AC 650 VTWIN Cold Blooded SOB.

[96trigger]

Anybody have any suggestions as to how I can get this thing to start easier in the winter, it takes like 10 minutes for it to heat up good enought to plow snow, and if you don't get it right the first time, forget it, its flooded. Its a 2004. Would changing the oil to a lighter oil help, anybody done this? Would it hurt the machine at all? How about a magnetic block heater?

[Black_Bay]

I would think a block heater would help. Arctic Cat has an engine heater but for some reason it doesn't work with the 650 V2. That engine is actually a Kawasaki. Maybe they have some kind of an engine heater that will work. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to run the 0w 40 all season extreme oil. Arctic Cats definitely seem to be cold blooded sob's. My uncles 500 and my 400 sure were. I just got a new 650 H1 and hopefully that model isn't.

[cold one sd]

I agree with Black Bay about the synthetic oil. I have an Arctic Cat 400 and it starts very easily, but I think all 4 strokes are a bit cold blooded. My owners manual says to let it warm up for ten minutes before using it and I don't mind doing something else for ten minutes. I also think AC has a block heater that goes in your radiator hose. Good luck.

[Mopad]

I have a kawasaki prairie 700 with the v-twin motor. Before buying it I thought for sure it would be a sob to start. I was wrong though. I use synthetic oil, and a aftermarket dynatek cdi box. I have no troubles at all starting it in cold weather. It does take a couple mins to get warmed up. You may want to look into the cdi box. It increases the engines performance, spark energy and makes it easier to start. It also eliminates the timing retard on low end(more power).

[MN Mike]

I've got a Prairie 650 and it is alot more cold blooded than my Dads 700, his is alot smoother and easier to start.

I run synthetic in it since my 1st oil change and I've only had 1 instance where I could not get it started but then it was -10 outside too.

I would give synthetic a try, if it is really cold outside or wherever you store it, one trick we use when we go out west snowmobiling is to put a hair dryer on our engines for about 15 minutes before we start them. It makes it alot easier to start the engines at -20 to -30, 900cc's don't want to turn over very well after sitting all nite.

Mike

[mnmarlin]

One thing to check is the valve adjustment, especially the intake(s). On my Grizzly I was having trouble starting it, even when it was like 40 degrees. To make a long story short, my wife rode it and when she brought it back it idled at about 5,000 rpm. In an attempt to fix it I was going to clean the carb. Had all the body work off and noticed the "choke" was on, causing the high idle. Since I had access I adjusted the valves (they were wayyyyy tight), and its started easily ever since, even when my wife drives it. I will leave the story about her breaking the winch cable for another post.