My 02 700 is hard to start sometimes. For example, today it took pull after pull to get going after getting the sled unstuck on a small hill. This was the only time it took that long to get going but even when stopping for a break and starting back up it takes 5-10 pulls sometimes. I've heard there is a diaphragm in the carbs that can go bad and will cause hard starting, but you can tell if it is bad if there are bubbles forming where the line goes into the carb when the engine is being turned over. No bubbles in mine. Also wondering about the on/off valve that is inline with a small coolant hose leading into the carbs, might this have something to do with the hard starting and what difference does it make being on or off. Thanks
Hard starting
- Thread starter rmkrazi
- Start date
Hard Start
I'll share with you what I was told. Check the reed valves, if you can see light through them they need to be replaced, they should be sealed or shut and no flaking. Next check the compression. They should both be 130 and could be lower but whatever it is should be almost the same(if that makes any sense) My 800 tested 94 and 112 so I just put a new piston and ring kit in. It took 8 to 10 pulls to start every time. We have it back together but have not started it yet. I was painting the muffler. I did pull it over a couple times and what a differance. I'll let you know, should be running tomarrow. If this didn't take care of it then I'm in the same boat as you. My 2002 700 starts on the first pull every time!
I'll share with you what I was told. Check the reed valves, if you can see light through them they need to be replaced, they should be sealed or shut and no flaking. Next check the compression. They should both be 130 and could be lower but whatever it is should be almost the same(if that makes any sense) My 800 tested 94 and 112 so I just put a new piston and ring kit in. It took 8 to 10 pulls to start every time. We have it back together but have not started it yet. I was painting the muffler. I did pull it over a couple times and what a differance. I'll let you know, should be running tomarrow. If this didn't take care of it then I'm in the same boat as you. My 2002 700 starts on the first pull every time!
My 02 700 Renegade was hard starting last season. In my case I ended up blowing out a gasket, and kinda cooked my motor a bit, so definitely do a compression test. Could be that you're in need of a top end rebuild.
The on/off valve on the carbs is for he heated carbs option. If you turn it on then coolant will flow through a bit of the carbs to warm them up. The manual says to use this at colder temperatures, but I've never used mine, and many others have not either. This should not affect how your sled starts.
The on/off valve on the carbs is for he heated carbs option. If you turn it on then coolant will flow through a bit of the carbs to warm them up. The manual says to use this at colder temperatures, but I've never used mine, and many others have not either. This should not affect how your sled starts.
i've had 2 problems with mine starting hard the first was my secondary was on 6 for the notches that it has thats was causeing it to pull the chain case over with it so it start to move the sled. (how right now i'm not sure sence the primary wouldn't be pulling on the belt) but it did help some
and at the begaing of this season it was taking about 15 to 20 pulls to get it to start so i had my brother look at it and he seen that my choke wasn't full open like it should so now that i have that fixed it starts in 3 to 5 pulls depending on how cold it is out side
and at the begaing of this season it was taking about 15 to 20 pulls to get it to start so i had my brother look at it and he seen that my choke wasn't full open like it should so now that i have that fixed it starts in 3 to 5 pulls depending on how cold it is out side
Won't start
Well I said I would get back to you. 1st pull every time so far, man what a diff the topp end kit made, it's wild.
Well I said I would get back to you. 1st pull every time so far, man what a diff the topp end kit made, it's wild.
The motor in mine only has 1000 miles... I can't see my top end needing rebuilt for another 1-2 seasons. Any other suggestions, thanks.
Turn the little red valve for the carb heaters off and leave it off unless you ride when it is below zero, if you leave it on when it is even slightly warm out the fuel in the carbs will vaporize from the heat of the hot coolant or they will boil over and flood the engine, either way you have to pull the engine over many times to get it going again, had the same problem on an 03 Renegade 600HO, suddenly realized the carb heaters were on, closed the valve---end of problem. The carb heaters are used when it is very cold and there is a chance of inlet icing or slides sticking.
Last edited:
Don't assume that because your engine has low mileage that it doesn't need a rebuild. Age can really kill the gaskets that seal the motor (which is why one of my gaskets blew). While there may only be 1000 miles on it, that engine has been sitting in the sled going on 9 years - and who knows how long it was together before that.
While this may not be the problem, keep it in mind and don't do what I did. When I bought my 700 almost 2 years ago I said "It's running alright, I'll get a few years without rebuilding it." What happened to mine? At the end of last January the gasket gave out and I cooked my engine. Took 3 weeks to get all the parts in and reassembled, and because of that I lost the best riding we've seen in years.
I'm gonna recommend a top end job, even just for preventative maintenance.
Are the head gaskets o-rings or gasket material? I may consider pulling the head to install some new seals. IIRC wouldn't a bad gasket cause coolant to leak off into the motor, which would be one tell tale sign of o-ring failure.?
had about the same experience and my sled had been rebuilt twice before second one didn't even have 500 miles on the rebuild and it went down again. I was just going to do the top end and the dealer said to replace the crank seals cause that was probably what was causing the problem when they go bad they allow air in and it leans your machine down and then u burn it up I replaced them and honed the cylinders and replaced the pistons starts three pulls when cold and one pull after that runs great no complaints glad I listened to them and did the crank seals
