Dead ATV due to cold weather

[Rippin_Lips7]

It was around 0 degrees here last night and after fishing for a few hours my atv would not start. We ended up putting the eskimo shack over the atv with the heater inside and got it started. I am wondering if anyone has run into similar issues and has any recommendations to prevent me from having to do this again.

Specific cold weather battery? New plugs? Engine heater install?

Thanks

[helimpd124]

Best thing I've found is starting it every couple hours and letting it run for 15 min or so.

Not sure of the age of your battery but cold weather is definitely hard on them and will expose a weak one.

[RedRiverRick]

A new or fully charged battery and synthetic oil.

[filetandrelease]

 My old battery finally gave up the ghost , new battery sits for days in a non heated shed starts in subzero weather try changing the battery

[Rippin_Lips7]

My old battery finally gave up the ghost , new battery sits for days in a non heated shed starts in subzero weather try changing the battery

What battery did you buy? This is a new to me atv and it has the original battery in it. I do have it hooked up to a trickle charge 24/7 when it is home.

[joefishmore]

I think glass mat batteries last longer..

[fishermantim]

Best thing I've found is starting it every couple hours and letting it run for 15 min or so.

Not sure of the age of your battery but cold weather is definitely hard on them and will expose a weak one.

Expose the weak ones? Heck, it'll straight out KILL them.

[filetandrelease]

What battery did you buy? This is a new to me atv and it has the original battery in it. I do have it hooked up to a trickle charge 24/7 when it is home.

Walmart ever start mid range price

[meandcuznalfy]

A little heet in the tank don't hurt anything either, gas line can freeze in those conditions too.

[Fisherman 1]

Some ATV brands (Polaris for one) use crappy starting relays and when it gets too cold, they don't work.  I now some people have gone to the effort of changing them out with the ones from snowmobiles just to solve that problem.  Couple years back on a weekend trip,  all 8 polaris models wouldn't start,  took out the relays and brought them into the cottage to warm them, then they start.  Next morning same disaster.

[sleddog1]

What make & model ATV is it? My 420 Honda Forman wouldn’t start at zero or below. After plugs, battery & fuel pump it still wouldn’t start when sub zero. Finally I changed the fuel pump relay! Problem solved.

[trophytaker1]

Try to use non ethanol fuel

[filetandrelease]

Try to use non ethanol fuel

X2

[Agronomist_at_IA]

It was around 0 degrees here last night and after fishing for a few hours my atv would not start. We ended up putting the eskimo shack over the atv with the heater inside and got it started. I am wondering if anyone has run into similar issues and has any recommendations to prevent me from having to do this again.

Specific cold weather battery? New plugs? Engine heater install?

Thanks

On my Honda foreman 2005...I just manually pump fuel then pull the cord and it starts.That is if it doesn’t start with the electronic start.

[filetandrelease]

 
  My 2004 cat TRV has both pull and electric

[badger132]

I worked for an outfitter, we have all kinds of vehicles. There were always cans of starting fluid around to solve just this problem. Most of the time if you can get it to fire, it will run, but below zero, any moisture will frost the plug, and you are done.

[Rippin_Lips7]

Thanks for all the advice.

Let me try to reply to everyone...
I have a 2015 polaris sportsman 850.
I dont have a pull cord.
I only use non-ethanol but my gas might not be winter blend now that I think about it. Might need to put some heet in there
That relay switch might be a good idea in addition to a better battery.

[sunniewally]

carry one of the small jump start packs. I have a 2017 Polaris and its useless in cold weather That with a new  agm battery. I plug mine in when it gets cold. But I may have to look into the relay  like the guy says.

[eyehi]

Get a gel battery off eBay .... Highly recommended by my mechanic who I trust .... Love ThE cold start primer on my.Honda....

[Iawinger]

Replace the fuel pump relay with an AC Delco relay. Did that on my 2018 570. Haven't had any problems. Replace all the relays if you want, but that's the important one.

[JonPerry]

A bit of Isopropyl in the tank when it goes below 0. Seafood on occasion doesn't hurt.

[firegems]

I mounted two milk crates on my front rack of my ATV. I carry a small battery jump box in one of them. It’s one thing to not being able to start your ATV at home or on shore...sucks to be stranded out in the middle of a lake. Came in handy more than once..not only for me but for others that have broke down also.

[Gamalot]

Thanks for all the advice.

Let me try to reply to everyone...
I have a 2015 polaris sportsman 850.
I dont have a pull cord.
I only use non-ethanol but my gas might not be winter blend now that I think about it. Might need to put some heet in there
That relay switch might be a good idea in addition to a better battery.

All good that you already use Non E gas. Adding Heet or other alcohol based additives is basically just adding Ethanol to your Non E fuel. We use nothing but Sea Foam additive in our machines for winter duty. I suspect your battery is on it's last legs and you have received the best advice already. Full synthetic oil which a Polaris should already have and a new AGM battery (Absorbed Glass Mat)
Make sure all the connections are clean and making good contact. I do keep a spray can of Either starting fluid handy for this exact reason but have never had to use it as long as all the other things are up to date. If the machine has a fuel filter this is the first thing I would check and replace. If the fuel in the tank is old or even partially old I would drain the tank and lines completely and start with fresh Non E fuel. Check the fuel petcock as they have fine mesh screens that will get clogged if old gas was in the tank. Moisture in the tank falls to the lowest point which is usually at the petcock.

[Fish Butcher]

Could be the battery. Heat is what makes a battery go bad. Takes all the cold cranking amps right out of it. Cold weather exposes a bad battery. Not enough cca to turn over stiff engine. For those of us old enough: remember the die-hard battery commercials? Car sat out on a frozen lake. Snowy, windy, sub-zero temps. Car started slick as a whistle. Great marketing! Could be the battery.

