KX 450 Cold Starting

[Freeride1]

I just left my 12' KX 450 out in the cold for the first time and it wouldn't start when it was 5 degrees out. I was at 800 feet elevation at my house. I am headed to Canada today to try it out and brought some heat lamps to warm it up in the morning but wondered if anyone else has trouble starting in the cold. I thought the fuel injected bikes were suppose to start in the cold. I ordered 5w 40 oil but I didn't get it yet. It has 10w 40 in it now which can't be helping. Itriedpulling the filter out and giving it a shot of fuel and then ether but neither helped until I got it warmed up a lot.

 

[the gman]

My kawasaki started ok all last year. Make sure you don't touch the throttle and you have the cold start pulled out. Remember if you are running non-ethenal fuel to run a splash of red heet in your fuel. The kawasaki seems to not like the cold and over fuels the most of the fi bikes but starting at 5 degrees is a bitc$ on all of them.

 

[KAWGRN]

As said did you have the cold start pulled?probably won't start with out it?

 

[1dn5up]

I had problems at -20 the first morning about 15 min to get it firing. The next day I just stuck a magnetic block heater on the clutch cover and started up no problem after that. IF you look a few threads down there is a pic of a guy running his truck exhoust under a tarp to warm his bike up

 

[scooter4x40]

Im Just building my 07 YZ 478f and am putting 0-40 Lucas or Amsoil in, also expierementing with wrapping engine in foil bubble wrap.

 

[Jon Mutiger]

Something to note, is if you have any moisture in your oil, it will freeze.. So if your out running in powder then parking it for the night, I'd recommend running the bike for quite a long time to gas off all of the moisture.

Maxima makes a really good thin oil, called MX530. It's a 5w30, and has more Zinc and Phosphorus than any oil out there, and that's the stuff that protects the metal from metal to metal contact.

Also, make sure your coolant is up to snuff. If you've run the bike in the summer, it's possible that you have topped up with creek water or from your camelback as its spit out on a long pull. If your coolant is gelling/freezing it's not going to help much. I've seen water pumps get ruined by a bike trying to spin through frozen coolant.

Outside of that, make sure you have some form of gas line additive to ensure it's not freezing somewhere in the system. There are so many different additives, and everyone has their own opinion.. But I can tell by the way my bike is running if I have added the additive or not. I'm running some fancy german made fuel injector cleaner, but I've used Methyl Hydrate with the same results.

Jon

 

[torkd]

I had problems at -20 the first morning about 15 min to get it firing. The next day I just stuck a magnetic block heater on the clutch cover and started up no problem after that. IF you look a few threads down there is a pic of a guy running his truck exhoust under a tarp to warm his bike up

Ill repost the pic here. It's not a bad idea to carry some of the exhaust tubing just in case you get a bitter cold morning.

I was looking at Semi synthetic 0W40 yamalube oil that the four stroke sleds run. Would that be safe in the bike? I too am currently running 10w40 and I think it was battling me the day I took this picture. Its not a Kawasaki but having the same problem.

 

[teal_210]

After having to jump start one bike, and pull start the others last weekend is sub-zero temps I now have a power converter and the wife's hair dryer in the pick-up.

I was thinking that heating the intake air might help the EFI systems operate they way that it's designed.

 

[Bliss]

one thing Ive changed is putting a bike cover on it during transportation, the coldness nearly triples when your driving around, I tryd it in -23C and it worked, bike fired up nicely, and it keeps all the road salt/grime off the machine.

 

[WASnowBiker]

Wind chill affect on metal

not to nit-pick, but metal does not "feel" wind chill so it doesn't make much difference if you've been towing your bike through the cold compared to if it's just been sitting there for a while. The only thing is the wind will definitely cool the bike faster, but not any colder than the ambient air around it. …I lived in Alaska 27 years and know a thing about cold.
My Berg 570 barely started last weekend in 0 degrees - which was a first and concerned me. I cary jumper cables in a small plastic cargo box I fastened to the Tsled frame rails, in front of the gas can.
If this snow bike thing catches on, I fully expect one of the majors will build a factory version and many of these "jerry-rigged" issues we're figuring out will mostly disappear. KTM could corner this market in two seasons.

 

[Freeride1]

1) choke/cold start was on.

2) we just rebuilt the top end and it has fresh coolant.

3) I run 100 octane aviation fuel so I think it was pretty clean.

The temp was 4 below last night so I used a heat lamp and a propane heater to warm it up and it started this morning.

I did grab a drier hose on the way up here to use my tail pipe incase I couldn't come up with anything else.

 

[Rush44]

The KX450 seems to like quick short kicks when it's super cold. Don't sit there and do one huge kick after another... you'll end up breaking that kick starter eventually. Do 3-4 quick succession kicks to get the mag to power up the injector and get the bike running. Jon also is correct that the moisture in the case will freeze overnight making it a problem. Running the bike hard on the way out is a good way to burn as much moisture out as possible.

As always, a good 5w-30 oil is a big plus for the winter. I like Rotella T6 5w-30 in the blue bottle.

 

[sodahucker]

I have a CRF450X. A few things I had to do: store the battery inside at night - don't use a lithium bat - got trailer wire connectors and rigged a quick connect jump start system to hook to my wife's snowmobile. For the CRF, 3 pulls on the throttle then completely off the throttle while starting helps, but it's got a carb.

