Great timing for this video! Just flooded my sled yesterday.. Got it to start after letting it sit for a few, lucky it was super flooded.

Louis, I would suggest you explain why this technique works at starting a flooded engine. I've been doing it this way for years and that is simply because that is the way my dad used to do it and it wasn't until years later that I began to understand why this worked. It also worked on cars and trucks back in the day when they were carburated. Last year my buddy and I were stranded in the woods with a flooded machine. We pulled the plugs and cleared the cylinders out as best we could. Once the plugs were back in I told him to hold the throttle wide open while I cranked. It was only after about a 25 cranks that I realized he wasn't holding the throttle at all. He thought he was doing a misguided friend a favor. He argued that it did not make sense to hold the throttle wide open because you are adding more fuel to an already flooded machine and thus making a bad situation worse. At this point the temptation to punch him out was greater than the need to teach him that a wide open throttle also means you have fully opened the air passageway through the carbs. It's all about air to fuel ratio isn't it? The idea here is to introduce as much air as possible into the engine even though it also means that you are also adding more fuel to the engine... but to a lesser degree. You can explain it much better than I can because I have no idea what the fuel to air ratios are at wide open throttle and at idle.

I recently brought my sled out of storage earlier last month thinking that winter was coming early up here in Bemidji Minnesota. I had to replace my fuel tank pick up due to deterioration through age. I was able to get it up and running great for a mid November ride and it seemed to be getting fuel from the tank. We experienced warm melting conditions so I had to let it sit for about a month and just last week I wanted to just start it to get my excitement level back up and it wouldn't start:( I ruled out some potential problems and it came down to looking up this video. I tried exactly what you recommended and I started right up after 5 or 6 pulls after I put my plugs back in. Thanks a lot!

Idk how but some how I folded my sled from starting it😂 but I did what you said and second pull she started right up🙏

Thank goodness I watched this video! Thank you Louis!

Thanks for the suggestion.I love all your vids I hope my channel ends up like yours and I will keep watching your vids too

Our son races sleds, something I always done and works every time. Loosen the plugs 2 turns. And start pulling.. time is of the essence when you’re racing.

I've heard this method and it works good. I also heard sometimes it is better to hold the throttle HALF way instead such as for pumper Carbs, as you are introducing air which helps clear the intake tract throughout the exhaust... ... but not introducing as much fuel as wide open would. ----Part of the whole process is also clearing out the fuel that has built up in the exhaust, which is why you need to open the slides/butterfly to allow enough airflow through the whole system to dry things out, No air, No drying effect. Stick a wet Tshirt next to a fan and see how fast it dries out compared to no airflow and just hanging in the house.

I just got back from maine, and if I saw this before it would of helped a lot. But anyways it makes sense now

good info good to know some tips

Was completely frustrated couldn't get my two strokes to start after trailering them watch this video went outside had him running in less than two minutes fantastic!!!

I got him Polaris 01 XC SP 600 Edge. Took the carbs apart to clean them didn't replace everything put it all back together. The original problem was a tear in the car boot was making the slide run lean. Replace both car boots cleaned the carburetor but didn't replace anything. After putting it all back together one of the carbs flooded the mag side cylinder. While cleaning I'm guessing something got in the float and needle and allowed it to pass gas through as that wasn't a problem prior to cleaning the carbs. But of course taking them apart something could have got stuck. So took them apart replace the seat and needle on that side. Did similar things as you did to pull the gas out took my exhaust off took the plug out turned it over a bunch of times even took the VES valve off and let it sat in the garage for a couple days hoping to get as much gas out of that crankcase as I could. To make a long story short through everything back together and can't seem to get rid of the bog I can't get it to idle right. On this particular sled the service manual says it should idle right around 1400 RPMs. And it was after the first carb cleaning and everything got thrown back together before it flooded I mean it purred like a kitty shut it off three days later it was flooded I got the gas out got it all back together and now for the life of me I can't get rid of the bog on low idle. Everything else works great at high RPMs just at idle there's a backfire or when it comes back down the idle there's a slight backfire any suggestions thanks a lot Buddy

This worked great for me thank u soo much

Thank you very much

The gas stations change over to -40 fuel here in around Nov. Never had a issue with gas freezing. Maybe with water in the gas but a there's a channel that proved that all products that claim to get the water out of fuel simply don't work. Even the name brand ones. Project farm is the channel

Very helpful

hey, im riding a 600rs this season. Premixed fuel yesterday i might have added a bit much oil. worked fine allday but this morning it went a few seconds then died then it acted like it was flooded but got it running. same thing later today could it be the cause of a bit to much oil? . And a warm motor should not need to prime right?

And the pull at wide Open dosen work sometimes if your using lov qualety oil because some oils ignite better than others

when my sled was down last week it was frozen gas line! +5 one day to -35 the next didn't do er any good haha

I have an 06 Vector, do you have the choke off when turning engine over?

Love the videos keep it up but when is the iqr part 14 videos coming.

hi I have a 2002 arctic cat zl 600 it seems whenever I push on the throttle or the gas to accelerate so I don't get stock in the snow my ski doo stalls and it wont go any where and I end up stock and sinking in the snow I can't give the throttle a push all the way t o the handle fast or the skidoo will chock I have to push very slowly or it will stall and I end up being stock

Make sure you don't use methyl hydrate (methanol) base gas line antifreeze, though. Not good for 2 strokes as it strips the oil from the cylinder walls, etc. Use isopropyl based stuff or even the 99% iso from the drug store.

I heard you shouldn't use gas line anti freeze with ethanol gas?

