SuzukiSavage.com - Trouble starting her in the "cold"

spacepirates

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Igni Ferroque

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Trouble starting her in the "cold"
09/10/09 at 19:04:40

And by cold i mean anything below 65 degrees F.

I rode her to the gym tonight, she sat maybe two and a half hours and when i came out she wouldn't start. Pulled out the choke which didn't help any. in fact, the choke has never helped, though it seems if i turn her over three or four times on choke and then push choke in she'll fire up.

This is maybe the sixth time in the past two months my savage wouldn't start below 65... kind of upsetting since i need to use her as a commuter bike till mid december...

If this stuff makes a difference, here it is:
2002 w/13k (and rising!)
stock battery
stock spark plug
jardine pipes
#155 main and 52.5 pilot
full white spacer
drop-in K&N filter
10w-40 Valvoline Synthetic oil, changed end of last riding season (at 9K miles) with a new filter.

my thoughts are to buy a Big Crank, new spark plug (but don't know which one... yet), and switch to a lighter oil (Rotella 5w-40?). any suggestions other than pushing her to a hill to push start?

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold" Reply #1 - 09/10/09 at 19:10:03 stock battery You mean Original? If so,You lucky you aint a pedestrian, hoss.. Are you twisting on the throttle? Ive found if I dont it fires up better. Hows that idle speed? Too low makes for starting probs.
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spacepirates Serious Thumper Offline Igni Ferroque Posts: 515 Pittsburgh, PA Gender:	Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold" Reply #2 - 09/10/09 at 19:28:03 Yeah, original. Guess I'll look into getting that Big Crank... I don't twist the throttle the first three or four turn overs. after that i twist 1/4 to half. I just recently (week or two ago) upped my idle speed, though i can't really tell you an exact value...
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mornhm - FSO

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Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold"
Reply #3 - 09/11/09 at 06:16:58

Are you sure the choke/enrichener is working? Are the carbs clean and in working order?

I think you are on the right track changing the battery (seven years is enough that it doesn't owe you much anymore) and at least inspecting the plug.

If you are habitually having to crank the engine three or four revolutions before it fires, there is definitely something wrong - may still just be the battery. If you don't have a battery tender, you might want to get one and start using it, especially if you tend to make short runs on your MC (less than forty miles between starts)

If you haven't done the maintenance on the engine, are you sure it has been done (valve adjustments, torquing the head etc.).

In stock configuration with the engine tuned properly my Savage used to start below freezing easily usually firing up on the first revolution. There's really not much to it, fuel/air mixture and spark. The key is getting them in the right amounts at the right time. Tongue

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FlybysBlvd Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 82 Columbus, OH Gender:	Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold" Reply #4 - 09/11/09 at 07:21:07 We stand the bike straight up a few seconds if it's giving us a little problem, especially if it's set for a couple days on the side stand, seems to work for me. Usually a full choke and twist of the throttle while starting gets it started.
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spacepirates

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Igni Ferroque

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Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold"
Reply #5 - 09/11/09 at 08:28:06

mornhm - FSO wrote on 09/11/09 at 06:16:58:

Are you sure the choke/enrichener is working? Are the carbs clean and in working order?

I think you are on the right track changing the battery (seven years is enough that it doesn't owe you much anymore) and at least inspecting the plug.

If you are habitually having to crank the engine three or four revolutions before it fires, there is definitely something wrong - may still just be the battery. If you don't have a battery tender, you might want to get one and start using it, especially if you tend to make short runs on your MC (less than forty miles between starts)

If you haven't done the maintenance on the engine, are you sure it has been done (valve adjustments, torquing the head etc.).

Well, i guess i'm not sure the choke is working. how can you tell? Carbs are clean.. had it out a month or so ago to rejet. Had this cold-start problem before rejetting.

It is a commuter bike, so the average distance is maybe 8 miles, I do have a battery tender, but I usually just use it over the winter or long (two weeks or more) periods of sitting.

When is engine maintenance supposed to be done? I haven't done that since i've had the bike (had her for two years, got her with 5K on her, now up to 13K).

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jabman Senior Member Offline Posts: 411 England Gender:	Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold" Reply #6 - 09/11/09 at 09:04:22 i use a ngk iriduim plug. part no dpr8eix-9
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Phelonius

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Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold"
Reply #7 - 09/11/09 at 09:25:13

I remember a fellow back in the Harley flathead days, who would use the following method to start his Harley on sub freezing days.
Twist up a sheet of newspaper tightly and place it under the engine.
Light the end on fire and as it burned like a large candle, keep the flame under the engine cases. On really cold days do two.
The engine would be easier to kick and easier to start once the bearings had expanded a bit and the oil in the races was thinned slightly.
Not recommended for bikes with leaky carbs.
I personally have used a propane sunflower heater pointed at close distance to good effect.
Just a note to those of you who may live in cold climates and have no other transportation than your bike.

