Starting an ATV in cold weather

[bearfat]

Feb 3-11th I spent a week in northern Minnesota with some pretty cold weather. When I pulled in to unload the ATV and start sledding in my stuff the temp was -22 below.

I didn't even bother with the electric starter but went right to the pull starter. I am pleased to announce the machine never let me down all week, and -10 below was pretty much the avg temp I was starting it in.

I did bring a new spare battery since the original is now 2 years old. I didn't use it.

When I bought the 700cc engine I told them I specifically wanted a pull start besides the electric start. It is definitely a wrist breaker but it started!





Anybody else have cold weather starting tips, stories, etcetera?

[rifleman]

bearfat,

Is there any clearace around the oilpan to attach either a magnetic or stickon heater. Fleet Farm has a number of types of heaters in the automotive section. You'd obviously need power. I would guess your cabin has electricity, or you use a generator?

Dave

[bearfat]

No electricity. No generator. One winter we couldn't get the truck started due to -20 plus and we had to get out to Lax Lake so I stuck a big turkey cooker burner (on low) under the truck engine for an hour watching it closely, and covered the front of truck with a big tarp to keep heat in. It started.

A guy could build a ramp to drive the ATV up on at night, throw a tarp over it and do the same with the turkey cooker (on low) and watch it closely. It would be a whole lot safer to use one of those Coleman propane heaters that kick out 3000 BTU underneath instead of an actual flame    

I'd often thought about just building another long shed too strictly for ATV protection with an old wood stove on one end to fire up, but...I got plans to take this thing out next year on the big lake Mille Lacs for a few days and it will have to start.

Last week was a good test though. I feel confident solely with the pull start. I did hit the starter one morning just to see and all it did was give a big old groan, definitely didn't sound good on the starter.

[camsdaddy]

Wow you mentioned cold weather tips and my lil south ga mind was thinking about trying to start mine in 30 degree weather thinking that was cold. I dont have a tip but will be following this thread mine is hesitant to start until it has turned over for awhile like its turning just aint trying to fire. -20 my goodness

[gdolby]

was elk hunting at around 9000 feet in nov. My 04 700 suzuki started but when I put it in gear and hit the throttle it stuck almost wide open made for a few interesting moments. got it shut down went back to camp at lunch and  it worked fine. not sure about the temp but do know if I wasn't hunting dang sure wuldn't have been outside. you all have a goodun.....Bill

[carbineman]

bearfat, What part of northern Manysodas do you frequent? I hunt whitetail every fall near Orr just west of Cusson. Nice area, as we camp in an old travel trailer for 10 days.

[bearfat]

Your way up there...about 100 miles north of me (Silver Bay)

If you mean one of those pop up trailers I love those things.

[carbineman]

I see you are on Lake Superior. Is that area hit by Lake Effect snow? Or does the wind need to be more easterly to have any bearing on that?

My camper is a hard sided camper that is a 16' with 13' of useable space. It has top and bottom bunks in the back, furnace with closet on top in the middle, across from that is range and small sink with counter top and dinette table with bench seats in front. Small but adequate for two guys in the Kabetogema State Forest.

[bearfat]

I'm about two miles in from the big lake as the crow flys. Here's a pic walking back into cabin after dropping off bear bait last fall. I set up a bait station about 500 yards away from cabin. You can see Wisconsin about 20 miles away.



But yes we get the lake effect with snow and wind. Here's a pic from last weekend, wind blew window in and we got some internal snow. The locals said snow storm was as bad as it gets.

[carbineman]

I would imagine that the cabin was even colder than ususal to start out with that visit. I suppose with the LP lights and range you can heat it up fairly fast.

You have a nice cabin and area to frequent whether to hunt or just get away from it all. Do you deer hunt the rea as well?

I own one of those Honda EU2000i "suitcase" style generators plus another bigger welder generators and that little honda is just great for everything we do at "deer camp" in Manysodas. We have 12 volt lights and we have a small battery we charge with that. We have a toaster and drip coffee maker along with a small electric heater to take the chill off early morning and when returning to camp after the days hunt. The Honda is whisper quiet and run forever on one gallon of gasoline. To top it off the Honda weighs just 46 lbs.

During a recent power outage we ran the fridge, freezer, TV, computer and cellphone chargers off this generator all at the same time

[bearfat]

Actually I have a website devoted just to the cabin. I'm behind in the "2007 Cabin Log" but I think you'll get a kick out of the site.

The site costs me 11.95 a month through Yahoo for 5 gigabytes of space and all the stuff you'll see is only 2 gigabytes so I've got space to grow.

The video is slowing some of the pages way down so I'm right in the middle of switching all the video through a photobucket.com link. I lose some quality but it is simply too slow to download it all and quite frustrating for most to view.

http://buckmountainchateau.com/

[carbineman]

Thanks I'll check it out.

[carbineman]

bearfat, I really enjoyed browsing your website. Lots of laughs looking over the pics and reading the text as well.
I live just west of Green Bay on 27 wooded acres adjoining another 90 or so, and really like it. But my trip to Orr every year really gets that big Woods feeling you can't get in farm country, plus after opening weekend, there are no people around.

[bearfat]

Yaaa my life evolves around the North Shore pretty much.

No doubt we pass one another on the roads for a stretch going up for the annual deer hunt.

I always get a kick out of those guys with the big school buses converted into a hunting cabin on wheels. Some of them even have a wood stove pipe sticking out of the roof.

The thing is jammed full of gear and about 6-8 guys are in there drinking and laughing as they go bye.

You know those guys are gonna have a fun week 

[darrell8937]

I have always wished for a propane start fuel circuit on my truck. These were once very popular in the extreme north where temps drop well below zero. Beside the battery weakening in the cold, the main problem  is that gas when it flows through the intake manifold and past the valves ets, it puddles from touching the cold metal. Propane is a gas and not a vapor like gas so it ignites much easier. Propane is compatible with most 4 stroke engines. The proper valving and regulator is all that is required! It would be nice to just hook up your propane tank and start her and let it run a bit and then back to gas! Fuel injection especially port fuel injection has virtualy solved the gas problem, extra battery capacity is a must in the extreme cold, Storing your battery inside in the wood stove warmth helps a great deal, (not actually in the wood stove),, silly! no reason why a small engine would not benefit as well.

[darrell8937]

That was a great web site, Thanks for taking the time to share all that man stuff with us. We just lost of he man woman haters gun club/drinkin ,, fun camp. In Northern Maine! Buddy"and wife owned it. There breaking up, camp now in her hands,, damnn, soon we will have another!

[whiskybill]

bearfat nice website you have and you are for sure in the peaceful woods Forum gets real slow this time of the year last post all most 9 months ago

[bearfat]

I might need the valves looked at. It takes almost 20 mins to run right when it super cold. I took the same annual vacation again with...well take a look at some of the temps I was firing it up in:



Is fuel injection better in cold weather?