Hard to cold start carb'd XLT

[LT1GMC]

My buddy, and now myself, both have 04 XLT1200's that have become hard to start when they haven't run for a couple of days or so. Any ideas? I really don't want to convert to primers, besides, they used to be fine. New plugs, always the best 93 oct fuel, no other running issues at all. Thanks!

[scittb]

Well if the are 04's might be time to rebuild the carbs. Also dont bother with the 93 octane if its totaly stock engine you wasting your money. It has the opposite effect as a 4 stroke. You want the engine to run a little hotter with the 87 belive it or not. If you start raising the compression then you raise the octane for safety reasons. You may actually see the ski run a little stronger with the 87 but its very slight difference.

[pauladave]

I find mine won't fire up if the battery isn't ABSOLUTELY full charge,so I always put it on charge the night before,if it hasn't been out for a week or more.Then I give it full choke,crank it for a couple of seconds,then 'blip' the throttle full open and closed a couple of times,and away she goes (then get that choke in quick).I believe opening the throttle stops the fuel pumps on the carbs from pumping gas,but it allows the accelerator pump to inject gas into the inlet tract enough to 'get the fire going'!Certainly be suspicious of the battery,if they're more than a couple of years old.Like I said,if there's any drop in voltage,mine just refuses to fire.Put a fresh battery on,and it's fine!

[LT1GMC]

Well if the are 04's might be time to rebuild the carbs. Also dont bother with the 93 octane if its totaly stock engine you wasting your money. It has the opposite effect as a 4 stroke. You want the engine to run a little hotter with the 87 belive it or not. If you start raising the compression then you raise the octane for safety reasons. You may actually see the ski run a little stronger with the 87 but its very slight difference.

I've got my heads cut for higher compression, thats why the 93 oct. The battery is good, I just don't want to ruin the starter with the long crank to fire times. I pump the throttle, use full choke without throttle, all the normal things. its only after a week sitting or so. Figured it must be something common like a tank vent problem or something simple like that.

[Dirty Sanchez]

Have you thought about installing a primer system. A easy and cheap way to get these ski to start up quickly.

[OzarkGPR]

I was having the same problem with my XLT. The carbs need rebuilt. When you open up the fuel pump side of the carbs and the clear diaphrams are distorted from all the pulsing, that is most likely your problem, mine were. Of course they had close to 150 hrs. She fires right up now.

[LT1GMC]

I was having the same problem with my XLT. The carbs need rebuilt. When you open up the fuel pump side of the carbs and the clear diaphrams are distorted from all the pulsing, that is most likely your problem, mine were. Of course they had close to 150 hrs. She fires right up now.

How old was you XLT at the time? Mine is an 04, but I bought it new in late 05, now with 40 some hours on it. When you had the problem, it ran fine after starting? If thats the case then it could be my problem too, hate taking it down that far, might just put a remote pump/fuel separator on at the same time if its that common.

[OzarkGPR]

Mine is an '01 w/ 150 hrs. Your Carb diaphrams should not be bad with only 40 hrs of use. My problem gradually got worse to the point I was floating in the middle of the cove with a dead battery. Trying to get it started at first was the problem, once it started it was fine. It didnt get enough pressure thru the pulse lines to pump fuel just using the starter, once the engine was running the pulse was strong enough. When I pulled the carbs apart, I noticed my diaphrams were worn and distorted from the constant pulsing back and forth.

[Jetblast]

I have an 05 with 40 hours that I bought new, and it is doing the same as yours. When new it cranked very easily with just choke pulled out, now I pull out choke and squeeze throttle 7 times and it fires pretty quick. I read in another post that squeezing the throttle injects extra fuel from the acclerator pumps, must be common with these boats.