Tricks to get the bike to start in the COLD

[RedKat91]

So my bike has been sitting here in the barn being worked on all winter long so far (temperatures get down into the -10 degree range at night). About 4-6 weeks ago I installed new carbs in the bike and a new fuel petcock rebuild kit. Once all the parts were on I turned the bike on and it fired right up on the first try!

Now I had to remove the tank again to fix the messed up paint. I reinstalled it on the bike and put the new choke cable in place and made sure everything was hooked up as it should be. I tried Saturday night to fire the bike up after 4-6 weeks of sitting and it just makes the sound where it is trying to start but just can't kick over. Is there something I should try that would make it easier to fire up? It is REALLY cold here so I'm figuring that is probably the culprit.

Any other tricks to get it to fire up? I'm thinking put some space heaters out there aimed at the bike for an hour or so to try to warm it up some? I just want to make sure everything is good to go before the first bit of spring rolls around.

Thanks!

[steves]

The battery could be flat, or the carb bowls could be dry.

Try putting it on a trickle charger over night, then put the fuel knob on PRI for about 30 seconds and try again.

In the cold weather, the batteries are more temperamental.

[Kreylyn]

Depending on how cold and how much you want to do, and how often you plan on starting the bike in the cold....

Colder temps decrease the efficency of the battery. The lower the temp the less power generated. Extream colds can cause battery failure, or extreamly low power output from freezing the battery mixture in part or whole. Power generation is a concern because the Kats not only need enough power to turn the motor over, you also need a minimal amount of power to the CDI for the bike to start. You can have a situation where the battery will turn the motor lots, but never turn the CDI on to run the bike. It will crank all day (till the battery fully dies) but never start that way.

Colder temps also thicken the oil in the case. Thicker oil increases the resistance on the moving parts inside the motor. Really cold temps can actually cause enough resistance that the starter would have difficulty turning the engine over fast enough to start properly.

Colder engines may also require richer fuel mixtures to start.

Options to counter these issues...

1. Relay Mod: There is a detailed description to bypass the main wiring harness and run power directly through a relay to the coils. This has been shown to greatly increase the power output to the coils for better cold weather starts. Check the forum for the details on this.

2. Battery Warmer: Either set up a warming system using items like "grip heaters" or simply removing and storing the battery at room temprature inside somewhere until needed. Be sure to keep a trickle charge on the battery to prevent decline in power output. Make sure you do not get it over "room temp" so you don't boil out the fluids, and make sure non sealed batteries are kept at an appropriate level of fluid.

3. Oil pan/engine warmer: Warm the engine and oil to room temp, and the motor will turn over much easier. There are oil pan heaters for internal mods, electric blankets (never leave unattended), external heaters to temporarilty warm things up, etc....

4. Clean and properly tuned fuel delivery system: Make sure your fuel is fresh, and the carbs clean. (you mentioned you put knew on, so this is why I listed this last... just included it for others who may have cold start issues as well). Cold engines start/run better with richer mixtures. The OEM settings are lean to start for our bikes. Add to that decreased fuel flow due to deposits or dirty carbs, or increase air flow due to mods or air leaks... and you have an overly lean condition that even the choke will not counter for the lower temps. A good sign this is possible is if even with choke you normally have a hard time starting the bike when it's just really cool, not nessasarily freezing.

5. Store in or temporarily move to a warmer location: Sometimes it's possible to just move the bike to a heated area and allow to warm up to a "room temp". Be a partially heated garage to inside the kitchen door temporarily... depending on your situation and significant other's approval of course.

Krey

[hardlydangerous]

One trick I have always done was ball up a couple shop rags in you hand and stuff it over the air filter intake. then crank it over, it will run really rich so be ready to pull the rag away once it fires up

[RedKat91]

Thanks guys... I appreciate the input.

Here's what I think I'll do based on your responses... sound good?
1. I've got 2 space heaters that I use to warm up my external workout facility behind the house (spare room attached to the back of the extended 4+ car barn garage)... so it doesn't have gas heat, but does have electric that the heaters can plug into. Since I can't move the bike into a warmer location ... I'll position those heaters aiming towards the bike and see if I can heat it up some.

2. The gas in the bike was brand new 93 octane before I stored it. Plus I added the "Stabil" fuel stabilizer before storing it away. So this should be OK.

3. The battery was dead completely when I went out there (hasn't been charged in 3 weeks) so I hooked it up to the battery maintainer. The maintainer turned green showing the battery at a full 12volts ready... and it almost started before the battery seemed to drain out again. So I'll hook the battery back up and charge it fully again before trying again.

4. I dont think the bowls are dry, as I popped it on prime for a few seconds first before I tried to start it, plus I am pretty sure there should still be gas in them from 4-6 weeks ago when I started it up then.... ?

[KAT TOY]

you can supplement the battery by jumping from a car battery[car not running].

[BigDub]

i learned this from grandaddy starting john deers in the winter.

mild then moderate and sometimes even copious amounts of starting fluid will push you over the top in a pinch. just spray it in or at the clean air intake.

it should warm up on its own after a few start attempts. keep in mind this was learned in Tennessee Winters not Canadian or extreme sub zero temps. it's rare to get a few degrees below in TN.

[scottynoface]

Starting fluid just masks the problem, a bike in proper condition should start no matter the temperature.

[cablerum]

3. The battery was dead completely when I went out there (hasn't been charged in 3 weeks) so I hooked it up to the battery maintainer.

A good battery should not die if left off the charger for 3 weeks. Even if it does charge back up the cranking capacity will be minimal as the battery is on its last legs. I have an Odyssey battery in my snowmobile & I just started it up this past weekend for the first time since last year. There has been no charger on the battery & the outside temp was -26 C outside. As for my Kat, I don't ever try to start it in these temps, but this is just an example to show how a good battery should work.

[rexazz2]

how long is it cranking before the battery dies ?

just because it is at 12volts, it may not be carrying the load

if the voltage drops to much while cranking the coils will not be firing at full potential

[RedKat91]

ya... I plan on replacing the battery this year when it warms up. Just didn't want to do it just yet. But I'm betting that just due to the extreme cold is why it doesn't want to fire. going to try to heat it up a bit and seee if that works.

[scottynoface]

If you don't have a yuasa battery, it's time to get one and stop ****ing around.

[cablerum]

how long is it cranking before the battery dies ?

just because it is at 12volts, it may not be carrying the load

if the voltage drops to much while cranking the coils will not be firing at full potential

100% correct, voltage means nothing if there is no load, see if you can get the battery load tested, most likely it will fail.

[Devinjordan]

I keep my kat on a trickle charge at nite it starts ok on cold mornings with about 10 seconds on prime and a full choke and she fired up and after about a minute I can take her of choke and she runs and idles. my bike stays in my shop at nite without a heater but the shop is insulated very well and rarely drops below 45 degrees inside with freezing temps outside

[RedKat91]

I keep my kat on a trickle charge at nite it starts ok on cold mornings with about 10 seconds on prime and a full choke and she fired up and after about a minute I can take her of choke and she runs and idles. my bike stays in my shop at nite without a heater but the shop is insulated very well and rarely drops below 45 degrees inside with freezing temps outside

awesome. well it is -10 degrees in my barn at night, so its 55 degrees colder than yours... so it is probably due to cold in my case.

If you don't have a yuasa battery, it's time to get one and stop ****ing around.

Lol... where can I pick up one of those or does it have to be ordered in?