Glow Plugs for Apex

[shawnmcgr]

I couldn't start my Apex on the weekend @ -30! No problem turning over and it kept turning over, man that battery has a lot of reserve, but it wouldn't catch!

I didn't spend much time trying to figure it out but it was on the deck of my dmax pick-up which was not plugged in and the dmax started up no problem. Ya, I know I took a week off the life of the dmax but I thought it was funny that a sled, a winter vehicle (mostly), wouldn't fire up and a diesel which most peaple think have low temp start problems fires right-up!

So where can I get glow plugs for my Apex and are they difficult to install?

I might play with it a bit tonight...I love the smell of starter fluid!

 

[teeroy]

I couldn't start my Apex on the weekend @ -30! No problem turning over and it kept turning over, man that battery has a lot of reserve, but it wouldn't catch!

I didn't spend much time trying to figure it out but it was on the deck of my dmax pick-up which was not plugged in and the dmax started up no problem. Ya, I know I took a week off the life of the dmax but I thought it was funny that a sled, a winter vehicle (mostly), wouldn't fire up and a diesel which most peaple think have low temp start problems fires right-up!

So where can I get glow plugs for my Apex and are they difficult to install?

I might play with it a bit tonight...I love the smell of starter fluid!

lol....mebbe a block heater for the Apex....or circulating heater....:d

 

[dooryder]

they make those inline antifreeze heater for sleds

 

[woodies]

i'm wondering if a battery blanket might work?stuff it in at night and pull it out in the morning.my nytro fired up at 30 below yesterday maybe you have a problem?

 

[shawnmcgr]

I've been reading up at another site and I think I "Cold Fouled" the plugs. I loaded it onto the deck of my truck Saturaday night @ -30 and didn't let it warm up - just turned it off once it was on the truck. I guess they have to be warmed right up before shutting off in cold weather or then can foul the plugs.

Still wouldn't fire up last night in my garage @ -8C. So I'll try disabling the fuel pump and crank some air though to see if I can dry the plugs out. If that doesn't work I'll replace the plugs. I don't think the fuel line is froze as the exhaust smells rich. I haven't replaced a plug yet on this thing...I guess it's about time I found them...

 

[teeroy]

does it try to fire at all? a buddy's Apex wouldn't start at 25 below while we were out riding, it would fire once and just keep turning over. same deal, could smell fuel from the exhaust, finally fired up when he just touched the throttle on one of the "pops". slobbered for a minute then cleaned up.

 

[shawnmcgr]

It seems to fire sometimes on a couple of cylinders but never enough to catch. It's never hesitated to start while riding and I've ridden in -25c.

 

[teeroy]

It seems to fire sometimes on a couple of cylinders but never enough to catch. It's never hesitated to start while riding and I've ridden in -25c.

did you try to blip the throttle? it was after 45 minutes of trying to start it that that worked. tried wot while turning over and nothing, barely touched the flipper and it started. not even 1/4 throttle. what seemed to make it pop more was holding the key to the "start" position, then using the kill switch to turn the engine over and not letting the fuel pump run for so long. weird, but it worked. we were 10K from the trucks at -25 and strong winds, we were pretty happy when it fired up.

 

[TABSTER]

When i used to leave the sleds outside i would stick an enterior car warmer in the front of the nose cone....Thru a tarp over the engine and 30 min later... no cold start...

 

[RockyMtn]

Yamaha has a block heater for the 4-Strokes!!!! CHEAP too....



:d:d

 

[dooryder]

yea thats that inline coolant heater i was walking about

 

[RockyMtn]

My Bad...Polarisryder!!!... Read the threads too quick and didn't pick up on it!! No worries, the link shows him the whole deal if interseted in one!!

Can't believe the 4 cylinders are that tough to start in extreme cold conditions! Uzeste popped over on Sat to get his machine(08 nytro)...-32... fired up on second key turn...hmmm! Less compression is my guess!

Mine takes about half dozen tries or more!!! Whatever I guess, still beats pulling that damn rope, and rejetting!!...

PS> Cool Avatar...Pop Cans..

:d:d
CHEERS!!!!

 

[shawnmcgr]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I disconnected the power to the fuel pump last night and cranked the motor...even blew hot air into the throttle bodies with a heat gun before trying to start. Then re-connected the fuel pump and tried with the throttle wide open, same results. No worky, although I got a hell of a back fire out of it - damned loud in the garage!

I'll try turning it over with the kill switch as you suggested teeroy. I don't know why I'm willing to do some much work to avoid changing the plugs! I guess I wanted to play with it in the garage (only -10) so if this happened on the trail I could get it going. I don't carry spare plugs...maybe I need to start when it's cold. I thought I'd get 100,000k out of these plugs.

A block heater on a sled just doesn't seem right but for $30 bucks why not to avoid this crap! But I think my problem was shutting it down cold at -30. It's just -10 in my garage now...I shouldn't need a block heater for -10.

Hey Polarisryder, I used to work up in Blue now and then, do you know any of the Trans Mountain guys or Gal?



Thanks, Shawn.

 

[Summitric]

Yup, i'm sure you cold fouled the plugs... They run rich cold and if shut off too soon after starting, the fuel particulate can glaze to the spark plugs, and that is the beginning of a new shortcut for the igntion spark....to put it in layman's terms. Change all the spark plugs, and while they are out, crank the engine over a few times(with coil disconnected of course, or ignition fuse pulled) to clear out the flooded condition and i bet, she'll start for ya. Just my 2 cents

 

[dooryder]

i sure know alot of transmountain guys, well kindermorgan now

 

[IMSICK]

Yamaha has a block heater for the 4-Strokes!!!! CHEAP too....



:d:d

good idea..... but still have to run an inverter or generator. How about a little 12V inline circulating heater and wire it in to plug into the trailer plug so it can be cooking while driving down the highway with the sled on the deck...... just a thought

 

[shawnmcgr]

Damned thing just fired up Saturday afternoon! I took it for a rip around the neighborhood to get it good and hot before shutting it down.

Lesson learned!

 

[woodies]

good idea..... but still have to run an inverter or generator. How about a little 12V inline circulating heater and wire it in to plug into the trailer plug so it can be cooking while driving down the highway with the sled on the deck...... just a thought

good idea sick where would you find such a beast?my sled needed to have a boost after mixing race fuel at 30 below!not good for starters i'm sure either.

 

[motorman]

ive had problems lately with this cold snap,i used a hair dryer twice(started within 5 secs af using dyer both times)
so i got to thinking,what if i didnt have access to 110v.
i put 2 hot packs on top of my pod filters(after trying to start at -34,left them on for about 2 mins.sled fired right up.i now carry some hot packs for cold starts.
merry xmas to all D