Fresh rebuilt top end..... same old hard starting when cold

fourbarrel

fourbarrel

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May 5, 2003
Messages
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Location
St George,New Brunswick,Canada
I'm really disappointed with my sled,I put 3 new rings and pistons in it this fall plus the newly fixed cylinder and I also changed out the V Force 3's to Boyesen reed cages and I still have the miserable hard starting issue when the sled sits for any length of time.I had this sled running Sunday just to hear it run and it took about 10 pulls before it fired,not an encouraging sign.This was after it sat for only 2 days.I had finished the rebuild on Friday before and fired it up with a little prime down the cylinders.
Last night after work I wanted to take the sled out to an abandoned airport and run it around to make sure nothing leaked or acted funny.I went out to my shed to fire up the sled and I bet I pulled the recoil 25 times before it started.I was tempted to just say screw it but I was getting madder with every pull of the rope and wanted to find out just how many it would take to start it.
I've got the choke adjusted to spec,fresh fuel,all new gas lines last year,cleaned carbs and different reeds.I'm tempted to try a set of carbs off my 98 to see how it starts cold with them to try and narrow down possible causes.I can't see what else it could be.Once it's been started and warmed up it's good for the rest of the day;I shut it off last night for about 20 minutes and half a pull it was running.The problem almost HAS to be in the choke but I had it all apart last year and didn't see anything wrong.:o|
I just don't know what to check next.
 
Not sure if this would be the problem with your sled, but it always took atleast 10 pulls to get my srx started, I put in a new stator and now it only takes 3-4 pulls when it's cold.
 
adjust the choke cable to where the choke plungers just barely go back to rest, you can watch this by the rod actuating them. this will give you wide open choke when you flip the lever over backwards.
 
I used to pull mine over three four times with the choke (it really is an enrichment jet) flipped and the ignition off. Then start like normal. Usually popped off 2-3 pulls later regardless of the temps. Like Don said - make sure the plungers are adjusted right visually so that you get the full benefit from flipping the lever over.
 
Well as I mentioned the temp is around -19 Celsius,COLD,and so I grabbed the wrench and set the choke cable so that it is right to the point of engaging the choke plungers.At full flip of the lever it has maximum enricher.Now I start pulling,and it pulled hard too.5,10,15,20.23 pulls of the cord before it fires.Well I'm going to go out on a limb and say that my original thought of the choke circuit being the culprit behind the hard starting issue was wrong and I'll have to look elsewhere,maybe the pickup coil? Or the stator.This is one of those problems that is going to bug me until I find out what's going on and it could get expensive because I'm not going to be putting up with a sled that is that much of a bear to start cold.

But here's a new twist,after the sled did start I didn't have any lights or tach.It run for about 2 minutes or so and then they blinked on.Would frost buildup on the flywheel cause this?I can't say as I've ever seen this before.At first I was thinking I have a rub through,and that may still be the issue;I'll see it it happens again or if it crops up when riding.
 
thats the relays freezing up delaying the lights and tach, unplug them and take them in the house put on the heat duct overnight to dry moisture out of them, the white and blue relays. common issue when its very cold out.

Also just get it running and then when your done riding it for the night pull the choke lever open and let it kill the engine, it will start up alot easier the next time in the cold because it will be preprimed. Your problem is the rpm in which your pulling it over, its too slow, more compression from those cut heads and such means when its cold out the engine turns over slower. So use the choke method to kill it at night, it will save you alot of pulling.

Theres nothing wrong with the sled, its the cold, thick oil on the rings and bearing because it cold out and the slow rpm in which its turning over when pulling cold.
 
ever think of a primer? might be a good idea. Or drop a little fuel down the hole if you know it's going to be a cold start.
 
I actually put in an update kit last year,found one on eBay,because I had an issue with the load control relay,so it looks like it may have to be dried out.When I shut the sled down tonight I did choke it out so I'm hoping this will help in the starting area.I used that method a lot last year and never thought about it til it was mentioned on one of the replies to this thread.
 
I did the top end on mine last yr too

Today it took me 25 + pulls also so I feel your pain lol
 
I just can't wrap my head around the fact that my 98 with 2000 electronics will start quicker than my freshly rebuilt 01.Last year when I was going through the same thing I swapped the relays from one to another and it didn't make any difference.I'm tempted to take the carbs off the 98 and put them on the 01 and see what happens;the stators are the same between the 2 sleds but different cdi's,2000 vs 2001.I have the original carbs from my 98 without the tps,I guess I could slap them on long enough to see if the engine fired up quicker,I don't know if the tps comes into play with the ignition when the throttle is at idle or not but I'm just trying to eliminate causes.I know that there's been many threads started on the hard start issue,not everyone with an SRX has this problem so it would be nice to finally nail my particular issue.

