Why does it seem hard to find aftermarket upgrade parts for the arctic cat bearcat 454? If anyone has information please help. I would like to find a better carb and exhaust. I have always had trouble getting this machine started in cold weather and would like to find some aftermarket parts for this model to improve starting and performance.

 

On the manual choke models, they are hard to start usually cause by incorrect starting technique. Choke full on and do not touch the throttle and crank. If you do hit the throttle, they do not want to start at all.

 

Arctic has sent bulletins on the use of the choke on this model and it is little help in the cold starting. When I asked the dealer I purchased the machine from I was told to bring it back for a primer system upgrade kit to be installed on it. That was nothing but trouble.
Every time I ask a dealer I see at an outdoor show or at there dealership they avoid the question and say there was never a problem.
This has got to be the worst cold starting piece of equipment I have ever owned. There has to be a problem with that tiny little piece of junk spark plug they put in it or something not quite right with the fuel/carb system on this model.

 

454 was a solid machine but a tank. There were starting problems but with the carb upgrade that had the primer built in to the carb ( not the add on primer ) and getting the valves set correctly they will start in very cold weather. Just as Bear stated do not touch the throttle and full choke ( which means push down and hold it, it will feel springy ). Also, check your idle speed, if idle is set to fast it is the same as touching the throttle and will not start.

 

Thanks for the info. I know about the choke operation. But never has anyone said anything about a carb upgrade for this model.
Is there a bulletin from the factory on this upgrade or was it just a change on the next generation and forget about the problems of the past?

 

All unit that did not have primer in the carb were supposed to have been converted. I know that some of them slipped through the cracks because I've seen a few that have not been updated. I doubt that you can get it done for free anymore because of the time frame, but it doesn't cost anything to try.