders? Thats deff not good for it. Any reason for that??? just curious not critisizing

TUG, its been said that using the choke right before shutdown putting more fuel into the engine will simply aid on start-up especially on really cold days.

BC_Dan · 12-22-2006, 08:20 PM

When you run a two-stroke, a lot of the oil that goes into the crankcase stays there, doing it's job lubricating the bearings and the cylinder walls. Things get coated pretty well, as that is the way things are designed. When you shut it off, and it is REALLY cold, all that oil gets VERY sticky, making things difficult to move... by choking the engine before you shut down, on those really cold days, the extra gasoline will wash the oil off the cylinder walls and bearings, making things a bit easier to pull over the next frigid morning...

upersleder · 12-22-2006, 08:48 PM

i kinda feel sorry for customers who purchase a SNOWMOBILE they cannot start in cold weather. i'd be pissed, i do not have a heated garage, not to mention what does a guy trailering in cold weather to go sleddin sposed to do when he gets there? sounds like a major screw up to me.