Trouble starting RS Venture in Cold - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

musher · 01-22-2006, 04:56 PM

I just purchased a used 05 RS Venture with 1500 mi on it. The machine runs fine except it is giving me trouble starting when it gets cold out. 0 F and above it seems to start up just fine. Usually on the first or second crank when fully choked.

The machine lives outside. When I try to start it at -15 F or colder it just cranks and cranks. Doesn't seem to be trying to fire at all. If I give a little squirt of starting fluid in the venturis, then it will start trying to fire. Lot's more cranking will eventually get it started. Usually by that point, I'm jumping it to keep it cranking.

To start it cold, I'm just putting on the choke all the way and turning the key. Am I missing something in my starting process?

I'd appreciate any suggestions folks might have.

thanks

**smallengineguy** · 01-22-2006, 05:00 PM

Try starting it with jumper cables already installed from the beginning. Will it start then? I had a machine that would crank and crank but not start unless I jumped it. Come to find out it wasn't cranking FAST enough to start it. Rebuilt the starter, never did it again.

musher · 01-22-2006, 05:05 PM

Didn't think about that. Something worth trying. It definitely cranks slow at -30.

At what temperature do you start to worry about getting your 4 stroke yamaha started?

**smallengineguy** · 01-22-2006, 05:15 PM

I would think it would be the same as an auto.

musher · 01-23-2006, 12:28 AM

Yeah, but that's pretty variable. I had a toyota truck that would start right up at -50 after sitting at the trailhead for a weekend. Right now I've got a ford pickup that won't start at 20 above w/o a bit of preheat. Sometimes it all comes down to using exactly the right 'trick' to get things going.

I'm kind of hoping to get this snowmachine to where it's a reliable starter at least down to -30. It's not too uncommon to spend the night out in the woods where it's 0 when you go to bed and -30 when you get up.

I know they make an electrically powered circulating heater for the thing, but I'm not wild about having to add a generator to my kit.

I haven't talked to too many folks yet who have these 4 strokes and go camping with them. Seems like most the folks I've talked too keep the darned things in their garage, so real cold starts aren't something they do much.

I'm going to try the jump from the beginning idea and see if it makes a difference.

Yamaha_Mang · 05-07-2006, 12:15 AM

my buddy has a 99 RMK 700 and he had the same problem...when it was cold out he couldn't get it to start..i would try taking off the CDI box and bringing it into a warm are ur house and letting it warm up and then put it back on and try to start it if it then starts fine it is time to replace ur CDI box

blizzard721 · 08-04-2006, 08:46 AM

I have an RS Vector with the four stroke and have an inline coolant heater that I have to plug in when it is too cold, much the same as a block heater in a car. Also put a 120 volt battery blanket on it. At our cabin even a small generator will run both. Plug in for an hour or so in the morning and it'll start right away. Once you do this in the morning it'll be fine the rest of the day.

**smallengineguy** · 08-06-2006, 07:39 PM

Sounds like a good idea. Where did you get it?

blizzard721 · 08-08-2006, 08:29 AM

Both were thrown in with the machine by my Yamaha dealer when I bought it last year.

**smallengineguy** · 08-08-2006, 05:07 PM

Sounds like a great dealer to throw those in! Most would charge for them.

blizzard721 · 08-09-2006, 06:35 PM

He also threw in a Yamaha Cover, spare belt and plugs, a set of saddle bags, and the first oil change. I bought a Ski-Doo Skandic SUV 3 years ago and that dealer won't give a thing. Not even $5.00 worth of plugs for spares. So when I went to buy another machine last year Bombardier was not even thought about. A few hundred dollars worth of accessories and every couple years you spend ten thousand there, good trade off I think.