Is there an Easier Pulling/Starting Mountain Sled

Frostbite · Feb 23, 2018

I am going to ask this question at the risk of being called a wimp! :face-icon-small-ton

I had an Arctic Cat M8 for years and even with the SLP stage III kit, I never had an issue starting the sled when it was cold. I updated to a 2015 M8000 and the sled was harder to pull over than the M8 but, I managed. A month ago I added a SSI high compression head and now when it's below 10 degrees the M8000 is a real bugger to pull. I guess that's fairly predictable.

I'm not a huge guy but, I'm not a featherweight either. I weight about 180 and am in pretty good shape. Years ago I had the same issue with my wife's 99 Phazer 500 Mountain Lite in Cooke City when it was below zero. We could hardly pull the sled over.

Like all of us, maybe I am just getting older and I'm wondering if there is a sled that is easier (better mechanical advantage) than my M8000 Proclimb?

Is the new Cat engine is easier to pull over when cold than the Suzuki engine?

I love the Skidoo SHOT system but, it's always that first start in the morning that is the tough one and with the SHOT setup, you still have to start it initially to charge the super capacitor.

I would bet that other manufactures are inking deals with Bombardier to use their SHOT technology on their 2020 sleds.

I don't want to have to carry around the extra weight of an electric start but, there has to be a mountains led that is easier to pull over than the M8000 when it's cold.

Has anyone else ever had to stand on their rails and jump back to start their M8000 when it's below 10 degrees? I am worried the starter rope is going to break.

What are your thoughts, ideas and experiences?

89sandman · Feb 23, 2018

Electric start, won't own a sled without it!

Sledbrain2 · Feb 23, 2018

Have you tired the c-tech oil, I would assume that would pull over easier with the thinner oil.

txinmt · Feb 23, 2018

Just my very humble opinion......but the only easy 2-stroker to start is one with crappy compression or one with electric start. I have a ‘14 M8000 that has great compression and is a bugger to start. I did just snap the factory starter rope a few weeks ago. I replaced it with a Cobra Cord that has a lifetime warranty. I have 4 cats and only 2 of them have electric start. I have actually thought of putting electric start on all of them for the sake of my family. I have a wife and two daughters and none of them can pull start our sleds (they all have really good compression). Unless you are competing professionally in hill climb competitions, I think it is worth getting/adding electric start. I like to take different family and friends sledding on them from time to time and it would make life much easier.

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sno*jet · Feb 23, 2018

18 cats are supposed to be easier. might even have a decompressor?
polaris' are easier.
even with e-start id pull it over slowly on cold mornings first. just me.

Frostbite · Feb 23, 2018

Thanks guys! I'm glad to hear it's not just me!

I just bought a new 50cc Stihl chainsaw and it has a decompressor to make it easier to start so, I would think an 800cc sled would have a mechanism to make them easier to start.

I know sleds and dirtbikes have had decompressors in the past and they ended up leaking compression in the past. Perhaps that's why they were deleted?

007 · Feb 23, 2018

as said above. I always pull my sled over 2-3 times real easy. It really does loosen up, then give it the normal pull. fires right up.

Frostbite · Feb 23, 2018

Speaking of oil.....I bet doing an oil injection delete might help?

summ8rmk · Feb 23, 2018

My 18 starts much easier than my 14. Now the strength required to pull the rope is the same or a touch tougher on the 18 but its always 1 pull, 14 is 3 pulls when cold.

Alpha

......

BBP · Feb 23, 2018

My 14 has e-start & I love it as it's tough to pull over. Problem is that it keeps breaking the bushings. They're a real pain to change & it takes out the gear each time. Throttle bodies have to come out as well as 1/2 the recoil assembly & starter motor. I don't know if the newer models are any better, but I wouldn't waste my time & money adding e-start to a 14.