 

[theultrarider]

3) I run 100 octane aviation fuel so I think it was pretty clean.

There's your issue. I've run 3 different sleds that run on avgas. When it gets cold they are a bitch to start. The avgas just doesn't flash off like pump gas or race fuel. When it gets good and cold (-20 or colder) I don't even try to start them without a shot or two of starting fluid. That or a squirt bottle of pump gas and spray it in the airbox. They would pop right of on the pump gas. You would pull forever on the avgas. Once you have some heat in the motor, no problem.

 

[badaltitude]

There's your issue. I've run 3 different sleds that run on avgas. When it gets cold they are a bitch to start. The avgas just doesn't flash off like pump gas or race fuel. When it gets good and cold (-20 or colder) I don't even try to start them without a shot or two of starting fluid. That or a squirt bottle of pump gas and spray it in the airbox. They would pop right of on the pump gas. You would pull forever on the avgas. Once you have some heat in the motor, no problem.

This guy got it rite on the money. My 08 kawi didnt like to start in the summer on 100ll av gas. Let alone in sub freezing cold. It doesn't flash off like stated above. Also one thing to note is that if your bike is stock running a higher octane fuel will actually have a negative effect on performance. You will not be burning all of the fuel...higher octane means a higher resistance to combustion. Takes more compression or spark to fully burn. Also running at a higher altitude will compound this effect. Running too much octane is bad. Just as bad as not enough. Your bike was designed to run on 91 octane unleaded fuel at or close to sea level. It will run just fine with 91 at 10k feet. My bike actually runs better and starts easier with 87 octane reg. at 10k. One more thing...my 13 kx450 hates and I mean hates 100ll or vp race. Pops and sputters like no tomorrow and is an absolute pig to get started even at 90* above. But runs and starts perfectly with 91 unleaded. To each their own but try a lower octane fuel...you may be surprised with the results.

 

[mtn-doo]

This guy got it rite on the money. My 08 kawi didnt like to start in the summer on 100ll av gas. Let alone in sub freezing cold. It doesn't flash off like stated above. Also one thing to note is that if your bike is stock running a higher octane fuel will actually have a negative effect on performance. You will not be burning all of the fuel...higher octane means a higher resistance to combustion. Takes more compression or spark to fully burn. Also running at a higher altitude will compound this effect. Running too much octane is bad. Just as bad as not enough. Your bike was designed to run on 91 octane unleaded fuel at or close to sea level. It will run just fine with 91 at 10k feet. My bike actually runs better and starts easier with 87 octane reg. at 10k. One more thing...my 13 kx450 hates and I mean hates 100ll or vp race. Pops and sputters like no tomorrow and is an absolute pig to get started even at 90* above. But runs and starts perfectly with 91 unleaded. To each their own but try a lower octane fuel...you may be surprised with the results.

That was well said! You understand fuel and octane. It is important to understand. Higher octane is "LESS" flammable. No power gains whatsoever. It only allows you to "squeeze it" tighter without it detonating or pre-igniting. It is less flammable simply to allow for aggressive engine mods. Slow to lite and slow burning. Less "bang". It is needed for boost or super high compression. The "less" octane you can run the better the performance. You want it to be on the edge of igniting, but just barely shy of detonation. That is your best performance. Over octane-ing hurts overall performance.

 

[paulharris]

As always, a good 5w-30 oil is a big plus for the winter. I like Rotella T6 5w-30 in the blue bottle.

Isnt that a diesel oil? i run Rotella T6 in my dodge and its clearly marked as a diesel oil. maybe they have one for gas engines too

 

[Freeride1]

I understand how octane/altitude/air temp affect a motor. That's why I ran the 100ll. I was riding from 200 feet to 2500 feet max at -5 with no fuel controller so I was worried I would have to much oxygen so I tried to compensate with the fuel. I just got my Dobeck 4 this week so maybe that will help. Until I get out to McCall I have a different issue than most able bike riders I think. I will run pump gas now that I am back home and see if it can start outside. It has warned up a lot though.

The hose in the tailpipe worked great though. The cover really made that trick better that parking the binge next to the tail pipe alone.

 

[Rush44]

Its OK to be wrong . Trust me, Rotella is great oil for our bikes.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

 

[theultrarider]

I understand how octane/altitude/air temp affect a motor. That's why I ran the 100ll. I was riding from 200 feet to 2500 feet max at -5 with no fuel controller so I was worried I would have to much oxygen so I tried to compensate with the fuel. I just got my Dobeck 4 this week so maybe that will help. Until I get out to McCall I have a different issue than most able bike riders I think. I will run pump gas now that I am back home and see if it can start outside. It has warned up a lot though.

The hose in the tailpipe worked great though. The cover really made that trick better that parking the binge next to the tail pipe alone.

The EFI system will compensate for your change in oxygen for the temps and elevation. Running a fuel it is not calibrated for will only confuse it. This is assuming you are not running a motor with a major change of compression cams ect... If the motor is anywhere near stock, run stock fuel. You are only shooting yourself in the foot playing with the fuel when it is not need for that motor.