Hey when starting my sled I just bought getting it all ready for winter! When starting it the engine light blinks and it peeps and name every few second. Do you know the cause? 04 ski doo rev 600 sdi

This is before or after Ski 8 Inch ski skin kimpex install ...

Do this go for newer sleds like 2012 m8000s and up ?

Whats the product that you use so that your fuel dont freeze?

I'm thinking about a getting a formula sl but I know there hard to start and I don't want to spend money on the electric starter what should I do

Great Vid as usual! I have a question,, I just purchased a 99 Yamaha Sx600 triple and it runs, but it backfires whenever i rev it on the stand over 5000 rpm, Its LOUD when it backfires,, I am new to Yamaha Sleds and triples in general, Would fouled plugs and or bad gas cause such a massive backfire? Carburetors out of sync? What kind of things do i need to check out? Could it simply have been that i didn't warm it up enough before i started revving it? I'm in michigan and it was about 55 degrees when this happened shortly after transporting it home in the bed of my truck,, I bought the sled and only heard it run briefly,,I dont think he took it beyond 4k when he revved it. What should I look at as far as why it is backfiring so bad? i believe that its backfiring out of the exhaust, and when i took the air box and carbs off today, there was oil in the airbox,, The more i tear into this sled the more funky crap i find, Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

If your plugs are wet.....you can pull til the cows come home ...it ain't gonna start.

Not ripping on the rope as hard and fast as you can, pull using the compression, but with just enough inertia (speed) to complete each compression stroke, (compression is the key), 1/4 to almost 1/2 throttle due to most traditional carburetors this is a flat spot area where the low-speed needle and the high-speed needle transition to one another, (not enough draw for the low speed and not enough for the high speed). Because you want the current air and gas mixture to mix and ignite, this is your best chance throttle position. You do not want more of one or the other. Bad examples of things I see people doing are: WOT, pulling as hard and fast as they can. Ether use. Fast and hard pulling. WOT (wide open throttle) does nothing because of Reed valves, a 2 cycle engine can draw oxygen from the exhaust ports on startup. This method works due to cylinder presser forces out the access gas to other areas dissipating liquid solids. I get peoples sleds running for them all the time after I see them pulling and pulling as fast as they can. The dumb comment I get is, "well I must have warmed it up for you." A good subject that sparked debate!

A couple days ago i tipped my snowmobile on its side, so when i flipped it back over, it was flooded so i did what i usually do, i pinned the throttle to the handle and kept pulling until she started, then i let her idle for a minute, she was fine after, but im wondering if this is bad for my snowmobile after doing this method for a long time?

pull the plugs burn off the gas (i carry a lighter with me when i bring out the old triples for this exact purpose).. pull it over gently a few times.. put the plugs back, yank it over...

What about a 2007 Yamaha VK professional that has no lever to pull except electrical switch which is dead and flooded? I cleaned the spark plug not sure what to do next cuz I don’t have the pull lever

how do you pull the engine

But gas doesn't freeze. And plus you can just hold it wide open with out taking your plugs off. It will take like 5 pulls

My sled was running ok then it bogged and quit running and let out a huge back fire since then it will not start tried everything you just mentioned but still no response I don’t even smell or see gas underneath what do you think?

careful with the fumes igniting! had it happen to me once even with the plugs being removed!

Can you use the same method on a fuel injected sled? On my 1000 I was told absolutely not to touch the throttle when it's flooded.

when are the rest of the iqr videos coming out?

How can your gas lines be frozen when it was brought in a warm garage overnight? I thought you were going to say condensation built up in the tank. Maybe after that and its outside for a night they'd be froze.

hey Louie, my 1984 yamaha phazer has been running like crap lately, so I pulled the plugs and found out I only had spark on one side, so I put new plugs in and started going. Then I found out that the second plug kicks in at 5500rpm and shuts down anywhere under that. I checked the stator and it seems to be fine. the headlight is as bright as it's supossed to be and so are the dash lights. got any ideas??

Hey Louis me and my friend are starting our channel and you have been a great influence to us and we have learned so much about are sleds so I would like to say thanks. And I was wondering if you have any suggestions for our channel and what we can improve?

I take the plus out lean them close to the holes and crank boom and your dry never hurt the junk I had ,just don't put your face there ,ask a friend to look instead Joke .

How do you prevent flooding in first place>?

start Pullin hahaha this guy ^^^^^^^

Mine floods after like the 1st pull any tips?

I have also tried pulling plugs and wiping them dry, and attempt to start without choke. Also, let it sit a minute or two at least. Usually one or all of those things work for me. I guess that stuff is just common sense. I don't get why you would hold the throttle wide open while trying to start, or why you'd pull the motor over while the plugs are out. Could you explain? Also even with the brake locked down I think it's a little unsafe to try to start a sled with the throttle pinned.

Important note: do not use Methanol gas line antifreeze. Isopropyl alcohol only.

Oops I keep pouring the whole bottle of gas line anti freeze

Hey there Louie, I just got me a 96 arctic cougar 550, it only his 90 psi in the left cylinder and 100 psi in the left one. The service manual says it needs 130 psi :(. I poped the heads off and checked the cylinder for score marks and looks fin there. I've come to the idea that it needs new rings on both pistons cause its got like 4,300 ish miles. Do i absolutely positively need to get new gaskets for the head and cylinder if they look okay? Don't exactly have the money for "preventative maintenance" rings arnt to price but for all the gaskets to it right from that arctic cat website parts store is well over 100 bucks in just the top end and cylinder gaskets. Keep up the great videos!!!

Method never worked for me

Great visual presentation I did not like the videos though