[straightShot]

What battery did you buy? This is a new to me atv and it has the original battery in it. I do have it hooked up to a trickle charge 24/7 when it is home.

Invest in a battery charger that's a maintainer, like a Battery Tender or something similar, and not an actual 'trickle charger'.

[esox_xtm]

Lots of advice here. Some could have come from me, some I'd say is not it. Could you be more specific on what you meant when you say "it wouldn't start"? Did it turn over and not catch (one issue)? Or did it maybe turn over a couple times very slowly (or maybe not at all) and just not any more?

Not turning points to a battery issue and spinning without firing points to fuel/air/spark.

[Rebelss]

All good that you already use Non E gas. Adding Heet or other alcohol based additives is basically just adding Ethanol to your Non E fuel. We use nothing but Sea Foam additive in our machines for winter duty. I suspect your battery is on it's last legs and you have received the best advice already. Full synthetic oil which a Polaris should already have and a new AGM battery (Absorbed Glass Mat)
Make sure all the connections are clean and making good contact. I do keep a spray can of Either starting fluid handy for this exact reason but have never had to use it as long as all the other things are up to date. If the machine has a fuel filter this is the first thing I would check and replace. If the fuel in the tank is old or even partially old I would drain the tank and lines completely and start with fresh Non E fuel. Check the fuel petcock as they have fine mesh screens that will get clogged if old gas was in the tank. Moisture in the tank falls to the lowest point which is usually at the petcock.

Exactly....Gamalot nailed it. DON'T be dumping HEET in there! Yer trying to keep alcohol OUT of yer system, that's why ya buy the non-oxy! I'd also stay away from the Wally world Neverstart batts; ask any boat or mechanic about those. And ya, I went thru 3 in my boat in 2 years...junk. I won't post on anything I haven't used or done, either. Get a good AGM one like an Interstate or Yuasa (which are rated #1 for ATV's) Plus, a glass mat batt is better with all the bouncin' and jouncin' around. A gel too, but they get pretty pricey. BUT, ya really get what ya pay for in a battery. Even though Johnson Controls makes 2/3 of the batts out there, including the Neverstarts, they make them to the suppliers specs. (ie cheaper) Top brands are made better in batts, simple fact. I've seen a lot of batt issues in my years working on engines/cars. My brand-new F-150 had two clunkers right in a row...their best big Motorcraft big ones. It happens.  Get one with the most Ah, followed by the highest CCA, and you should be good to go. I'd suggest a battery tender too, to keep it healthy.

[Gamalot]

Exactly....Gamalot nailed it. DON'T be dumping HEET in there! Yer trying to keep alcohol OUT of yer system, that's why ya buy the non-oxy! I'd also stay away from the Wally world Neverstart batts; ask any boat or mechanic about those. And ya, I went thru 3 in my boat in 2 years...junk. I won't post on anything I haven't used or done, either. Get a good AGM one like an Interstate or Yuasa (which are rated #1 for ATV's) Plus, a glass mat batt is better with all the bouncin' and jouncin' around. A gel too, but they get pretty pricey. BUT, ya really get what ya pay for in a battery. Even though Johnson Controls makes 2/3 of the batts out there, including the Neverstarts, they make them to the suppliers specs. (ie cheaper) Top brands are made better in batts, simple fact. I've seen a lot of batt issues in my years working on engines/cars. My brand-new F-150 had two clunkers right in a row...their best big Motorcraft big ones. It happens.  Get one with the most Ah, followed by the highest CCA, and you should be good to go. I'd suggest a battery tender too, to keep it healthy.

Thanks Rebelss, for batteries I have been buying the Vmax Tank AGM batteries for quite a few years now and swear by them. They sell a great little charger to go with them that is also a maintainer and in 10 years I have never had a battery go bad yet. I was lucky to get 3 years with a Walmart deep cycle for my trolling motor but the Vmax tank is still going strong after 8 full seasons. Buddies have tried the Gel ones, Yellow top or blue top versions with good results also. I am not sure if any of the Lithium Ion makers are tooled up for ATV and other ORVs yet but those would also be a consideration. Lead/Acid batteries are old school these days IMO.

[rundrave]

The AGM batteries are great. The biggest problem with them is recharging them. The battery should be charged at a rate of .75 to 2 amps on an auto shut off battery charger.  If you charge them with higher amps too fast it will ruin the battery.

[Rebelss]

Thanks Rebelss, for batteries I have been buying the Vmax Tank AGM batteries for quite a few years now and swear by them. They sell a great little charger to go with them that is also a maintainer and in 10 years I have never had a battery go bad yet. I was lucky to get 3 years with a Walmart deep cycle for my trolling motor but the Vmax tank is still going strong after 8 full seasons. Buddies have tried the Gel ones, Yellow top or blue top versions with good results also. I am not sure if any of the Lithium Ion makers are tooled up for ATV and other ORVs yet but those would also be a consideration. Lead/Acid batteries are old school these days IMO.

I'm surprised Interstates aren't ranked high for ATV's...the Yuasa's and ThrottleX (which I have no experience with)and Chrome brand are consistently rated the top three. I've seen a whale of a lot of batteries when I was wrenching at the Ford dealership, and sold a lot, and I don't see how ya could go wrong with an Interstate. If I haven't been there and done it I don't offer an opinion. But, maybe I'states ATV's aren't as good as their others...that I don't know. Look close at the warranty/pro-rated replacement on a batt, too. That's makes a big diff.