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Message started by battox on 03/02/25 at 12:31:32

Title: Cold start help/advice
Post by battox on 03/02/25 at 12:31:32

2018 Savage S40 issues here, need some advice

What's up with these bikes and their difficulties starting from cold???

Its always crank and crank and crank and partial ignition, batteries weakens from trying...jumping the battery or leaving it on the trickle charger for a while. Try at it again and all the partial combustion heat the engine enough for it to magically run fine.

I cleaned out the carb (which was pretty much SPOTLESS anyway), replaced old and cracked fuel lines. Replaced petcock for the raptor mod, new air filter, new spark plug. Choke OUT at start up. Still just 0 luck when the engines cold...

Where should I be looking next? What can I do to troubleshoot this? I'm at my wits end with this bike.

Most frustrating part of this problem for be is that when the engine is at temp it runs perfectly. Holds idle, choke works correctly. Throttle good, no bogging down or power drops or anything out of the ordinary during ride.

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by blod on 03/02/25 at 12:41:03

65667373687F070 wrote:

I started mine a few days ago at -20C with a new battery, and it started straight away. They don't all have problems starting from cold.

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by ThumperPaul on 03/02/25 at 12:44:38

I'd check the decompression solenoid. Also, check the valve lash. Is the spark plug the correct heat range?

Is it hard to start when the outdoor ambient temperature is cold, OR does it also do it when the the weather is warm and the bike isn't up to operating temperature?

https://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1169356966

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by battox on 03/02/25 at 12:51:16

083429312C392E0C3D29305C0 wrote:

These specific issues started when the weather turned cold outdoors, and has persisted since its warmed up. Do you recommend any specific method to get the engine onto its compression stroke?

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by ThumperPaul on 03/02/25 at 14:01:30

Th article link below explains it better than I can.

Whatever you do, don’t put a dowel rod down in the spark plug hole and snap off a piece of wood in the cylinder. You don’t want to nickname your bike “Woody” like I did. I had to pull the head to get it out. That was like a 97 page thread where DragBikeBike and Dave and a few others walked me through the process of pulling the head.

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1278347767

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by battox on 03/02/25 at 14:48:50

3509140C1104133100140D610 wrote:

Adjusted decomp solenoid to spec, was off ever so slightly. Still no luck, still exact same issues.

Engine cranks, gas and air are definitely mixing. If I'm lucking it'll burp and sputter and warm up if I try over and over. Just no luck at all with these common fixes that I've read.

I would take it to a mechanic in town...but pricing starts steep just to have them take a look at it.

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by ThumperPaul on 03/02/25 at 15:20:11

Hopefully someone with more experience than myself can chime in.

Have you checked the condition of the spark plug (not fouled or getting wet)?

Are you sure you're not flooding it when repeatedly trying to start?

You said you are using the choke, right? Have you tried not using the choke?

Do you know the size of your pilot jet in the carb? I might be temped to try turning the air/fuel mix screw 1/4 - 1/2 turn richer and adjusting the idle speed higher.

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by DragBikeMike on 03/02/25 at 17:05:20

The thing you refer to as a choke is actually the "enricher". It is a separate circuit that bypasses the carburetor venturi and throttle plate. It is ineffective if the throttle is opened. When you use the enricher, the throttle must be closed. Are you opening the throttle when you try to start the bike? If so, you are circumventing the enrichment circuit. The throttle must remain closed in order for the enricher to be effective.

If you are not opening the throttle when trying to start with the enricher open, then maybe the enrichment jet is obstructed, or the feed hole to the enrichment jet well is obstructed.

Check this jet and make sure it is not plugged.

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by DragBikeMike on 03/02/25 at 17:06:32

Also verify that the enrichment jet air bleeds or not obstructed.

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by DragBikeMike on 03/02/25 at 17:12:25

Verify that the enrichment well feed hole (yellow arrow) is unobstructed. It feeds hole to the enrichment well (green arrow). The well and feed hole are located in the float bowl.

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by DragBikeMike on 03/02/25 at 17:28:26

Make sure that the enricher passages are not obstructed. Verify that the enricher air supply passage is clear and ties inro the enrichment mixture discharge hole when the enricher is opened.

This is where the air enters the enrichment system.

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by DragBikeMike on 03/02/25 at 17:31:52

This is where the enriched mixture discharges into the engine. It's a big passage. The circuit is like a separate carburetor that provides sufficient air and fuel for the engine to run at a fast idle even when the throttle is closed. If you open the throttle, the air moves through the venturi rather than the enrichment circuit. As previously mentioned, the throttle must remain closed for the enrichment circuit to work properly.

Title: Re: Cold start help/advice
Post by DragBikeMike on 03/02/25 at 17:38:06

Verify that the fuel passage between the enrichment jet and the enrichment air passage is unobstructed. Spray carb cleaner through this hole. It should discharge from the enrichment jet previously shown.

Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes. Good luck.