yeah, try running it out of fuel.then see.

 

I checked it last winter for alignment issues and checked the one way bearing in the primary.I replaced the belt last week and blew the dust out the clutches.I can recall last last year testing it without the belt.Thanks

 

Yep,tried running it out of fuel to as a matter a fact I forgot the fuel was off last night taking it off the trailer and it cut off,when I hit the start again it would not turn over so I hit the start again and it spun over fine,turned the fuel on and it started right up.I rode it all day yesterday and it run perfect.As mentioned,it's starts up fine cold and will run all day without any issues but again only if it is switched off before the engine is up to temp is when it will do it.Never does this in the summer

 

yeah, its a pickle! i would try removing the starter drive anyway even though its new,in case its an alignment problem,cause that could inhibit both ways of starting temperarily,but still,,,,,,,,,damn,,,,,it would't be IN the engine cause of the temperature sensitvity,so outside of the engine prob???

 

LOL it's crazy for sure,I spent hours upon hours last winter on it and never thought anything else about all summer until I backed it out the shop the other day cut it off,shut the building went to restart it and sure enough it did it and I thought about the low temps.Makes no sense to me,when the engine is warm it will start over and over perfect till the battery dies.You would never know this issue existed on my PoPo unless you stumbeled on it by accident by cutting it off while cold,even then it is random,if it was cut on and off cold 10 times in say 30 seconds it might do it 4 out of 10 trys????

 

Maybe it needs some deep mud to calibrate the system,it has not seen any in a while

 

Well seems the issue is getting worse as temps get into the freezing zone,the same as last winter when it first began.It started up perfect the other morning as usual backed it out the shop,switched it off while it was still cold and tried to restart it and it was like the starter hit a brick wall ,bumped the starter switch about 5 times and it started up,so I did some experimenting and switched it off and on a few more times and it continued to do it so I let it warm up for about 15 minutes and it will start a hundred times with no issues and runs fine,the first initial start is perfect but if it is shut off while cold the engine will seize up or so it seems to.This problem does not exist at all during the warmer months only in temps below 40 degrees F.I've owned other SP500s but never had this issue.I have wrecked my brain over this one.Replaced the starter,starter drive,battery,removed the drive belt and checked clutch alignment ect..,adjusted valve lash,replaced the decompression spring,checked all connections,have run it out of fuel when cold,replaced needle/seat.For some reason I keep thinking it is something to do with the decompression lever not returning to the rest point allowing the decomp. ball to stay up to allow the exhaust valve to open to release compression.I can live with this issue because it runs perfect with no drivability problems.Just hoping someone has run into this before.I'm open to suggestions.

 

if you try a compression tester maybe that will show if your decompressor is malfunctioning.my reading is 70psi with it working well,,,,,,,i would imagine with a malfunk it might read somewheres in the 90--120 range,,,,,,,,,check it cold,,,then hot if it drops down then,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Thanks,I'll give it a try while it's cold if I can get it to turn over enough to show up on my gauge,if not normally it will take several trys bumping the starter before it starts and it is pretty predictable so I'll pull the plug out after the first try and see if the engine frees up.What puzzles me is the fact that it starts up so well with temps in the teens and if I forget to turn the gas on it will spin over fine until I remember but shutting it off after the engine starts in "cold" weather without allowing it to warm up it will do it,If I start it and allow it to warm up and ride I would never know this issue existed.

 

did you try my suggestion a while back about running it out of fuel then turning the fuel on and starting it cold.after what you just said STILL sounds like your hydalocking cause of a bad needle seat ***.or the latest,,,,,,,,,,,,,