Woody67 · Feb 23, 2018

BBP said:
My 14 has e-start & I love it as it's tough to pull over. Problem is that it keeps breaking the bushings. They're a real pain to change & it takes out the gear each time. Throttle bodies have to come out as well as 1/2 the recoil assembly & starter motor. I don't know if the newer models are any better, but I wouldn't waste my time & money adding e-start to a 14.

There is an update kit to convert to current production electric start components. 0745-724 $229.95. Be sure to use this if you decide to repair you electric start.

Tyman212 · Feb 23, 2018

Installed the cobra pull cord on my sled, and I swear it makes it way easier to start. it doesn't stretch at all, so you feel every stroke of the engine, but it seems to start faster than with the old rope. Most noticeably when warm and you don't give it the greatest pull.

But as far as pulling force it must still be the same.

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ippielb · Feb 23, 2018

I have a 12’ with a supercharger and let me tell you about hard starting when it’s cold. I can barely get the thing to lump over two compression strokes. My remedy, heat gun... stick it between the clutches and down at the thermostat housing and let it chug along for a few minutes with the cover on. I also do the supercharger housing to heat up the oil. But it’s always the first start of the day which is the problem.

Allseasons · Feb 23, 2018

Funny story.

When buying my 16, I was dead set on a sled without electric start. The salesman kept saying to me, it’s only an extra $300 and everyone who has ever gone e start has never gone back.

Well I took his word for it, bought the ES model. And I love it. Ya my sled is hard to pull start, but I hit that key and she purrs.

The funny part, I have a turbo kit sitting on my garage floor, been there for 8 months. I have 1 more year warranty but warrranty is out the window anyhow because all the changes I’ve made to the motor. So I think the real reason the turbo is still on the floor is because I’ll lose my ability to hit the key and ride....

Vern · Feb 23, 2018

I'm a bigger guy and not even that old at 31, but I'm thinkin my next sled might have electric start. Not just the hard cold starts in the morning, but I find by the end of the day after a few stucks I start to lose the will power to wanna yank the rope on my '14. Could just be lazyness, but I'm starting to think the extra 15 lbs or so would be worth it. It'll be a few years before I buy a new sled though so who knows what super starting tech will be available by then.

Deanearl · Feb 23, 2018

I've been told the CTEC2 cat oil will help a lot with cold starts like this. My next jug will be that instead of the old APV cat oil.

Frostbite · Feb 23, 2018

Wow, this question seems to have hit a nerve with a lot of you. So, it isn't just me getting older, that's good to hear. I will be 57 next month so maybe it's expected that i think it's getting harder to pull. I am currently using up some Blue Marble oil I have had for years. I will buy a jug of CTEC2 oil if it works that much better. However, I would have to think that other synthetics should be just about as easy.

Vern · Feb 24, 2018

The idea is that the ctec oil doesn't thicken up like other oils in the cold so what's left in the engine over night creates less resistance when you pull it over than a thick cold gooey oil would.

pitchervy · Feb 24, 2018

The new Cat C-tec 800 has some sort of decompression release. My new Mountain Cat is is the easiest 800 to start of any I’ve owned. Although I did get an ES this time. Sometimes I start it with the rope the first start of the day (in front of my Summit riding buddies) just because I’m so amazed how easy it is to start.
;-)

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Frostbite · Feb 24, 2018

How much weight does electric start add? I though it was in the 15-20 lb range? Is the electric start setup any lighter on the new motor?

I like the idea of pulling the sled over one revolution for several times, then two and then three several time before trying to give it a full length pull when starting cold. I will give it a try.

Since the M8 and the M8000 share the same basic engine. Why was the M8 so much easier to start? Was the flywheel or the recoil housing larger providing more mechanical advantage? If so, and if there is room, can the M8 recoil housing be put on the Proclimb and Procross engines? If I remember right they are the same because I swapped both to the BDX lightweight recoil housings.

I haven't tried to start a Polaris of a Skidoo 850 when cold. Are they any easier to pull over when it's really cold?

Is there an Easier Pulling/Starting Mountain Sled

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