November 26, 2007
Volume I: Snowmobile Racings Early Years (1967-1973)
Volume II: Best of SnoPro (1973-1978)
Volume III: Best of SnoPro II (1978-1982)
Volume IV: The Best Of Race & Rally, The Unseen Photos, The Untold Stories (1967-1973)
Any one or all of these great books make the perfect gift for the snowmobiler on your list. Each book is over 200 glossy pages of history thru exceptional photography. The photos and stories that make up these books are from the archives of Race & Rally (now SnowTech) Magazine. Every Vintage snowmobile enthusiast should have a complete collection. For US shipments get your orders in by December 19th to ensure delivery by the 24th. For Canadian shipments, orders should be in by December 13th to ensure delivery by the 24th. Click here to order.
November 25, 2007
The December 2007 issue of SnowTech was mailed on November 1st to subscribers and debuted on the newsstand on November 15th. The December issue was a whopping 140 pages thick – full of the latest technical information on the sport of Snowmobiling. New model reports on the MX Z Adrenaline, Apex GT, Dragon RMK, and Crossfire. This issue also included the release of the 2008 Polaris 600 IQ Race Sled and the 2008 Ski-Doo MX Zx 600RS Race Sled. Special features on Trail Grooming, a Technical update on Blue Marble Oil, The Best Technological features of the 2008 models, and an excellent stage tuning article on the 2007 Ski-Doo Summit 800R boosting it to 172 HP. Numerous new product releases and test/evaluations. Plus hundreds of tech tips in Dear Ralph, Tech Shorts, Service and Tuning Notes, and Feedback. The December issue also featured a Vintage Snowmobile article on the 1977 Scorpion BullWhip.
November 20, 2007
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Pleasant Prairie, WI (Nov. 20, 2007)— The Yamaha Factory Snocross team is putting the last touches on its fleet of ferocious 4-stroke race sleds in preparation for the season-opening WPSA National in Duluth, Minnesota this weekend. “We’ve been up in extreme northern Manitoba for the past week and our crew is very pleased with the sled’s final pre-race workout,†said Yamaha Race Manager Greg Marier. “Pro racer Steve Taylor is in the best shape of his life and is determined to put himself on the podium early and often this season.â€
The original Factory Snocross plan called for Cory Davis to race in the Semi-Pro Open class this season. “But we had a hiccup to the plan,†said Marier. “Cory had a mishap on a practice lap and hairline fractured his collarbone. He will have to sit out the first national event, but he will be back on his modified FX Nytro race sled in time for the second stop, the double header at Canterbury in Minnesota.â€
During Cory’s expected 4-week recovery, Swedish National Snocross Champion Johan Eriksson will drive the #160 sled. “We’re excited to have Johan available to come to the US and compete in Cory’s stead,†Marier said. “He is a tough competitor who has been racing for 13 years.â€
When race fans come to any WPSA National event, they can stop by the new Yamaha Racing Communications Center (YRCC) to have their picture taken on an actual Factory FX Nytro Race sled with the fabulously beautiful Yamaha Snocross girls. Snowmobilers can also find out about the FX Nytro demo rides being held in conjunction with the weekend’s races at YRCC.
Yamaha Factory Snocross is proudly sponsored by Yamaha, Yamalube, FXR, Camoplast, Fox Racing Shox, Studboy, Fly Racing and GYTR.
November 20, 2007
Melting Switches
Dear Ralph:
I’ve got an older Polaris Pro-X that keeps melting the high-beam switch. I haven’t installed higher powered headlights or anything, but it has happened so many times that I now carry a spare switch with me where ever I go. Any suggestions?
Kirk Binder
Kalamazoo, MI
I would suspect a pinched wire somewhere. One of the headlight power leads could be contacting ground, and then there’s a whole bunch of current going through that little switch. That’s been the cause of most melted headlight switches that I’m aware of. Inspect the wiring from the switch all the way to the headlights, somewhere somehow you’re getting too much current through that switch, with the result being a meltdown.
Less likely would be a design issue where the exact style switch isn’t able to carry the amount of current going through it for extended periods of time. It might be curious to see what kind of voltage (pressure) you are getting from the regulator, but the problem is likely due to the current (flow) and not the voltage.
November 20, 2007
Dear Ralph:
I have a 2006 Yamaha Attak and absolutely love the sled. The power, the stability, the way it takes the bumps, and the fuel economy are all so much better than what I was used to.
Problem is, my sled started to display a number 35 error code on the digital display at the end of the season. That error code isn’t on the list I have. Sometimes it would even stutter like it was missing. It’ll come and go, what can I tell my dealer to be looking for?
T. Morin
Yamaha service tells us they’ve found a few cases of this where a wiring harness is contacting a bolt, causing an intermittent short to ground and a subsequent ignition misfire. Look for a wiring harness near the #3 spark plug, the wires coming out of the bottom of the plug are going to be touching the bolt that secures the #3 ignition coil. Follow the wiring up to the black tie wrap, loosen this tie wrap and inspect the wiring where it was contacting the bolt. It might have burnt through the insulation, so repair as needed. Then re-position the tie wrap so it holds the wiring harness, plug and wires, up and away from the coil bolt.
Many riders will very carefully inspect the wire routing and hose routing of their sleds and often find a better way to route or secure wire or hose routes to keep them away from heat and contact that can damage the wiring or hose. When a wire contacts the edge of a metal part, it’s only a matter of time before vibration and movement will fret away the plastic insulation, exposing the metal wire to ground potential (most every metal part on the sled is at ground potential) and then the circuit shorts out. Bad deal.
