help needed diagnosing "cold no start"

[raggdoll]

When cold, like from sitting overnight, cart cranks won't start. No Spark. Turn it over several times, still no start. Come back and try an hour later, it fires up and will start/rum pretty much the rest of the day.

Next morning, it does the same thing. Been doing this for 4 days...what could it be?

2003 DS, in good shape otherwise, all tuned up with regular maintenance, this is no beater cart.

[CP241]

Sounds like a microswitch problem. Locate the ignition kill wire, on the front of the motor there is the rev limiter. Dont disconnect that, but near the rev limiter you'll see a wire coming from the passenger side, running behind it, and up to the ignition coil. This wire will have a bullet connector, should be near the rev limiter itself. When it wont start, first try and disconnect that wire and see if it fires. If so, I'd jump the microswitch behind the shift lever. Not the one for the reverse buzzer, the other one, should be the outside one towards the rear of the cart. If it starts, that microswitch is bad. If not, test the 2 switches inside the black box next to the air filter.

That's where I would start anyway. Coil usually goes out when hot, not cold so that's unlikely. Rev limiter is possible, that's easy enough to bypass just remove the ring terminal off the left side mounting bolt and insulate it so it doesnt touch metal. If that makes it run, it's the rev limiter.

Check that and let us know what you find

[raggdoll]

Originally Posted by CP241

Sounds like a microswitch problem. Locate the ignition kill wire, on the front of the motor there is the rev limiter. Dont disconnect that, but near the rev limiter you'll see a wire coming from the passenger side, running behind it, and up to the ignition coil. This wire will have a bullet connector, should be near the rev limiter itself. When it wont start, first try and disconnect that wire and see if it fires. If so, I'd jump the microswitch behind the shift lever. Not the one for the reverse buzzer, the other one, should be the outside one towards the rear of the cart. If it starts, that microswitch is bad. If not, test the 2 switches inside the black box next to the air filter.

That's where I would start anyway. Coil usually goes out when hot, not cold so that's unlikely. Rev limiter is possible, that's easy enough to bypass just remove the ring terminal off the left side mounting bolt and insulate it so it doesnt touch metal. If that makes it run, it's the rev limiter.

Check that and let us know what you find

Thanks, will keep you posted!

[Fairtax4me]

Is there any moisture or condensation on the motor?
How old is the spark plug?

[raggdoll]

Originally Posted by Fairtax4me

Is there any moisture or condensation on the motor?
How old is the spark plug?

New plug, moisture anywhere