Super Cold Starting

[Dealerjohn]

Hey guys,

My wife and I both have 2015 Yamaha Vipers. Hers is a XTX SE and mine a MTX SE. We bought both at the end of the season for awesome deals.

We live in Labrador where we have seen it hit -55 Celsius with the wind. So we are somewhat concerned about our sleds starting in the cold weather. So I have made a list of things to do to combat this.

Our sleds are to be never left outdoors, we have a garage at our house as well as our cottage. Where heat can be utilized. However at the cottage the garage is un-insulated.. and is off the grid. I have plans to install a wood burning furnace over the coming weeks, but I want to be sure our sleds are going to start so I'm going the extra mile.

I plan to install a coolant/block heater. My first question is what is the best place for this? I'm thinking right behind the clutches, however I'm open to suggestions!

As well as a battery warmer, and I was also thinking of a 500 watt stick on heating element for the oil tank. I've read mixed reviews on this. Some say they are useless and other have said they are the best thing they have ever installed on their vehicle. I guess it depends on the manufacturer and wattage they are using.

If anyone has any tips or products you have tried with or without success please let me know!

I'll take some pics of the install and do a little write up come December/January when the real cold weather hits.

 

[yzf1999]

There is a re flash for the computer which is suppose to cure cold start issues.

 

[Dealerjohn]

I have heard that as well, although I don't think it is available yet. However just reflashing the ecu to enable the sled to start in -40 would be nothing short of a miracle. Nothing works the way it should in -40, even most things "designed" for it. I believe I will still need to heat the engine in some way. At -40 it will take a long time for that oil to reach a temperature that will enable it to properly lubricate the engine as well.

 

[SaskAttack]

Fully synthetic oil is your friend! Wind chill doesn't matter to engines, just ambient temp so with a block heater and synthetic oil you should be good to go. A good track stand is important because at lower temps we have more problems turning tracks some mornings than anything else, can be very hard on belts. Sometimes we will kneel behind sled and pull track by hand just to get it "unset". Best thing about these kind of temps is we usually have trails all to ourselves!

 

[Dealerjohn]

Haha. Yes for sure, I know a lot of guys who don't ride until -20. Poor things don't know what they are missing.

The only thing the windchill accounts for is how fast your sled will reach the ambient temperature. Meaning, your sled will reach the ambient temp much quicker in high winds versus a calm day.

I've also just spun the primary by hand a few times just to free everything up a little bit.

I'm wondering how well the coolant heater will work without circulating the coolant.

 

[Nytro40th]

I would also switch your lead acid battery to lithium. I store my sled in a unheated uninsulated garage and it starts with no issues.

 

[TD Max]

Lots of good comments here.

Like said above wind chill means nothing except for cooling factor ie how fast warm objects cool to ambient.

A coolant heater is not a bad idea. The engine will spin faster and support combustion much better, BUT the oil will still be cold in the tank so give it time to warm up.

More juice from a stronger battery is definitely a plus. I would have thought that the lithium batteries would go lame in the cold like they do on my drills etc, but apparently not? I know that lithiums stomp alkaline in my trail cams

 

[Nytro40th]

No issues here in extreme cold. Plus a good weight loss off the rear -11lbs or so.

 

[Dealerjohn]

Cool, I didn't think about changing the battery. What brand did you go with?

Edit: I just noticed Earth X in your signature!

 

[TD Max]

Earth X model # might be good thing to post.

 

[Nytro40th]

I will have to check my sled lol. I do not know the model # off hand.

 

[yamamarc]

Both my wife and I have 2014 vipers (her's is the ac zr7000 viper under cover!!!lol) we live in northern Ont and never had problems with starting!! On Valentine's day last season it hit -45*C with windshield and both sleds started right up!! There were many times we hit the -30 to -40*C and (knock on wood) they started right up!! Both sleds are in a unheated garage and at times we were at our cottage with the sleds left outside in extreme weather and still started with no issue!! I do carry those miniature booster packs just in case but never had to use it!! Full synthetic and go!! Those inline coolant heater may be a good Idea if you want to go that extra mile for reliability! Water in fuel may be the biggest issue for a no start condition!! You can add a type of gas line antifreeze to make sure in colder weather. Proper battery maintenance and monitoring also goes a long way!

 

[Bob List]

Lithium. NO WAY. We had two guys install the EarthX batteries and neither one of them would work in cold (-25C) weather. Useless. Spoke with EarthX rep at Toronto Sno Show and she wouldn't admit to problem, but finally agreed to replace the batteries. Both guys said no thanks. Back to basics. I run in northwestern Quebec ..... not as cold as where you are but regularly -30C plus the windchill if they are left outside. Last year, the relays froze, and you can't get at the fuse box in its 2015 location to pull them and warm them up in your gear, especially if you're on the trail at -30C. Barnofparts has a relocate kit for the fuse box. I already moved mine to the top of clutch cover, but their kit looks like the ticket.