[Frostbit]

Anyone on here have a 2006 FST that refuses to start once the temperature goes beyond minus 10? The guy down the street picked up a new leftover FST Switchback and she refuses to start at these temperatures. Farts and pops, thats it. Last night he brought the battery inside and slow charged it overnight. Today, same results. I say them 4 strokes can be cold blooded. He says " Its a snowmobile, that means cold and winter. It was engineered for this. Its supposed to start"

Can't disagree with that.

Its had the current updates done. Anyone have a 06 FST that can share some insight? Remedies? He was thinking a battery blanket, but his bring the battery in the house overnight sure didn't help. Perhaps a coolant heater? That won't be fun camping out in the sticks, which he does.

Thanks

 

[rnet]

IN Canada last year it did the same thing as you explained, but idid get it running (-35) not a battery problem. I got it started by holding throttle wide open, then it was only running on one cylinder and once in a while the other till it hit 123 degrees, then it ran ok. When it did start the motor was very noisy and it fumed black smoke so bad you coud'nt see me from five feet away. I hope the reflash takes care of this. Not a good fealing on a backpacking trip and its cold out knowing this, by the way next night same temps only was able to put my sled in garage at holiday inn thanks to bill and the HI staff.

 

[cfm]

Probably cold start programming issue. The colder it is, the more fuel needs to be added. Many OEM's (snowmobiles, cars, trucks, etc) have had problems with temps down at this level - mostly because it's hard to find these temps in the real world (or tough to get there) while programming. Most err on the rich side. As you see, very educated guesses don't always work with EFI.

Most OEM fuel injection systems will cut off fuel if you hold throttle wide open during starting. I'm not sure if this is the case on these sleds, but a good chance. I would check it out in the meantime. This helps start a flooded engine.

Also, if you have a IAT (intake air temperature) and this sensor is easy to check, I would look at the sensor tip to see if it's iced up.

 

[Smokeless1]

Typical fouled plug issue. Once he changes them, tell him to stop starting and stopping until the machine runs for at least 10 minutes. This is a high compression engine and they don't like running for short period, (so all his friends can hear it run....) and then stopping it. A few times and it will foul the plugs. If you start it running it for at least 10 minutes til the engine gets fully warmed up, thus leaning out the fuel and burning off the glazing of the plugs.

Yamaha does it, Polaris does it, they all do it with high compr. engine and 4 stroke. Switch out the plugs to irridium type and they are less prone to this. Once he gets a 1000 miles it stops this action.

 

[real-steel]

Anyone on here have a 2006 FST that refuses to start once the temperature goes beyond minus 10? The guy down the street picked up a new leftover FST Switchback and she refuses to start at these temperatures. Farts and pops, thats it. Last night he brought the battery inside and slow charged it overnight. Today, same results. I say them 4 strokes can be cold blooded. He says " Its a snowmobile, that means cold and winter. It was engineered for this. Its supposed to start"

Can't disagree with that.

Its had the current updates done. Anyone have a 06 FST that can share some insight? Remedies? He was thinking a battery blanket, but his bring the battery in the house overnight sure didn't help. Perhaps a coolant heater? That won't be fun camping out in the sticks, which he does.

Thanks[/b]

I've had the same issues with my '06 FST, even at temps above zero. Polaris does make an engine heater (125 watts) that attaches to the right side engine mount. May help some.
New plugs really helped mine for cold weather starting, but it shouldn't be such a problem. I also went to 0w-40 four stroke Amsoil. Seemed to help some too.

 

[cfm]

If there are no issues other than programming, you could do the following as I had to do for a GM truck cold starting issue from programming until a fix came out. These would start fine until about 0°F and then would flood from too much fuel under this.

Sometimes disconnecting the coolant temp sensor would work, for computer would put in a set value seeing there was no signal. Some would not respond to this, so the next time temp was closer to 0° we checked the resistance (coolant temp sensor work off of ohms resistance) of coolant temp sensor and ran to radio shack to buy a resistor with this value. These resistors are $1 or under. Then when temp got under this we'd unplug connector to coolant temp and stick resistor into plugs connector (one end in one terminal and other into other terminal in connector) and fire it up. The computer therefore thought coolant temp was near 0. May run rough for a few since it was not 0°F out, but would not flood engine + plugs.

Did this until programming update was made. Kind of a pain, but easier than no start or fighting a no start and fouling plugs all the time. Leaving resistor with vehicle made this less of a pain.

Worth a consideration ?

BTW: We had to do this with a few Saab's also. You figure ? They are from Sweden. LOL !

 

[Keetna]

My '06 FST switchback, which only has the reflash done on it, started at -14*F last weekend. It took 3 turns of the key, but it started right up. The plugs were changed the day before though.

 

[eastreich]

I've had the same cold starting difficulties with mine. At -15 F it isn't super happy. I had to jump it once, so I have a feeling that my battery isn't in the best condition. It has been getting much easier to start as I have put more miles on the motor.

If you hold the throttle wide open, it does cut off the fuel when starting. I automatically do this if it hasn't started by the third turn of the key. Then it will usually fire right up. I also make sure that I have a set of jumper cables in the truck, just in case...

 

[Snowbeeler]

If you hold the throttle wide open, it does cut off the fuel when starting. I automatically do this if it hasn't started by the third turn of the key. Then it will usually fire right up. I also make sure that I have a set of jumper cables in the truck, just in case...[/b]

This is the best advice. If it don't start its flooded. Holding throttle open does work most times. Do not keep trying more than 5 times before holding throttle open.

 

[gizz]

This is the best advice. If it don't start its flooded. Holding throttle open does work most times. Do not keep trying more than 5 times before holding throttle open.[/b]

Really?
Thanks, i'll have to put that into my memory for a later date.
So basically 3 cranks of the key for...say about 10 seconds a crank? and if no starty then hold the throttle wide open and try again? It should start in one or 2 tries? I have a small set of jumpers that i carry in my sled just in case. I'm wondering though if i'm at the hotel and it's supposed to get down into the -20's or 30's at night if i'd be better off putting the sled in the trailer for the night. Not sure how much it would help but i bet it would help some. could always carry a propane mr. heater and fire that up in the trailer for a few minutes if all else fails.

 

[blwnsmoke]

I've actually had someone use a coleman heater and put it in there trailer.. They burn one tank a night but keeps the temps inside the trailer warmer so the sleds start on the first try. I know some may say that condensation will build up in the gas tank but they never had a problem.