Iceman31
New member
My SRX700 had the top end rebuilt last season. Sled has become a very tough starter. Last time I started the sled was two months ago. Today is -15 C and i must have pulled that rope on 3 separate occasions for 10 or more pulls each time. Full Choke, Half Choke and No Choke, Gas tank is half full. I am baffled as to why I can not get this sled to fire. Worked fine last season and I have noticed it getting harder and harder to start. What should I be looking for here? Fuel Pump possibly? How do I go about checking the fuel pump? It was kind of dark so not sure if the there is fuel in the lines going to the carbs. Any advice on how I can get this sled to fire would be great.
take all 3 plugs out dribble a little bit of 2 stroke mixed gas in each hole, reinstall the plugs, set choke to full on and it should fire right up in 1 to 2 pulls. Leave choke on half till the pump fills the carbs.
YAMMIEGOD3:16
Active member
yes dons right on here, try primeing this and no starting fluid. 3:16 (YAMMIE TONY)
Backwoods M Max
New member
Is this every time you go to start it? Or just pulling it out of storage to get it going again. If the fuel is below the bulkhead pass through in the tank, the pump will have to pull up and over to get it going. Try starting with a full tank. If that solves it, could be an issue with needle/seats and/or a bad fuel pump check valves letting the gas out of the bowls.
I would also check fuel lines and filter. Make sure they are not gummy and sucking shut. No pin hole in the lines. Also like stated before the fuel level. Fresh gas. Clean carbs? I know no 2 are alike. Mine does not start that hard after 2 months. 10-15 pulls.
Two months is a long enough time to have the light ends of the fuel evaporate and even cause plugging of the pilots.
Maybe I'm getting old, but I'd never tug more than 3-4 times before pulling a plug and looking for dryness, then spark.
then do what Don suggested and hope it idles where it should after a minute or so.
If the fuel is even older I'd either drain most of it into my truck and top it off with fresh 93 or add some octane booster before holding it to the bar...
which you know you want to do.
Maybe I'm getting old, but I'd never tug more than 3-4 times before pulling a plug and looking for dryness, then spark.
then do what Don suggested and hope it idles where it should after a minute or so.
If the fuel is even older I'd either drain most of it into my truck and top it off with fresh 93 or add some octane booster before holding it to the bar...
which you know you want to do.
Iceman31
New member
Well I filled it up with fresh fuel and it was quite low. Pulled it over 15-20 times and still no go. This was during lunch. After work will pull plugs and add some fuel to the cylinders and switch out the plugs and try that.
Devilin AblueDress!
New member
Have the carbs ben cleaned? While you have plugs out check for spark. Put one of the plugs back in the cap and lay it on the head (to ground the plug) Do this prior to pouring any gas. If you have spark proceed with gas down plug hole. I would pull it 8-10 times with no plugs to get thing moving so to speak and prime the vacuum on the pulse line (drives fuel pump) Snort of fuel and put plugs back in and she should take off.
FWIW... some observations / tests. Fresh 91 octane fuel in a clean glass jar with a nail hole in the screw on top to replicate a float bowl, guess what... after 25-30 days, 2/3 of the fuel had evaporated. If a sled sits for a long period of time I'm sure the float bowls would react the same making it difficult to start. Tested - my 2002 SRX has electric start added. Sled COMPLETELY dry of fuel at beginning of season, add 20 L (approx 1/2 tank), fuel lines from pump removed into a container, crank motor over and guess what - NOT A DROP came out of the lines. Filled float bowls with fuel manually (lines still off), crank motor over, full enrichener, sled fires instantly and after maybe 3 seconds fuel comes out of lines. I'm starting to believe that we simply can't create a strong enough vacuum signal (spin motor quick enough) to draw fuel from the tank to pump when the system is "dry", even using electric start. For my sled, once bowls are full of fuel, sled fires instantly cold / hot / whatever... everything set to factory spec., ZERO issues...
Iceman31
New member
Pulled plugs - put some fresh fuel in the cylinders, cranked it over full choke and she fired right up. Put it to half choke and let it run for a bit, then took choke right of and it just purrs along fine now.
Backwoods M Max
New member
If that didn't do it, or you developed a spark problem I was going to suggest pulling the harness apart for the kill switch. If the switch has been karate chopped one too many times it may not be opening reliably every time when lifted up.
good, glad to hear your up and goin, ride safe!
staggs65
Moderator
It's nice when people post up an outcome. Too often people get things going and never post back. Then there is no reference for someone going through the same thing later on down the road.
ha I just did this same thing this morning .
Viper fired right up 1st pull. this yr ..
Last yrs 1st start of season I must have pulled 30-100 times until I pored a few drops of mix into the holes....
Must b getting smarter the older I gets
X2 - I've had pilot plugging (waxing) in as little as three weeks of evaporation (sled not started). The oil and contaminates in the bowl become consentrated and isn't very combustable until deluded with fuel.
Different opinions regarding summer storage with/without fuel in the tank. I used to drain the tank and carbs completely but I've changed over the years and currently leave in the tank the gallon or so of fuel/ATF used for fogging in the spring. I add a couple gallons in the fall when prepping for the season then top it off with fresh 93 BEFORE any riding. If I summer stored with a full tank I would drain and fill with fresh 93 or add at least a half bottle of octane booster to the stored fuel before riding.
I'm probably over cautious, but I use a wood stove and just don't like to store or handle fuel in my barn or sled shed.
When getting fuel at the station I start the premium pump and put a couple gallons in my truck before putting the nozzle in my sled or jerry cans. Still doesn't ensure the fuel coming out of the underground tank is fresh premium but at least I'm not getting a hose and pump full of 87. I also get behind my high octane buds when lining at the pump when riding ;>)
Having a bottle of octane booster, well wrapped in the trunk of a sled that requires premium provides cheap insurance and peace of mind when fueling at those out of the way filling stations. When in dought, I use a half can to a full tank.
I performing the following after summer storage:
1- Clean the carbs (amongst many other preseason stuff)
2- Push outside and add fresh fuel
3- Teaspoon of PREMIX into the cylinders (I use fuel from my chainsaw gas can)
4- Tug hard once with full choke
5- Off choke then blip half choke until it'll idle on it's own
If it starts but stalls, repeat steps 3/4/5 - maybe even a third time, tops.
If it doesn't start, you have other issues (i.e. check the key and kill switch then for spark at the plugs).