First start-up of the year...GASP!

akrievins

akrievins

New member
Joined
Jan 19, 2006
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588
Age
43
Location
Mississauga
Hi all,
Well, I was in Parry Sound this weekend and there is a beautiful 1.5 feet of snow up there.
I got up late Friay night and hauled down my jerry can full of 91 Octane gas. I poured it into my empty tank and went to fire up my Viper. It normally takes 3 pulls from cold, but I figured it would be more after a season of sitting there. I pull about 25 times and it doesn't turn over. I try again until I get tried. I then pull my plugs and make sure each is getting spark. All three are.
I dump gas down the holes and put the plugs back. Fires up right away for only a few seconds... I do this a few more times and the same thing, but it won't stay started.
I try several differnet things the next day (check the air box, use a heater on the fuel pump, heat up the carbs... still nothing) Finally I go the a marina and talk to a mechanic who says if the tank is empty on a Viper you sometimes have to pressurize the tank to get the fuel into the pump. So I did this with a compressor and rag around the fill hole. Poured some more gas down the jugs and finally it goes!!!!!!! I let it warm up and I try to take off. It lurches forward an inch and that's it... the belt catches and then slips... Now I'm really mad... I don't get it! I figure the belt may have stretched or the cluches are out of wack. I am about to give up but decide to start it up again. I hit the gas and the belt catches and I'm off to the races.
My arms are killing now from pulling so much, but my Viper is working just like it did last year now. I guess it's an experience thing! I think I'll fill my gas tank up all the way next year and stabil it!!!
PS, I rode some roads and hit some fields of POW. :) Can't wait for the trails to open up.
 

I personally wouldnt fill the tank and dump Sta-bil in it. I tried that on my lawnmower one year and it took forever to get it started the next spring.
 
I will never use Sta-bil, only product that Ill dump in any of my tanks of is Sea Foam. Its the only stuff that my dad and I have had good luck with.
 
Yeah, I hear you guys! I like to use FRESH gas in the beginning of the year. I stbil my last tank of the season and then run my sled dry.
Has anyone else heard about having to pressurize the tank to get fuel to the pump? Is there an easy way to get gas to the carbs!

My Yamaha isn't supposed to give me troubles like that! That kinda stuff was left for my bro's Ski-Doo and my other bro's Arctic Cat... the Yami was always the go to sure fire sled!
 
Next time just fog your sled, drain or siphon out as much of the gas as possible. When the times comes to ride fill it with fresh gas. Ive never seen a point in filling something when it going to sit for a long period of time. Thats something my dad and I argue about cause when its time to winterize the boat he fills the thing with prem. and a bottle of sea foam. If it were mine I just leave a gallon or too in there and when the times comes then throw the sea foam(to clean fuel lines out) and gas in there. But everyone has there ways.
 
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My Dad and I both run everything dry now.
I've never had an issuse with getting fuel to the pump and thus the carbs before. The Viper is the first to do this. I just read that you can pull with the trottle wide open and the kill switch down. Does that work?
 
I forgot to mention if you do run your fuel system dry itll take alot of pulls to get that fuel pumped to the fuel pump and carbs.
 
if your gonna run it dry at the end of the season like that, put a primer on it. it will prime the lines so you don't have to pull as much. still doesn't hurt to put 1/4-1/2 a can of seafoam in there for the first tank of the season
 
stabil

dude!!!!!! never never use stable use sea foam trust everyone who tells you stabil is crap for your sled
 
Running it dry still doesn't get all the fuel out of the floatbowls, and that fuel left behind will varnish if no treatment is put in to stabilize it. I have never had any problem with Sta-Bil at all in the summer. Then when I pull it out in the fall, I fill with fresh fuel and some sea foam. Always works beautifully and everytime I pull carbs apart just to be sure they are spotless.
 
SXViper, that sounds like the ticket. Where do I buy a primer? Where would I install it. I'd install this is the spring when my tank is empty.
Yeah, whatever fuel is left in the float bowls is always stabilized. I don't think we can get sea foam in Canada...
 
I always run stabil through everything that needs it on the last tank that I'm going to use it. Sled, 4-wheeler, lawn mower, chain saw, generator, weed eater. Never had a problem.
 
Stabil works but Seafoam is better. Seafoam also cleans. I put it in every thing. In the fall I mix it in all my gas cans then every thing I own gets it. I put it in my sled on my last ride. Then when I ride it next season I top it off with fresh gas and fresh Seafoam. I have never understood the run it out of gas Idea. It is alway a good Idea to put heet in red bottle in it first ride also. My Motorhome boat and all my atvs run great the next time I need them.
 
yamaholic22 said:
Running it dry still doesn't get all the fuel out of the floatbowls, and that fuel left behind will varnish if no treatment is put in to stabilize it. I have never had any problem with Sta-Bil at all in the summer. Then when I pull it out in the fall, I fill with fresh fuel and some sea foam. Always works beautifully and everytime I pull carbs apart just to be sure they are spotless.
Click to expand...
^^I'm with holic on this, i have been using Sta-Bil sence the 80's on EVERY thing that has a motor, the stuff works.

but to each is his own..
 
You may want to clean your carbs to be sure.

A little trick for a dry tank is to simply put a little pressure into the tank. You can do it like you did, or simply use the vent line. On a Viper it is above the left footwell and attached to a fitting welded to the steering gate. Pull the shroud screw, work the clamp back, popthe hose off, and put an air nozzle in the end of the hose. USE ONLY A LITTLE pressure at a time.

DO NOT put much pressure on the vent line, just a little tap on the nozzle button. I like to loosen the gas cap to just loose so I can hear air escaping. It allows me to better control how much pressure is being applied. You can also watch the tank closely as it will swell slightly, and then go back down as the pressure equalizes. If it swells a lot you are using too much pressure.

The engine will usually start in just a pull or 2.
 
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One thing you could do to ensure that your fuel pump holds its prime is to mix a few gallons of 40:1 and run the sled for 3-5 minutes on that. The oil will help the diaphram in the fuel pump to stay soft and pliable, so it wont dry out and lose it's prime.
I ALWAYS drain as much gas I can out of everything (lawn mower, weed wacker, chainsaw, sled, etc...) just to ensure that I dont have problems with fuel gumming up the carbs.
I do use Sta-bil in my snowblower just because it doesnt see a whole lot of use and the fuel that I dump in it when we get the first snow in December is often the same fuel thats in it in March when I summerize it. I do trust Sta-bil to keep fuel fresh for a few months, but no way would I ever trust it to keep fuel fresh for 9-12 months. I prefer to run the sled out of gas, drain the float bowls and siphon as much gas out as I can and Sta-bil what little bit is left in the tank.
Ive been riding since '92 and have yet to lose an engine due to fuel gumming up a jet, so Im confident that I have a good routine.
 
I with yamaholic too, I have been using stabile for years with no problems. I ran the sled dry once and never again. It took me a billzillion pulls to get it started. I put half a tank of gas and stable into the tank and fog the engine. Then when the season starts (today) I siphon all the gas out and add Fresh gas. This year I will clean the carbs per mrviper700 too.
 
I always store my sled s with full tank of fresh gas with seafoam added.....I run for 15 minutes and shut down for the summer storages.........now 2 weeks ago started my vmax 800 with 5 pulls......and the old srv was in 3 pulls, never any problems getting them going......I also drain the gas and put new gas in and also check the carbs as it very easy on both sled to pull carbs to inspect. store with full or empty tank alway pull your carb to inspect and clean them.....a must!!!
 
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