Cold Start (non start)

[GTO Bruin]

I wanted to take my Rocket out for a quick spin last night. It's on a battery tender in an unheated garage. I'd say it was about 28*F (-2*C). When I turned the key, the lights came on and when I pushed the start, it chugged a bunch of times, but never turned over. I repeated several times, but it never started.

I'm new to Rockets, and I was wondering if cold starts are a common issue. I've read about the headlights being run through the ignition switch. That could cause eventual switch issues, but would it cause cold start issues if the switch hasn't failed?

Any advice? Is there a way to enrich the F/A mixture?

 

[tdragger]

Yes, the Roc doesn't like starting in cold weather. Some lucky ones have never had that problem but far too many of us have.

This is my start routine in the cold. 1) turn on key, let the sweeps happen and wait 5 seconds (the discharge of the lights warms up the battery), 2) hit the start for 2-3 seconds, let it turn over 5-6 times, off the starter button, 3) wait 2 seconds and hit the starter again until it fires or dies.

The process has been more successful since I installed the Scorpion battery a few winters ago. This winter I have performed 2 mods that will hopefully resolve the issue once and for all.

1) negative battery cable mod - replace the skinny cable with a larger one. Fairly easy to do. Read the thread on it.

2) replace the 1.2 kW starter motor with a 1.4 kW - surprisingly easy mod to do. Takes about 20 minutes. Read the thread on it.

Good luck.

 

[CanberraR3]

You'd think that a Pommie bike would at least be cold and water proof. No such luck I'm afraid. Best you can do is keep your battery fully charged and ideally on a tender. Also worth making sure there are good clean contacts at he battery and starter motor. I've heard a light bulb burning all night under the engine can keep things warm enough but I haven't tried it yet. Electric blanket would probably work......

 

[GTO Bruin]

Thanks, tdgragger. I appreciate you're telling me it's common. Makes me feel a lot better. I'll try your start routine and read the threads you mentioned.

 

[tdragger]

You're most welcome.

And, lastly, being that you have a 2005, you will at some point have the ignition switch fail if you do not fit a headlight relay kit. It's not a matter of if as much as when.

Go to post #15 on this thread for information and instructions: http://www.r3owners.net/bearclaw-corner/9603-standard-headlight-bulbs.html

One other item to be concerned with on an 05 (or 06, 07 for that matter) is the primary throttle position sensor. It is basically a rheostat like an old fashioned volume control on a radio. It turns as the butterflies in the throttle bodies open and close. After about 15k miles it starts to develop a flat spot in the position that corresponds with normal cruise. This is the high idle issue since the throttle will tend to hang at about 2500 rpm. It is quite surprising when it happens. You will find several threads on the issue and how to fix it.

That's about it. All bikes have their quirks especially in their early models. I've tried to cover most of them. Easy to prevent and avoid.

 

[hansbr]

Hi

I have modificated my batterie in a bigger one.
See my website.

Rocket III Batterieumbau

and i have discharged the ignitron lock.

R III Zündschloßentlastung

This idea is from JochenTR3 in rocket3.org
We have -5 degrees and no problem with start.

Best regards from bavaria
Hans

 

[jthree]

This is a subject that has been very close to my heart recently. There are numerous threads here and on the other site, the subject.

With a significant amount of help and support from guys on these sites (tdragger in particular) I have made just about every mod there is where this issue is concerned.

In order of ease I would do the following.

Have the battery tested. It may not be in as good a shape as you think. Keep in mind that, in this case at least, bigger isn't necessarily better. I had a Shorai Lithium battery that was supposed to generate mega CCAs but didn't help one bit. Having completed all the mods below I am running a regular Yuasa battery with no issues.

Replace the battery ground (earth) cable with a 4 gauge. Check HERE

Add the Eastern Beaver Kit for your head lights. Check HERE tdragger's post in the above link makes this much simpler.

Replace the stater motor. Check HERE

Replace/re-wire the ignition switch. Depending on how you do this, it could move up the list. I just made it complicated Check HERE

Good luck. I know how frustrating it is but the good news is, it can be fixed. It comes down, largely, to poor initial design.

I apologize in advance if I offend anyone by my links pointing to another site but figured they would help.

 

[GTO Bruin]

Thanks all for great advice. Since my bike is five years old and on the original battery, I should get it tested even though it was hardly used. Higher gauge wire and the EB relay seems like likely next steps for me.

 

[bgentry]

I too have trouble with cold starts, I ride year round, and my bike is in a carport under a cover. My cold morning routine is to simply put a space heater next to the headers for about 20min. - warms everything up and she starts like it was a summer day!

I definitely think a stronger 1.4w starter would help turn the crank though.

 

[jthree]

I too have trouble with cold starts, I ride year round, and my bike is in a carport under a cover. My cold morning routine is to simply put a space heater next to the headers for about 20min. - warms everything up and she starts like it was a summer day!

I definitely think a stronger 1.4w starter would help turn the crank though.

That is exactly what I was doing which is fine for going for a ride but not so good for riding to work where the heater idea doesn't fly.

The starter is certainly a relatively inexpensive job and it took me a matter of minutes to exchange mine. I would certainly be checking the battery though as I'm convinced that ended up being my biggest issue as far as starting was concerned.