The only other thing I can think of that's different between the 2 sleds is that I run Amsoil in the 98 and some left over Castrol Syn tech in my 01.I don't know if it's something as simple as the choice of oil that people are using causing what Don said,extra drag in the rings,bearings and other oil coated parts.Might be worth an test.
 
dude..., makin a mountain from a mole hill here, the 98 is stock lower compression so it turns over easier, simple as that. Now factor in ice cold weather and the oil, no matter what brand is thick and sticky, so it turns the engine over slower. It has NOTHING to do with the cdi boxs, nothing to do with the carbs, nothing to do with the wiring harness between the 2 sleds.
You have machined heads on the 2001, and stock on the 98 or at least lower compression. A primer isnt going to solve the issue either you still need to spin the motor over to a certain rpm before it will fire.
Dont believe me as usual so go out and on purpose slow pull a warm engine and it wont start because the flywheel isnt passing by the pick up coil fast enough to generate the pulse to make the spark! If you want it to start quicker either put it in your garage at night, put a heater on it or put stock heads back on it if your doing none of the other!

Cant explain it anymore then that, you can lead a horse to water but you cant make em drink.......I give up

a primer makes a engine start easier only because the fuel is injected into the carb throat and you dont need to rely on the PISTON SPEED creating the vacuum from pulling it over to draw the mixture into the cylinders/case. Again, it still wont change it dramaticly because your pulling it over slowly when its cold, heck I cant even pull mine over, i remove the spark plugs and give it about 10 whirls first when i go and ride in the u.p of michigan, I run 145lbs of compression, you can pull the sled backwards with the pull rope in the morning!

Look, I dont mean to sound harsh or am cutting anyone down, its just sorta frustrating in a way to watch some of you guys continue to beat your heads into the wall trying to solve issues that are self inflicted( modded engine, more compression) or non existant.
If you want to buy a stator have at it, your only going to be 200 lighter in the wallet and its not gonna start easier, i promise ya! stators dont get stronger after they warm up they get weaker. a weak stator will start up just fine then get lower on rpm and then when you try to start a warm engine... very hard to start from the heat breaking it down, not the other way!
 
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if you were to pour premix down the plug holes at that temp, would it start up right away? if it were to, that would suggest that you are pulling it over fast enough to generate spark. and any rust on them flywheel magnets? have had that cause hard starting... just a thought.
 
got both my sleds started up after storage with gas down the plug holes,both started 1 to 2 pulls and stayed running.Then about 3 weeks go by before I tried starting my 600.I was at 50 pulls and got pissed off.Poured fuel down the plugs and it was going.Can't imagine how many pulls the SRX would of taken.BUT after running the sleds on a regular basis,does start much quicker by just choking.My SXR usually will fire up on 1 to 2 pulls after,SRX maybe around 7 to 10 pulls.I even went to a new fuel pump on the SRX.The SXR is much harder to pull over when cold,has 138 psi last checked.The SRX has around 125psi.Just the way it is .If one can run a heat lamp over the motor for an hour or so,I know the sleds would start up pretty easily.COLD starts just don't get the motor to crank fast enough and you pull your arm off.Seems quicker after standing to just run fuel down the cylinders and pull once..
 
My mountain max has around 145 psi in the jugs and it's hard to pull over when it's cold but usually hits on the second pull, always the 3rd but it's a whole different animal. Just to help your curiosity, spread the secondary and push the belt into it to remove the belt drag from the clutch and see if it start sooner. Your belt tension may be on the tight slide and the drag is contributing to the hard starting.

My LI-ion battery doesn't have the nuts to start my motor when it's cold so I'm normally pull starting the first time of the day. Main reason I'm pulling my e-start kit out because if I have to pull it anyways might as well drop some weight and throw it on the shelf for the day I buy a sled for my wife and need an e-start.
 
I am by no means dismissing your advise Don I'm just kind of like a dog with a bone. I hate to give up on a notion even though I know it's wrong. What your saying makes compete sense I just have to get it through the skull. I wonder if one of those inline block heaters you see in the mail order catalogs for sled engines would help. If so I might put one in,that way I could use a timer on an extension cord to come on an hour before I figure in starting the sled up.
 
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