Really poor cold starting

[macx]

I work nites, leave for home between 4 & 5 am, just north of Kansas City.

This past morning it was down pretty close to 40 deg F. I thought I wasn't
going to get it started. Cranked 2 or 3 periods of 10 to 15 seconds each
(so the starter doesn't burn out from running too long constantly) before
it finally started to fire, then took another dozen or more revolutions before
it actually started.

And I've got new plugs, just set my rockers and valves, synchro'd my TB's,
checked my TPS, and new fuel filter. Only 30k on the bike. Oh, and
just 4 months on a new battery & always use a tender if it's not run for
more than just the next day. And my fast idle seems to work - holds the
rpm up and the rpms drop when I turn it off.

What gives? Starts right up after a few turns from closer to 50F & up.
This was my first time with this bike at this temp after a complete cool down.

Do I need a can of starting fluid? :-/

[boxermania]

Assuming you are holding the hand throttle all the way up, once it catches what is the max rpm that it goes to? What rpm, does it go once you relese the hand throttle ad it goes back to the middle detent?
What oil are you running?
What battery are you running?

[CycleRob]

4 things weigh in big when a bike starts OK in cool temps but very hard in cold temps.

1--Sparkplug gaps too wide.
2--Gasoline too old or it's a summer formulation.
3--Battery not delivering full Amperage.
4--Starter is drawing too much current. Worn armature contact segments and/or worn armature shaft bearings.

Also possible is 2 or 3 of the above.

I suspect #2 or #4.

[macx]

During 60's & 70's temps it runs up to a little over 2k I believe when it starts
with the hand "choke" all the way up.

When it gets colder, it starts out at more like higher teens then increases, and the other morning
when it first started it was lower teens and then increased.

Plugs are brand new, checked the proper gap when I put them in. (And I've had much lower
compression motors with the old standard point ignition and wider plug gap fire right off
at temps under minus 20F growing up in central MN.)

Gas was put in just a couple days ago out of one of the busier stations in the area.

It's the BMW standard gel battery, new this spring, always on a tender if the bike sits
more than 1 day.

Starter turns the motor over just fine, sounds to be very close to the same cranking rpm as
when it's 60+ out, and bike only has 30k on it.

It just about acts like it's not getting a rich enuf mix, suggested by it finally starting to fire intermittently
then over the span of maybe 10 seconds or so fire often enough to start, but I don't imagine there's any kind
of adjustment on that "choke" being an electronically activated enrichment thru the ecu.

My idle is just a tad high, warm it's about 1300. Maybe that setting somehow leans out the
A/F ratio a little during startup? When I last checked the TB's for synchro, I didn't have time
to play around to adjust the idle down. They showed pretty much spot on balance so didn't want
to get into a possibly time consuming readjustment process.

If I can't think of anything else, I'll maybe have to find the time to readjust that idle speed.

Thanks for the input, always good to consider all the options. Let me know what you think about
that high idle speed maybe having something to do with it.

[Arbee]

I would be looking at...

1. Fuel Filter
2. Using a car battery to jump start and compare results
3. Grade of oil

[macx]

Fuel filter is 1 week old.
(has plenty of high rpm power now after changing plugs, pushed it up to over 8500
the other day and it was still climbing strongly, so no lack of fuel flow)

Oil is 10W40 synthetic

This past morning, temp was 45F, and it rolled over easily and started very quickly.

Supposed to be cold next week, we'll see how it does.

[boxermania]

If it is a 4 plug engine, check the stick coils and their connectors.

[vegas_rider]

i also am experiencing some concern on my "new" 2004 1150. the temps here in vegas have dipped significantly down to aroud 74 degrees or so for the daily high, whereas a week ago we were stll breaking triple digits everyday.

in the new temperatures i'm noticing it's taking me 2 times to start up after the bike has eitheir been sittin governight, or sitting in the garage for the 8 hours or so that i'm at work.

what will happen is i start the bike (no choke) it fires right up, trembles weakly for about 5 seconds, then dies...after it dies i fire it right up again (still no choke) and this time it will start up and be just fine. should i be expressing concern about this? i intend to ride year round here in vegas, and this makes me nervous as to how the bike will handle once it is 30 degrees outside lol.

[Sunbeemer]

I use the "choke" to start even here in Florida and for the first couple of minutes of running. It doesn't hurt anything and keeps it running smoother while it's warming up.

[vegas_rider]

just got to school, rode the bike today and it did the same thing again. about 74 degrees outside, bike started up, ran for about 10 secs then died. fired up again and it started and stayed running.

i've also noticed i don't think my choke is doing squat...i turned teh choke on for the second start, and it didnt' seem to start any faster or have a higher rev range or anything?