Will cold weather cause an engine to be excessively difficult to start?? I have a new OS 55 (5 tanks through it) that starts on the first flip when the temps are warm (above 50). I went out to fly the other weekend and it was cold (34 degrees) and it wouldn't start for anything. I finally got it started by cranking on it with the starter for a while. Any suggestions??

Warm up the cylinder head with pocket torch before you are starting the engine, it will help in cold weather with preheated cylinder head.

I'd had the same experience in winter.
I didn't understand the reason why at that time. But now, I have almost solved this problem.
It needs more choke for starting in winter especially 2-stroke engine.
Please try and please take Motorboy's advice into account, too.

Sarashina

It needs more priming than warm weather.Dont afraid , prime it generously.

We here put some gasoline in our fuel, that helps a lot, don't to much gas maybe 5%.

Good luck

At 34F ordinary fuel will do just fine. No need for gasoline or any external heating of the cylinder. Priming the engine is all important. Also check your glow plug battery. As the temperature falls, so does battery performance.

Thanks for the tips. I am always cautious not to over prime and flood the engine so that could be the problem. I always charge my glow driver prior to any trip to the field and the battery reading on top of the driver was high in the green so battery isn't the problem I wouldn't think. Thanks again everyone, I will work on priming more.

never trust those battery meters on top of the driver. They are usually of inferior quality.

A NiCd glow starter is fine for the summer, but often not so good in the winter. The NiCd starter is 1.2 V and most glow plugs like to see 1.5 V. Try using a power panel instead of a glow starter.

Also, a few drops of lighter fluid (naptha) in the carb can help cold starting.

In the cold here in Ohio, I just use a small squirt of lighter fluid down the carb, or through the exhaust on my 4-strokes, & they start just like its summer. High idle for a moment to let the engine get to operating temp, & then fly.

When I was younger, I would fly when the temperature was mid 20's or higher. Below like 45 I would use the lighter fluid like above. The engine work start first flip. I didn't have an electric starter back then