Phelonius

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Phelonius

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spacepirates Serious Thumper Offline Igni Ferroque Posts: 515 Pittsburgh, PA Gender:	Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold" Reply #8 - 09/11/09 at 10:47:53 So you guys agree that I should change the battery, spark plug, and oil? Oil I'm not positive about, as there isn't much time left in the riding season, and I like to change the oil right before I put her away... Thanks for the spark plug info, I'll see if i can get the plug and the battery within a week or so...
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spacepirates

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Igni Ferroque

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Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold"
Reply #9 - 09/11/09 at 10:53:14

Phelonius wrote on 09/11/09 at 09:25:13:

I remember a fellow back in the Harley flathead days, who would use the following method to start his Harley on sub freezing days.
Twist up a sheet of newspaper tightly and place it under the engine.
Light the end on fire and as it burned like a large candle, keep the flame under the engine cases. On really cold days do two.
The engine would be easier to kick and easier to start once the bearings had expanded a bit and the oil in the races was thinned slightly.
Not recommended for bikes with leaky carbs.
I personally have used a propane sunflower heater pointed at close distance to good effect.
Just a note to those of you who may live in cold climates and have no other transportation than your bike.

Phelonius

ha ha! time to add a lighter and a can of sterno (or a newspaper) to my emergency toolkit.

What do you say? Cook the savage medium-rare, or well done? ha ha!

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mornhm - FSO

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Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold"
Reply #10 - 09/11/09 at 11:01:27

spacepirates wrote on 09/11/09 at 08:28:06:

It is a commuter bike, so the average distance is maybe 8 miles, I do have a battery tender, but I usually just use it over the winter or long (two weeks or more) periods of sitting.

When is engine maintenance supposed to be done? I haven't done that since i've had the bike (had her for two years, got her with 5K on her, now up to 13K).

I would suggest that you get a Clymers manual and look at your owner's manual or jump into the maintenance threads on this forum. My guess is that you are way overdue for maintenance, and some maintenance items can be the cause of hard starting.

I'm trying real hard not too say anything about doing rejetting, different mufflers etc, but no engine maintenance. Oh no too late Embarrassed

If you're commuting less than 8 miles a shot on a seven year old battery without a tender (by the way have you checked the level (fluid) in the battery?) you are asking (ok maybe begging) to be left stranded.

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verslagen1

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Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold"
Reply #11 - 09/11/09 at 11:16:03

[quote author=2725382422274A0 link=1252634680/0#10 date=1252692087]spacepirates wrote on 09/11/09 at 08:28:06:

If you're commuting less than 8 miles a shot on a seven year old battery without a tender (by the way have you checked the level (fluid) in the battery?) you are asking (ok maybe begging) to be left stranded.

8 miles is only a good stretch of the legs
I'd be pushing pedals if my commute were 8 miles.

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spacepirates

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Igni Ferroque

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Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold"
Reply #12 - 09/11/09 at 11:56:48

verslagen1 wrote on 09/11/09 at 11:16:03:

8 miles is only a good stretch of the legs
I'd be pushing pedals if my commute were 8 miles.

L.A. might be different, but here in the 'Burgh (City of Champyinz!) I'd lose my life if I bicycled those 8 miles. Cagers here drive like madmen, there aren't any sidewalks by the roads I need to take, and I go through a bad neighborhood or two. Oh, and I'm lazy.

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BurnPgh

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Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold"
Reply #13 - 09/11/09 at 13:36:09

your forgot to mention the f'in hills.

Couple questions - Did you ever get the washers to do the white spacer mod? I dont think that would have much effect on starting. Just curious. Also FYI, unless you rejetted again i put in a 55 and 152.5. "Backwards a bit eh? you've got it"

When trying choke are you pulling it all the way out or halfway. My bike will NEVER start using the full choke. I always use half choke with no issues.

Other than that checking the plug to make sure its in good condition and thats you're getting a strong spark. Battery may be a problem. Id get a big crank just to have it though.

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spacepirates

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Igni Ferroque

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Re: Trouble starting her in the "cold"
Reply #14 - 09/11/09 at 13:44:30

BurnPgh wrote on 09/11/09 at 13:36:09:

your forgot to mention the f'in hills.

Couple questions - Did you ever get the washers to do the white spacer mod? I dont think that would have much effect on starting. Just curious. Also FYI, unless you rejetted again i put in a 55 and 152.5. "Backwards a bit eh? you've got it"

yes, the hills... the hills.

and i did get those jets ass-backwards.

full choke, half choke, no choke... same results: nothing.

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