A very good friend of mine has a 2004 650 arctic cat he bought new last fall that he couldn't use for deer hunting or plowing snow this winter because when the temps fall below 30 deg. it just cranks but won't start... and the choke cable has been fixed twice. The choke cable binds up when you try to turn on the choke, snaps free and then feels like it isn't hooked to anything. He keeps a cover on it, so it's not getting water in it and freezing... You'd think maybe they should change the name on the 650twin to "summercat" cause last fall
when the temps were 50 deg. and above it was an awesome quad!

I thought I'd post this on the kawi forum also, as you guys probably have a lot more experience with this engine... is it simply a carb.
adjustment/calibration issue? I know my old sp600 was worthless until I rejetted the carb. also. would the hop up cdi boxes availible
help this also??? Any help would be greatly appreciated as the cat dealer seems to have no clue on how to fix it and acts as if Cat
doesn't either. Thanks.

 

DANO38
With a baseline assuming you have your bike properly jetted, You have several potential Culprits:

1. Sounds like your mixture screw is set too lean for the cold temp. Back out Mixture screw 1/4 turn increments more when cold to see if she starts better & not hiccup/caugh in airbox.
2. Get you a battery tender and or ensure your battery is fully charged and run synthetic motor oil.
3. Ensure your choke plunger springs are not worn (stretch them out 1/3 more & reinstall) & generously lube your choke plungers
4. Inspect sparkplugs; Change if needed and ensure plugs are tight. Also after you get it started get you a squirt bottle with water mist, and in a dark environment, spray mist over spark plug wire ends. If you see sparks at cap or coil your plug wire/caps needs tightened or replaced
5. Do not leave fuel petcock in run position when quad is parked. put fresh gas in and use fuel stabilizer
6. If you've done any mods ensure your carbs are in sync

Good websites to viisit
http://atv.dnsalias.com for Maintenance & Performance tips
http://www.smellofdeath.com/lloydy/jetting.htm for Jetting
http://cochise.uia.net/pkelley2/sparkplugreading.html for How to on Sparkplug checking/reading

Happy Trails,

TuffENuff
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Thanks for the Ideas TuffENuff, it only has about 350/400 miles on it, has a fresh synthetic oil change recently, no mods have been done, and since the battery went dead trying to start it when it first acted up last october he bought a powersport battery charger to
hook up to it. oh, and yes he has been turning off the fuel petcock when parking it too. My guess is it probably is a carb adjustment issue, much like the problems I had with my '03 polaris sp600. Just very frustrating, you would think that with these machines (including polaris) being made in minnesota, they would start in our climate. I learned with my machines to fix them myself if I want it done right, but his is still in warranty, and it shouldn't keep having the choke cable issues also. If they don't have it fixed today when he picks
it up, I'll probably offer to fix it for him. These carbs are a little different than my polaris was, but youve given me some ideas of what to check for. would it also help to richen this thing up? by raising the needle jets a position, or adjusting the idle mixture? has there been an official "cold start" update kit put out by kawi like polaris did for the 600/700 twins?

 

just to let you know it is probally a carb problem as i have no difficulty starting my 650 down to-15f . I just give it full choke and hit the starter. It hadly turns over before it fires up.

 

Dano38
My KAWI has always been cold-natured.

The mixture screw adjustment should solve your start problem. Also, some Kawisakis like a little throttle & Choke and some just like the choke full on and start button. Mine starts easier if I turn the fuel on, then turn key on for 5-10 secs, full choke, press start button and it fires on 5 or 6 revolution when cold. When hot I have to give it 1/8 throttle and she fires right up.

The Website info on jetting and sparkplug reading I previously provided you should steer you in right direction on whether you need to raise the needles and or install bigger or smaller jets. Each bike has its own idiosyncracies & you have to tailor the tune to the bike. Don't assume you have a good battery if you've ran it down a time or two. Have battery checked and or get you a trickle charger.

Happy Trails[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

He went to pick it up today and it's still not fixed. The choke lever was stuck, wouldn't move again, and it wouldn't start. It is about 32deg. outside here. Now the battery is nearly dead again. They have had it for 2 weeks, and said they tried it several times after
they "fixed" it... He is leaving it there one more week and then he is picking it up fixed or not. I Think I'll offer to try to fix it for him if he wants. It seems like the tech's aren't properly trained there. Iv'e been picking on him to buy a new efi polaris like mine, but just in fun.
This is really an awesome machine in the summer so I'd like to see him get it fixed!

 

Update: The dealer ordered a new choke cable for it... says that will fix it... I still wonder about the jetting/air screw adjustment...
We will find out soon I guess. Got good I dea from ac forum, I will try my cable luber on the choke cable as a possible long term fix for the cable sticking, but still not convinced it doesn't need more. Oh well, it will be summer soon I guess, then this "summer" cat will run
grrrrreat! Just kidding Bob. Thanks, Dan.

 

I don't know if the AC has the same choke cable as the Prairie. But my friend has trouble starting his Prairie in colder temps, found out the pilot jet srews were set at 1 1/2 turns. Turn them out to 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 and that will help. Fixed his! Plus its common to have to give these machines a little throttle when starting.
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]