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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> help. cold weather riding
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Message started by omlitt2 on 09/28/11 at 06:23:31

Title: help. cold weather riding
Post by omlitt2 on 09/28/11 at 06:23:31

i have a 2003 suzuki savage (ls650). rode fine this summer in kentucky, had the shop adjust the idle when i went in for an oil change in july.

trying to ride it into work in the mornings now (55 deg, 88%humidity) but it dies on idling in traffic. in the summer it doesn't need the choke to start (in fact it won't start this way in the summer) but lately the choke works well to start. can't get it to stay running in the morning though. seems sluggish to respond to the throttle also, sputters and dies. hard to get started again with any combination of using the choke or half choke. found the only way to get it started again was to set to prime. if it wasn't' on prime in traffic it would die, so i rode (and idled) on prime into work. i'm guessing its not good to do this often.

suggestions welcome!! i don't' have a long commute (less than 5 miles) and no highways so it doesn't get a chance to get warmed up.

Title: Re: help. cold weather riding
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/28/11 at 06:26:25

Rubbers & plastics get stiffer in the cold,, the petcock has a vacuum operated valve in it,, cold = stiff.. 2003 model,, that petcock might have been built in 02,, run it on prime,, till ya fix the problem.

Title: Re: help. cold weather riding
Post by Bubba on 09/28/11 at 08:25:21

I had the same problem...converted the petcock to a Raptor

Title: Re: help. cold weather riding
Post by Oldfeller on 09/28/11 at 19:28:04

I got a question for you -- look on the left side of the carburetor next to the big semi-circular connection to the throttle cable.

Yep, that big thumb screw looking thingie that pushes against it is your idle adjustment.

Adjust it until the problem goes away.

All better now?

Title: Re: help. cold weather riding
Post by greenmonster on 09/29/11 at 09:43:23

+1 to OF

I've been riding on prime for a couple years now, that's not going to hurt anything. It sounds like your bike doesn't have enough time to warm up and the idle is set too low for colder temps. I need to adjust my idle settings about once a month for the various weather conditions.

Title: Re: help. cold weather riding
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/29/11 at 10:46:17

Yea,, I cant believe I missed that.. I adjust my idle speed even in summer,, start away from the house & tweak it up,, get a few miles down the road & let it off a bit,, GOTTA keep the RPM up, to keep oil pressure up.