What's your vote on the best cold starting utility machine?

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The segway is that I'm considering buying a utility atv 4x4 that I'll use 99% in the snow on the lake when ice fishing and need to be ready for those negitive 10 degree overnights.

Need a machine that can pull 400lbs over the snow (packed vs. unpacked ?) and thinking about either a 400, 450 or 500 and hoping to upgrade to tracks (mattracks, cattracks etc) after 1 or 2 years.

Will carry the wife and dog on board from time to time.......

So, it is a new machine suggestion question with the cold start header [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] thx!!!!

 

I would think you would be way ahead going with fuel injection, vs a carb!

Don't tracks require monster power??? Even the 500 class might not cut it???

A lot of folks don't think about this, but be sure to run a light winter weight oil, like a synthetic 0W30....

I love my Rancher 420 (a properly equipped Rancher will do extremely well in the snow!), but I think you need lots more power (???).

 

reconranger

good tips and interesting question on the Tracks

looking at various sites that sell tracks, it seems that they have models for 300 and up depending on manuf.

so the real question is, just because they sell them for a 400, is it good to use them on a 400?

anyone with an opinion on this?

 

Ive seen quads with tracks:

Outlander 650-800
Polaris 700-800
Arctic Cat 650-700

Basically i think anything over 500cc will turn tracks, maybe even 500. But a 400 i believe will struggle

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: reconranger

I would think you would be way ahead going with fuel injection, vs a carb!



Don't tracks require monster power??? Even the 500 class might not cut it???



A lot of folks don't think about this, but be sure to run a light winter weight oil, like a synthetic 0W30....



I love my Rancher 420 (a properly equipped Rancher will do extremely well in the snow!), but I think you need lots more power (???).</end quote></div>


Does anybody know how a synthetic would work on a Rubicon? My concern is the transmission.

 

I have a 500 X2 with EFI. I haven't had any cold starting problems so far. Surprising considering the chilly 70 degree Alabama nights &lt;------- sarcasm.

I believe that the main reason most manufactures are going to EFI is to avoid this problem.

 

Not sure about the other efi's but, my sportsman 700 efi takes only a flick of the key and it's purring in below zero weather every time.

 

Never really had any problems with my carb or efi pols down to -10. The carb does take longer to warm up. The efi takes off quicker but still let it warm up some normally. On the other hand my wifes outy 400 carb gets to 30 & have to crank & choke it quite a bit.

 

There is no "best" cold start engine. It's not like Honda engines say " I start best when it's cold and a yammi engines say "I don't start so good when it's cold."

It's all in the tune. I can tune an engine to any weather condition. If it starts hard when cold I can put in a bigger pilot jet.
It's all in the tune not make or model.

 

Maybe so but, take a rincon vs. an sp700efi right out of some two random garages at -5 degrees and you'll find one does start better than the other.