Picked up the Speed yesterday, planned on riding today but can't get it to start. I've run the battery down trying to start so it's on the chharger now. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, any tips.

The motor cranks fine, but it seems like it's not firing. When I first tried it fired a couple times but when I released the start button it cut off. Then the battery ran down and it wouldn't even crank. I charged it up and tried again with no luck, charging again now.

I've read the startup procudures and followed, is it possbly fludded?

 

JayBR what is ur e-mail address?

 

Jaybr@home.com

 

JAYBR,

Read the Cold start procedure in the owner's manual. Make sure you have the 2002 ATV Owner's Manual (red C on the cover).

You want to press that little green button once quickly (1 second) to "wake up the brain" and allow the idle air bypass valve to move and the injectors to pressurize. This should take about 5 seconds on a cold engine. After five seconds, press and hold the engine start button for up to 3 seconds then release it if the engine does not start. Holding that start button down for longer than 3 seconds is a no no on the Cannindale EFI system. After the first few cranks, the fuel spray declines to too little to cold start. What you gotta do is crank multiple times to get the fuel spray from the injectors.


And NEVER touch the throttle when starting!

hope that helps

 

I must have the old manual, it's says FX400 in red on the cover. I'll contact Cannondale tomorrow and see if they will send me the new one as there are some other instructions I need that are wrong in this manual.

My dealer told me to turn the switch on and tehn hold the green button for 5 seconds before engageing the clutch. Then engage the clutch and start.

 

Yeah,

The dealer is telling you the wrong way to do it.

I have seen a lot of mis-information on this message board and heard a lot of horror stories that can be cured with the right information.

After you turn the ignition key ON, then press that green button WITHOUT pulling in the clutch. That will latch the ECU power relay and energize the system. If you have good ears you can hear the relay "click" and the fuel pump turn on for 3 seconds then turn off.
You should wait about 5 seconds after "waking up the brain" before you pull in the clutch then start cranking...so the idle air valve has enough time to moving inside the throttle body and the fuel pump will pressurize the fuel rail (behind injectors).

If you don't wait for this to happen, the position of the idle valve will not be correct. You will experience hard starting and plug fouling.

I know for a fact that you can call Cannondale and give them your name and VIN # and they will send you the new manual.


They are awesome.

 

That's not working either. I can hear the relay click and the fuel pump turn on for a few seconds. I also hear the fuel pump running when I have the clutch pulled and am pushing the green button to start, is that normal?

It doesn't sound like it's getting any spark.

 

Make sure the fuel hoses are connected to the tank properly and that there is fuel movement visible in the filter when the fuel pump is on.

If you have good fuel, then the plug might be fouled. This is a common although curable thing. Once you learn the starting technique, you'll have no more trouble. Replace that plug and try the cold start procedure. Also, ask you dealer if your vehicle has the latest cold start mapping released by cannondale.


Engine Calibration Files

 

Plug was fouled, I'm sure it was my fault. Pulled the plug and cleaned real good, put it back and it started right up.(following the proper procedure of course) I would have put a new plug in but all the parts stores are closed. I guess tomorrow I'll pick up a few.

Thanks for all of your help.

 

Hope you feel like buying a $9 spark plug. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img] I had the same problem with my Cannibal the first time I got it. More than likely you fouled the plug. You're gonna have to take off the seat, rear plastic, front plastic, cross bars over the gas tank, the gas tank, and then after you get the coil out you'll need a LONG extension to get to the spark plug. This really sucks (I've done it twice) but I'm about 90% posotive thats what it is, from your description. Make sure you don't shut it off and turn it back on a lot, and don't hold the starter for a long time. When your ready to call it a day, rev the motor a few times before you shut it off too. Hope this helps. Oh, I almost forgot, you can just clean the plug with a wire brush too but it's kinda handy to have an extra plug on hand just incase.