0F and Lower Electric Start Help

sanddanw · Dec 9, 2012

Rode the Timbersled ST on my Husaberg FE570 this weekend for the first time and it was Low Teens or lower and it would barely turn over the bike in this temp and would not start. The battery is almost brand new Shorai Lithium Battery and it is electric start only bike. Luckily we were at a lodge where I got three glasses of very hot water and poored it onto the cases and it finally started. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

sanddanw · Dec 9, 2012

FYI this has 5W-40 Synthetic Oil in it so that is about as low as I can go? Thought about bringing a spare Deep Cycle battery to jump it the first time. Another idea was to get some flexible exhaust pipe to route exhaust from another sled to warm up the engine first? Block heaters will not work as I need 120Volt supply and that is not possible in the mtns.

Jon Mutiger · Dec 9, 2012

My first thought is Shorai isn't the way to go, their claims are lofty, yet they don't perform nearly as good as they claim to.

Just get a Yuasa YTZ-7S and you'll be good.

I've got a 500 XCW, and it starts everytime.

I run 5W30 oil, and that's not a problem at all. Make sure your coolant isn't freezing up, or gelling.. That could make things worse.

Jon

powdermuncher · Dec 10, 2012

You can go 0W40 weight synthetic with any of the bikes in the winter. I do anyway. That said I don't know how much better than 5W40 it is for starting.
If you calculate the expansion and contraction of Aluminium verses steel you will find that at -20 Celsius you end up with about 0 clearance in the camshaft bearings, that may be more of a issue than oil once it gets real cold.

Lithium batteries suck in the cold period, had nothing but problems with them in sleds when it gets real cold.

off road rider · Dec 10, 2012

You have to prewarm the battery. You can do this by hitting the starter button many times and it should create enough heat to start the bike.
another idea might be to use a warming blanket similar to what autos use.
Or get a sealed lead acid battery

skibum_1260 · Dec 10, 2012

I though one big benifit to the LI-ion's was the cold weather performance over a standard lead battery? If you go to ballistic's site there is a video with a cold weather start on a harley. Once you hit the starter a couple times and get some heat in the battery is seems the recharge it and will be good as new once it gets some current through it. Is this not the case? I just put a li-ion battery in my bike hoping for better cold starts in the mornings.

up-high · Dec 10, 2012

You have to warm the lithium/iron (not ion) battery before it will generate full cranking amps. Turn hand warmers on to draw from battery. This draw will warm the battery.

sanddanw · Dec 10, 2012

Seriously I am bummed also and replaced the battery with a Li Ion because of the better battery markeing hoopela. This bike does not have a kickstart and I tried to turn it over at least three times and this should have warmed it but it would barely turn over. My second choice is to use bring a spare Deep Cycle big battery and jump it.

up-high · Dec 10, 2012

Other than the battery problem, how did you like the Berg?

sanddanw · Dec 10, 2012

This is an amazing bike for dirt and a snowbike, it was a tough first outing as the snow was only 1 to 2 ft deep fluff with no base so it was spinning on the ground and the skags were biting into the gravel on the trails making it tough to ride. However when I did get to ride the ditches and some hills with drifts of 3 to 5 ft it was awesome.

bfly · Dec 10, 2012

sanddanw said:
Seriously I am bummed also and replaced the battery with a Li Ion because of the better battery markeing hoopela. This bike does not have a kickstart and I tried to turn it over at least three times and this should have warmed it but it would barely turn over. My second choice is to use bring a spare Deep Cycle big battery and jump it.

Keep trying to start it when this happens. I have the same bike and battery combo and it will start fine after the battery warms up. It will act as if the battery is completely dead until it warms up when its really cold. Just keep trying, it will eventually start working. Better yet, turn on your lights for a few minutes before trying to start the bike.

350scott · Dec 10, 2012

Another guy with a LiFe (Shorai) battery. When cold, you need to try a few starts to warm the battery with some current then it works great. Used it all last winter without a single problem.

TeamOrange · Dec 10, 2012

My next battery will be an AGM (absorbed glass mat) type battery. I bought one (Odyssey) for a stand up jetski, and that thing had huge cranking amps. In fact, I let it sit for about 2 years with no charger and it still cranked faster than any lead/acid battery i had in the past. Odyssey brand doesnt offer one for my berg but there is at least one other that does. When I find out, I will pass it on.

Oz.

powdermuncher · Dec 11, 2012

If you try to start a FI bike several times you wash the oil of the cylinder walls get fuel into the oil or just plain flood it. That is a band-aid fix at best. It does more damage to your bike than good for the Batterie.

TeamOrange · Dec 11, 2012

Sorry, the Odyssey battery I spoke of was a dry cell type, not an AGM. The search is on.

sanddanw · Dec 11, 2012

Gents,

I have two solutions that I am going to try this weekend I have a Bettery Tender hook up wired in that I can attach clamps to that I can hook up to a Large Deep Cell Battery to provide additional juice to the system, I will turn on the lights to start drawing some current first than see how it works. The back up is a 400 W 120 V Power invertor hooked up to the truck battery that will power a 200 W magnetic block heater that I am going to place on the engine to warm it up. Between these two I should not have any problems I hope this weekend. Final solution is to bring a thermos with hot water in it as a last resort.

Jon Mutiger · Dec 11, 2012

Another thing to consider is your charging method.. The LiPo and LiFE batteries don't last very well when used with a "smart" charger which was designed to de-sulphate lead acid batteries.

On your berg, you can lightly hit the start button to run the fuel pump. That should put a bit of a draw on the system, and prime the fuel system. Pull out the enrichner circuit, and give it. I'm sorry, but if it doesn't start then it's time to re-think the weight savings in a battery.

KAWGRN · Dec 11, 2012

would one of those portable battery boosters work??

powdermuncher · Dec 11, 2012

I can't see why not we always did that on the sleds.

My Apex has 2 cables stick out on the right side so it is easy to boost others.

I did boost many guys with lightweight batteries that way or with a truck.

The boost packs have sealed lead acid Motorbike batteries inside them anyway.

0F and Lower Electric Start Help

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