Winter Driving

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dwf

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Does anybody have any advice they can give me for operating my Rampage MT in the winter? My engine keeps dying, I will start it and if I open the chock to much it dies from all the cold air, and if I close it were it runs it idles slow and rough. I don’t know what to do during the winter in the great white north.
 
Adjust your low speed needle. Depends on your elevation. But sounds like you need to richin it if it only runs with the choke on.
 
dwf said:
Does anybody have any advice they can give me for operating my Rampage MT in the winter? My engine keeps dying, I will start it and if I open the chock to much it dies from all the cold air, and if I close it were it runs it idles slow and rough. I don’t know what to do during the winter in the great white north.
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What are your current carb settings?
 
You need to run a little rich during winter. The air is more dense, thus you need more fuel. Turn the low speed needle counter clockwise about an 8th and see if that helps.
 
figure that about every 10 degrees drop in temp you need to turn the fuel screws counterclockwise about 1 to 2 degrees. thats a ballpark figure- in just a few weeks, all the pump gas in america will be re-formulated - summer blend. this happens 2 times each year.
 
yea, should add that this fuel changeover is required by the epa. the reformulation at the refineries is costly & complex. This causes a small increase in gasoline 2 times each year for the end users- just sayin-- Its a good time to pay close attention to carb settings on all engines during this transition.
 
This was my friends MT, we worked on it all day replacing some parts and couldn't wait to drive it. After running it in the snow I blew it off with my air compressor. Looks like new again!
 
claude bigelow said:
My MT look like that last week, I thought I ruined my servos. Did you waterproof your electronics?
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No, I just blew it off with my air compressor before it really started to melt. I've never had a problem getting some water on my servos, I've got Hi tec's on mine & I pretty much hose down my rig after a good day of running it.
 
nice packing!, i do a similar "blow off" ...just enough water/dilute simple green to get things moving , definitely easy spray(if not just avoid) on the Rx box/servo outdrives/carb. i use a tight small blowtip on the compressor. add some tilt so run off runs away. submersion /pooling around servo IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT! most hitecs are water resistant , thats NO pressure water contact.

i like running it while washing/blowout. ...couple of repeats, then a water displacement solvent to finish to the it while running , like WD40 , Boshield, most dry silicones etc.. blow off excess. always take off wheels( power spray) makes it easy, quick and effective.
 
phreerider said:
nice packing!, i do a similar "blow off" ...just enough water/dilute simple green to get things moving , definitely easy spray(if not just avoid) on the Rx box/servo outdrives/carb. i use a tight small blowtip on the compressor. add some tilt so run off runs away. submersion /pooling around servo IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT! most hitecs are water resistant , thats NO pressure water contact. i like running it while washing/blowout. ...couple of repeats, then a water displacement solvent to finish to the it while running , like WD40 , Boshield, most dry silicones etc.. blow off excess. always take off wheels( power spray) makes it easy, quick and effective.
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Well said. That's exactly how I do it, minus the running while washing /blowout. Add a little tilt for run-off, spray on the denatured alcohol/WD40/Simple Green mix and brush it all off. A quick rinse with the hose and off to the 140-160 PSI air hose.
 
claude bigelow said:
That's good to know, had no idea you could clean them that way thanks.
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bike, dirt bike, ATV, lawnmower, they get power washed, roughly same bearing sizes, same shields as well...they are all in the dirt. treat accordingly.

you want to avoid water in general!!!

if you run dry, like only on tarmac, just a blow with some lube spray, hit the joints LIGHT and blow DRY that is easy and clean. no extra fluids to clean.

if you run dirt track its gonna be caked, wet just makes it worse. and putting the unit in sloppy wet is not advised, unless you have stepped up complete waterproofing elements and also except short bearing life.

definitely treat the electronics/carb as water sensitive otherwise, no pooling, no direct spray, ...the tighter YOU build it (the hobby makes us that way)the better. so YOU can run it and clean it how you see fit. learning what to avoid ...its why we are here
 
So I have a choice between 91 and 94 octane gas, does that make a difference in the winter?

Is the adjustment screw under the carb cover?
 
91 is fine.

You need to run a little richer in the cooler weather because the air is more dense.

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