Hard start when cold

[STxFishing]

Hi all,
I'm new to forum so any help would be appreciated. I have a 2010 Suzuki DF 200 4st. It doesn't like to start when it's cold. Starts fine all day after that but the first time is a pain. It might take 20-30 key turns to fire it up. Any ideas? Is there a cold start injector or does ecm just pulse injectors at start? I'm waiting on manual to get here but it wont make it before weekend. Any thoughts where I might start looking?

Thanks,

Spencer

[Harper]

Hi Spencer. Welcome to the forum. I don't think there is any cold start injector on the motor. I think the ECM richens the mixture and sets the RPM during cold starts. Based solely on my experiences over the years with fuel injection systems, the first place I would look is an IAC that is sticky when it's cold. Could be some contamination or goo of some sort that makes it less responsive until it warms and loosens up a bit, so cleaning with a throttle body cleaner might help. Second thing I would look at would be the intake air temp sensor and the MAP sensor. These are checked with a digital ohmmeter. Specs should be in your manual when you get that. And of course, it might require that you get it to a shop where they can hook it up to a computer to see what faults might have shown up over time.

I meant to ask this first ... when cold, does it not try to fire at all? Or does it act like it's trying to fire, but just can't quite catch? Or does it fire up but die immediately? One might draw different conclusions, depending on the answer.

[artdf175]

Besides the points Mike makes I would ask a couple of questions relating to maintenance hours on engine - checked spark plugs - valve clearances (200 hours)
These could effect cold starts
Before you start you might check the fuel bulb and make sure the system is full before turn the key
The first turn of the key before the starter you should be able to hear the high pressure pump energize the pressure to the fuel rail
That should take 5 seconds or thereabouts
I might suspect a bad connection in ythe fuel line might be allowing fuel to flow back to the fuel tank in off periods and it takes a lot of priming to get fuel back up into the low pressure pump and VST

[STxFishing]

Thanks for input! Art, I saw there is a check valve in the fuel lines. I was thinking it might not be holding the fuel and allowing it to drain back, so I will be checking it. The pump inside the vst sounds horrible. I will be taking it apart to see if the spacer came loose or if the pump is just worn out. It has good pressure, just sounds like its pushing/sucking air. I will keep y'all informed of my progress.

Spencer

[artdf175]

You might take a look at the inline fuel filter the one under the engine cover
It should be full If not start checking for a air leak
If you pump the bulb hard enough you might be able to see a fuel leak
People have had trouble with the check valve on the fuel tank but the other way around not letting fuel tone pumped and starving out problems

[STxFishing]

There are 3 fuel external fuel filters plus the one at bottom of pump in vst. I am changing them all (200 hrs) plus found a leak at primer ball. Fuel looks like its full of water, got to love ethanol! I will let you know how it goes once parts arrive and I get them installed. Thanks for the input!