16 Apex won’t start extreme cold

[Apexpat]

My 16 Apex sat in my enclosed trailer for 10 days during this extreme cold weather in the UP. Temps from -25 with wind chills to -50. Turned the key and the fuel pump cycled. Almost started but just couldn’t catch or fire. Turned key off and cycled fuel pump again and still wouldn’t fire. Waited about a minute and tried again and still wouldn’t fire. I could now smell fuel coming from the exhaust and new it was flooded and i was screwed. Got the booster pack out and still wouldn’t fire. Held throttle wide open and still nothing after cranking hard. Let it sit for 30 minute thawed it a bit with a hair dryer and tried again. Still wouldn’t fire plugs obviously wet and flooded. Didn’t have fresh plugs or a warm
garage for the repair. So trailered to the Soo, 30 minutes away, and the Yamaha dealer changed the plugs and all good.
I’ve read about holding the key till it’s running, does anybody have any tips on how to proceed if it doesn’t start on initial try? It was cranking just fine with the booster pack but no way it was gonna fire it was so flooded. On a side note my older 13 Apex with original battery sitting in the same trailer fired right up no problem. So much for newer being better. Also this is the first time I’ve had this happpen. I’ve owned an Rx-1, vector and 3 Apex’s and all have always started in the morning. This is the longest/coldest extreme cold weather I’ve attempted a start. A bit disappointing because we lost a half days ride, but after 50,000 trouble free Yamaha miles i won’t complain. I realize this rarely happens, but i miss the old days of easy access to plugs. Even the Rx-1 was easy. With below zero temps removing the pod and trying to get at these plugs isn’t easy. Any other starting tips would be appreciated.

 

[YukonMP]

Cold starting is a special interest/concern of mine and I always follow threads like this one regardless if the sled is an Apex, Venture, Phazer or whatever. None of what follows is mine, it all comes from active members whose names you would likely recognize.

Start by turning the engine over by hand. The more the better, always in the forward direction.
Use the booster pack from the beginning. Remember that at these temps the battery capacity is halved right off the top.
Do not wait for the fuel system to pressurize because it will not be cranking fast enough to fire right off anyway, just floods.
Don't let off on the key right away.

Nothing wrong with the hair dryer right from the start too. To me, initially it all looks like a hassle and being a lazy son of a gun I don't want to do any more than I have to, but how do I know what the minimum is. So I suck it up and do it all and I have the best chance I get to ride.

What I have not mentioned comes from SideshowBob I think. He has gone so far as to put a switch on his fuel pump and he starts cranking with the pump off and then turns it on.

 

[steiner]

One cold TY Ride morning ( -32*c) we had a few sleds that would not start. The older 07 and 08 Apex's just needed boosting. A 2011 Apex would not start even while hooked to a truck battery.
Smelled fuel so I pulled the fuel pump relay. Cranked it over with the throttle fully open. Did about 4 or 5 cycles likes this and then installed the relay back in. Cranked and held the key in start until she would run without coughing.
I run the coolant heater on mine when its really cold when out for a multi day ride. Just have to unplug it 20 mins before you start it up. If you don't wait it has a hard time starting due to the coolant sensor telling the ECU that the engine is warmer than it really is.
As mentioned above the key to firing these sleds up when cold is crank speed. The faster or stronger the cranking the better chance the sled has of starting.

 

[03RX1-ER-LE]

After the two real bad days of extreme cold, got up to my place Friday morning and the 11 XTX with new 20 series battery cranked fine, had to stay on the key until running then all good. The 09 with a few year old 14 series battery cranked a little slow however when the sled started it sounded like a bunch of marbles in the engine until it warmed up a little. It was -13F with 0W40 I have never heard this before and was a little, well a lot concerned but when warmed up and rode 250 miles with no problems!

 

[His&HersYamahas]

I also have experienced this problem. My solution was to install a weather proof normally closed switch on my left handlebar. The switch controls the fuel pump relay. I can disable the relay by pushing the switch. If the sled stalls out due to flooding or is flooded, I disable the relay using the remote switch and crank the sled over. If you do this at the first sign of flooding you can clear the condition and the re-fire the sled normally.

 

[maim]

another trick is to cycle the key 3-4 times before engaging the starter and do not stop turning it over until it catches on all 4 cyls. had to do this to both apex's on thursday to get them running for the ride.

 

[Snorunner]

I have been paying attention to this. Based upon the extreme temperatures we have all been experiencing. The Canadians. On here have educated me. The reason for just turning the key to crank and not letting the fuel pump cycle. Is to let the engine build some heat before the fuel arrives. Compression builds heat. That's how diesels run. So I agree that turning the engine over by hand forwards not backwards might help. It must create some heat in the cylinder before any fuel is introduced to the cylinders. I started my 2016 Vector at -12F using the just crank without cycling the fuel pump. But I also could not start it at -18F because the battery would not crank it fast enough and then stopped. Or came up short and I new better. Then the next day at 0 degrees it fired right up. I cranked without cycling the fuel pump.

 

[Apexpat]

another trick is to cycle the key 3-4 times before engaging the starter and do not stop turning it over until it catches on all 4 cyls. had to do this to both apex's on thursday to get them running for the ride.

Cycling the key this many times without starting won’t create a flooding condition?

 

[maim]

the 2016 and the 09 phazer started right up with no problems on thursday at the ty ride. the 2011 with higher milage only wanted twice so i had to crack the throttle for it to light off as i did do it 3 times before cranking it over.