Colder Temp Running Thoughts

[Gray Ghost]

Some of us old guys who bought a 900 for one last fling will be selling them with low mileage. They'll have been cared for like a baby. Should be able to get a deal. Those from down south are usually ridden between 60-90 degrees by older riders. When I get ready to sell mine I'm putting it this site for someone looking to move up from a 500-800. For you fanatics, notice I said "some" and "usually". Depends on the arthritis, degenerating disk and old injuries.

[Skuzz]

My story is similar to many, bought an older 800 just to get back into riding again after a 35 year sabatical. Thought if I liked it I'd get something bigger and if I didn't I'd sell it but I'm finding that I really like it. Too bad the seasons pretty much over up here and I'll have to wait 4 months until it warms up again. In the meantime I'll add a few extras that I'll pick up at the bike shows over the next few months and polish her up over the winter to get her looking good for the spring.....

[Comanche]

Since removing EPA components from California Models makes the bike run cooler I was wondering if reconnecting it during the cold weather season would help resolve this cold temp sputtering and operating issue? I know it sounds far-fetched but what does an expert think?

[Romans5.8]

Originally Posted by Comanche

Since removing EPA components from California Models makes the bike run cooler I was wondering if reconnecting it during the cold weather season would help resolve this cold temp sputtering and operating issue? I know it sounds far-fetched but what does an expert think?

No expert, but I'll give you my opinion.

Most of the cold weather sputtering is from a cold carb. I doubt a few degrees warmer engine coolant will warm the carb up enough to solve it. Again, the issue is fuel condensing in the carb and not being the fine mist it should be, due to a cold carb. These carbs are used for a variety of bikes and applications, perhaps you could find an electric carb heater? An old hunting buddy had an ATV he had bought from a guy way up in canada that had a carb heater. It plugged into the wall and kept the carb warm, and it would fire right up and run nice and smooth in the winter!

You could also look into 'micro squirt' fuel injection systems. Chances are someone somewhere has already done the conversion on the bike with the same (or very similar) carb. It essentially converts the bike to throttle body injection. Then you have the pressurized, atomized fuel your engine is yearning for in cold weather! Of course for the price of doing that, and the cost of some likely needed fabrication, you could just trade it in for an already fuel-injected 900 (or 1500 FI, etc.) and come out ahead!

[Comanche]

Thanks Romans. Roger that.