Bad gas

[MyOutdoors]

I treated a 1/4 tank of fuel on my 2020 sidewinder before putting it away for the season, just like I've done with every sled before. We're off to a late season and we're just getting snow locally where I ride.

Sled took a few more tries to start but fired up. I noticed a low idle (800rpm) and let it idle to warm up. Throttle response was fine but still idling low. No codes or anything.

Today I was cleaning everything up and went to start it and it barely got running then sputtered out. No it cranks over, can hear the fuel pump cycling but it won't stay running. Every once in a while It'll want to start like normal but it's a no go.

Figuring it was bad gas, I sucked all fuel out of the tank and put in 5 gallons of fresh 91 with some k100 additive. Still no go...I pulled the line off the fuel rail and cycled the key a few times to get any bad fuel out of the line but I'm thinking there's still some bad stuff in the Israel or injectors? Any ideas or help would be much appreciated. Thank you

 

[jonlafon1]

Have you tried new plugs? This would be my next step

 

[KnappAttack]

Fouled Plugs.

Dont start them and not run them hard. At least put it on a stand, run up to temp (165F)and giver some full throttle blasts on the stand if you cant take it out and run it on the snow. Let it run up to 195-200F let it idle before shutting down after a bunch of full throttle bursts. Good 10 min of running on the stand would prevent the fouled plugs.

 

[MyOutdoors]

I definitely let it run up to temp before shutting it down...in the process of pulling the plugs now...oh the joy!

 

[MyOutdoors]

Fouled Plugs.

Dont start them and not run them hard. At least put it on a stand, run up to temp (165F)and giver some full throttle blasts on the stand if you cant take it out and run it on the snow. Let it run up to 195-200F let it idle before shutting down after a bunch of full throttle bursts. Good 10 min of running on the stand would prevent the fouled plugs.

Plugs changed, still won't start. Any ideas Mike?

 

[sideshowBob]

Obvious stuff:
Check battery health and voltage.
Have you had it inside in the warm temp over night?
Any possibility of nest or obstruction in the exhaust?
Did rodents get into your wiring?
Have you checked for spark?
Does the dash light up when you turn the key on and while cranking? Dash doesn't light up with kill switch off or tether pulled but it will still crank over.

 

[jonlafon1]

Was any other work done to the sled before it was put away/ gas treated?

 

[MyOutdoors]

Obvious stuff:
Check battery health and voltage.
Have you had it inside in the warm temp over night?
Any possibility of nest or obstruction in the exhaust?
Did rodents get into your wiring?
Have you checked for spark?
Does the dash light up when you turn the key on and while cranking? Dash doesn't light up with kill switch off or tether pulled but it will still crank over.

Battery was new last year and always on a trickle
It's been in my heated garage.
No visible signs of mouse nests or issues.
It was running the day before. I took out air filter and cleaned it. While it was out I started it then it acted up...would only idle around 750. When I shut it down it hasn't started since. So I didn't check spark but assumed it was OK
Dash lights up normal, no codes

 

[MyOutdoors]

Was any other work done to the sled before it was put away/ gas treated?

Last ride of the season last year were poor conditions but we got a nice storm that blankets our riding area. I rode 150 miles but on the way back I lost it to a snow covered rock near a stream and slow rolled at about 3mph...it was a connecting goat path. It took me a while to up right the sled but it fired up an ran fine the last 5 miles back to the truck. It was started a few times before storing it for the season.

I treated the fuel with star tron and have a Fitz fuel catalyst in the tank.

 

[MyOutdoors]

I just pulled the fuel pump and everything looks good as far as the pickup lines and hoses

 

[jonlafon1]

lost it to a snow covered rock near a stream and slow rolled at about 3mph

Something happened when you did this is my guess. And just because it ran fine after doesn't mean anything IMO. Something electrical on the bars? TPS censor? No codes on dash?

 

[MyOutdoors]

No codes whatsoever

 

[jonlafon1]

No codes whatsoever

Im guessing electrical. You probably don't have a fuel issue. Any damage to anything on the handle bars?

 

[MyOutdoors]

Small scrape on kill switch. Kill switch works though. I'm usually pretty good at figuring this out so it's really bugging me.

I've got the battery unhooked...i read another post where sometimes ecu needs to reset? Maybe I triggered something when I started it without the air filter?

 

[jonlafon1]

Small scrape on kill switch. Kill switch works though. I'm usually pretty good at figuring this out so it's really bugging me.

I've got the battery unhooked...i read another post where sometimes ecu needs to reset? Maybe I triggered something when I started it without the air filter?

Any water intrusion to electrical on handle bars. WAS the sled laying in water upside down?