Warming up an engine in the morning (cold start)

[TheSmiler]

Had this problem the other day, been doing research on it but might as well ask here if anyone has any tips. Choke doesn't work that well as it fouls the plugs after 20 seconds of warming it up. Meaning it has to be removed cleaned and put back again. Never had this problem with the CB.

Basically on the CG in the morning when the engine is extremely cold (even ice on the exhaust) is there any way of getting an easy start by warming up the bike left outside

I've read about people using hair dryers or pouring hot water all over the engine to warm it up slightly anyone ever used these methods
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[Teflon-Mike]

I used to have an electric fan heater in the passenger foot-well of the car.....

And I am pre-empting suggestions of revving to the red line in neutral!

If its fouling the plug that fast on choke; its over ritch, and or you have the wrong grade of plug. I always get it the wrong way round, but suggest next number down.

Meanwhile, over rich suggests that the needle is too high, float level too high, slide needle or main jet worn, or the wrong idle jet fitted.

This is a situation that COULD, remarkably be investigated taking the carburettor off... unlike a flat battery!

And think about it..... plug shouldn't foul that fast, so there is something wrong; chucking hot water at it; pointing a hair dryer at the air-box, that sort of thing isn't really going to fix it, and its NOT going to get any better on it's own, is it?

Fan heater in the footwell of course was another matter..... that was simply because I could flick the switch on the extansion lead in the kitchen and get the warm air de-misting the windows and making it all nice and toasty inside, while I dosed up with the necessary caffeine to contend with Brummie commuters!
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[Boxing]

Just start it up with the choke, flick the choke off and give it little revs to keep it going.

Don't go before it's warm, and don't thrash the pants out of it if its cold.

Most damage is done to an engine on a cold engine.

[TheSmiler]

[numpty2]

Something is wrong. With a 4 stroke you should be able to run for a few minutes on full choke without too many problems.

I don't know if it applies, but later CGs had a carb heater to prevent carb icing & help with cold running. If you have such a heater is it working? So perhaps later CGs don't need the choke on for very long, but surely 20 seconds is too little.

You could also consider the air filter. Maybe the air intake is restricted by a dirty filter.

[TheSmiler]

[yen_powell]

I've always started and ridden straight off taking it easy till it's properly warmed up.
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[Rogerborg]

[tomh]

What's your startup routine? Most of time even in the cold weather I won't need to use the choke if I start the bike up and immediately set off but I give the bike a bit of throttle to stop it stalling when coming to a stop. If I do need to use the choke then I tend to use it for around 10-20 seconds before flicking it off completely and setting off straight away.

Have you checked your valve clearance on the bike yet? When I bought my CG there was no clearance at all and it would need choke to start every time. The only time my spark plug was fouled from using the choke was when my dad rode the bike with the choke still on but even then he still got a few miles down the road before it splutted to a stop.

[doggone]

[ricklincs45]

As per advice from Sorryunlucky & Rogerborg, the CG should only be running for a short time on full choke before you put it onto the 'halfway' position.

Running it on full choke for more than 'roughly' 15-20 seconds (depending upon condition of bike/how well it's being maintained etc) will flood the bike due to massively restricted airflow. You should be able to hear when the bike needs knocking onto halfway, they sound, literally, like they're choking up. Once she's on the half choke position, you should hear the revs pick up slightly and the engine sound cleaner/sharper.

I always used to ride off on half choke, then knock it completely off after about 30 yards (depending upon weather/temperature).

As already mentioned, don't be tempted to warm her up by revving the nuts off it when cold: not unless you want a knackered engine.

Due to age of bike, also worth checking your rubber intake hose between carb and airbox isn't split/perished.

Rick
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Author '80 Bikes, and counting...' Currently getting frustrated with an MZ 125 TS.

[bladerunner]

As said quick fix would be fit a grade hotter plug until you sort it out....it won't cause you any probs nd fit the std plug back in for winter.....they make different grades of plug for a reason! I had to do the same on a fireblade after the previous owner dyno jetted it and it was over rich at the bottom end....would kill a set of plugs in no time and at £35 a set I went a grade hotter and problem sorted.
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[temeluchus]

Is the idle screw set correctly?

Also may be worth checking the various seals and whatnot in the carb are in good condition.
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[stuarthouston]

My Brazilian CG won't idle at all with the choke on, although I'm led to believe that this is normal behaviour due to the rudimentary choke which doesn't increase idle speed when switched on.

For what it's worth, my starting procedure is:

choke fully on>throttle half open>kick once/twice>
IF bike starts
quick blip of throttle>choke immediately off>leave to warm up for a couple of minutes
IF bike doesn't start (rarely)
choke off>throttle off>kick 3-4 times>retry from start

Usually gets me going, even on chilly Scottish mornings, and never needs more than a quick burst of choke, certainly not more than 2-3 seconds.

[sickpup]

[Walloper]

There will be hee-haw damage done to a cold engine if started and ridden off as soon as it 'stabilises'.

I start on full choke.
Let it idle until it get's lumpy then flick the lever off. It's a case of fettling the throttle a bit as it warms. Takes less than 1min. to do this.

But start, rev a bit then ride off first chance stop and flick the choke off would be my way if in a rush.

The correct answer is give yourself 2min's to warm the engine.
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[krarkol]

I found on my suzuki gn125 the best way was to have it on full choke, press the starter button (or kick if it doesn have electric start obviously ) and once it kicked into life, immediately put it into the half position. Sometimes I also needed to play with the idle screw abit depending on how cold it was etc
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[anthony_r6]

My Hornet starts first time. I've had it sat for a while though, so it needs the choke on until it kicks up and then it wants it off right away.

My old NSR was sat over winter. On the day I had a guy want to come buy it, it wouldn't start up. So I stuck it in the hallway next to the radiator and let that warm it up. After a hour or so it was fine.
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