Winter starting 101...Let's borrow a quote from the book written by Philzie. "Here is my prediction:
It will start within 3 seconds because I will full choke it then pump the
accelerator about 5 times. It will probably die almost immediately, but, I
will pump it again and it will fire up. Then I will be able to keep it running
by teasing the throttle. I will have to keep full choke on for about 30
seconds to 1 minute, then go to half-choke for about 3-5 minutes."

This has got to be the all-time, dead accurate interperatation of a cold 400 ex...works every time! Even after a three hour drive on a trailer, 12 degrees plus windchill.

 

When you say pump the throttle do you mean a full turn of the throttle or a little. Also after pumping the throttle the fifth time do you hold the throttle at any particular position before hitting the start button?

 

Push the throttle all the way.
When you go to hit the start button, keep your thumb on the throttle. Leave it closed until it starts, but be ready to tease it.

 

Andrew, I have one of those heaters in my garage and I aimed it at my battery. Seemed to help.

I was told that hitting the throttle will flood a 400EX real fast. What I do in the warm weather is full choke, start button once, then little tap of the gas and repeat till it starts. They when it does start it stalls and then starts back up. I rev the engine then by taping the throttle constantly.

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Evan Johnson 400EX/LT250R

 

Gorby, don't squeeze the throttle while turning it over...she'll never start that way! If it doesn't kick, pump it a few more times and try again. Once you get that first "blaaah"...you're real close...a few more pumps and restart...teasing it after the kick. Be patient before setting the choke to halfway cause it'll just stall again.

 

sorry, double post...

ratnshmattn internet.



[This message has been edited by philzie (edited 01-25-2000).]

 

I have never, since I have owned my 400EX, flooded it or fouled a spark plug. Once it wouldn't start, that was because I had bumped the bar-mounted kill switch to off. I didn't notice it until I had the airbox lid off and I was going to unscrew the airfilter. (so I could spray starting fluid in there)

 

O.K. everyone, here's the real deal. My '99 400EX wouldn't start at all when it was cold (and here in Arizona, cold is 65 degrees). The problem is you need to open up the pilot jet. It's on the bottom of the carb intake, between the float bowl and the cylinder jug. It's a real pain to get to because the starter casing is in your way, real tough to get even a small stubby screwdriver on it. If your lucky, there will be enough of the screw sidewall protruding from the hole, and you can get a set of needle nose pliers on it to adjust it out.

Once your pilot jet is richened enough, it should start right up even in the coldest of weather.

Your carb has final adjustments made to it at the dealership when they prep it. This usually occurs in a nice warm and cozy shop area. Your "relative" fuel mixture is completely different in much thinner, colder air, and you have to compensate for that. Those quads should fire up first crank with no problem if their carb is adjusted properly, you have fuel in the float bowl and it's not restricted by a fuel valve in the wrong position, and you have spark getting to the plug instead of being cut off at the kill switch in the "off" position.

Hope this helps.......