November 20, 2007
Dear Ralph:
I just picked up a couple of spare drive belts at my dealer, and it’s like they’re all oily or greasy. I figure that can’t be good for my clutches. What’s up with that?
“Renegade Martyâ€
You’re right, that isn’t a good thing for your clutches. The oily residue is mold release compound, a lubricant that is sprayed or applied to the mold so the drive belts come out of the mold during manufacturing. Some belts will be more slimy than others, but they should all be cleaned before installation to keep this crap from greasing your clutch sheaves. Use warm soapy water with something like Simple Green cleaner, and scrub lightly with an old tooth brush or soft nylon brush to remove the residue, then allow to air dry naturally and completely. Also, break-in the new belts gently for about 25-30 miles, no high speed or wide open operation during this time frame, they’ll last longer and be ready to go when you need them.
November 20, 2007
Dear Ralph,
First off, this is by far the best snowmobile magazine. My question is about stock pipe(s) vs. after market pipe(s) running temps. Most stock pipes come with an aluminum shield and a bit of insulation between them. Is this for reducing sound or for keeping a pipe hot? Next question is when people put twin pipes (or an after market single) on their sled, would it benefit to close any air duct’s leading directly to the front of the pipe(s) to keep them hotter? I have experienced how a snow drift hits hot pipes and the sled bog’s down, is this from too much moisture/steam getting to the carbs or the heat reduction of the pipe(s)? Are ceramic coatings worth it? Can you explain any of the pluses or minuses of exhaust systems?
Randy Hillman
Grand Rapids, Michigan
There is enough information on what you’re asking to fill a couple of magazines, and much of this has been covered in tech articles over the years in SnowTech Magazine. Check our article archives on-line as many of these tech features are now posted for reference, and all should still be available in our back-issue library that you can order from as well.
As for the heat shield on stock exhaust systems, they are there to do both; reduce the noise emissions (shell noise vibrations) emanating from the surface of the exhaust pipe, and to provide a quicker warm-up and stable pipe temperature. A two-stroke tuned exhaust pipe makes it’s power at a specific RPM, but this is at a SPECIFIC temperature. The exact RPM at which your engine makes its power is very dependent on the temperature of the pipe and the gasses inside. Without having to re-write the articles about the speed of sound, let’s just say that a pipe that reaches ideal operating temperature and stays there is best matched to the clutching system, which is calibrated to this operating RPM.
This is why recent year snocross sleds incorporate an ignition timing retard at the starting line, as this gets the pipe hotter faster, so when the green flag drops the pipe is as close to ideal temp as possible, so the engine makes as much power as possible and the clutching calibration is matched as well.
Are there benefits to closing off forward facing air ducts? Possibly, but this would likely lead to other heat related problems that would be more of an issue. Like, the overall underhood temperatures, clutch temperatures, and all parts and pieces close to the exhaust system. For short runs, the lack of cooling airflow across the pipe could be beneficial, but generally for mainstream use you want to keep the underhood cavity cooler, not hotter. When you hit a snow drift and the snow hits the pipe, the sled is bogging more due to the drop in exhaust system operating temperature than anything else. This also can crack some of the thinner wall exhaust pipes.
Ceramic coatings? They’re good for several reasons; they look better due to the anti-corrosion nature, the pipe tends to only discolor instead of rusting. The ceramic coating also keeps the heat inside the pipe instead of radiating out and away, so the pipe typically heats up faster and operates at a stable temperature more often. Some tuners actually report the ceramic coating change the operating RPM slightly, raising it 100 RPM or so. This would be due to the heat retention and higher operating temperature. Some riders will remove the aluminum clamshell material and the insulation from their stock pipe, only to find corrosion has started due to the moisture retention of the insulating material. Ceramic coating the pipe in this case pretty much eliminates the need for the insulation, but does little for the shell noise reduction of the exhaust (minimal, but a consideration). You might notice a slight more “tingy†or “ding-dingâ€, more subtle than anything. Generally, ceramic coating is a good thing for the durability, appearance and operating consistency of the exhaust system.
Bottom line, start with the recommendations and suggestions of the supplier of the exhaust system. Each exhaust system is designed to operate at a very specific operating RPM, and this means a very specific operating temperature. This is also why some exhaust systems work well on the dyno, but not so good in the field. The reason? Differences in pipe temperature between the two environments. There is so much more to this subject, this is only a teaser of a response.
November 20, 2007
Dear Ralph:
I have a 2007 Ski-Doo MX Z 600 HO SDI. When I was adding oil the other day, I noticed a wire going into the muffler. What is this? I figured it might be a temp sensor, but that doesn’t make any sense, either.
via www.snowtechmagazine.com
Yes, the wire running down into the muffler is indeed a temperature sensor. This is one of the many inputs that is being analyzed by the on-board computer (ECU) as it keeps the engine running properly.
A muffler temperature sensor is different from an exhaust gas temperature of the tuned pipe. The sensor in the muffler of an SDI engine is a safety device to prevent the muffler from overheating. This is really only needed in lean-burn engines like the SDI. If the muffler gets too hot, the ECU will go through one stage of trying to cool itself down, before dropping to a limp home mode. During “normal operation†it does absolutely nothing.
Also of concern is unburned fuel entering a hot muffler, going “BANG†(the backfire when you turn the sled off). This is why, after a good hot run, you should always let your sled idle down for a few seconds before hitting the kill switch. If you come in hard and quickly turn the engine off, there will be more fuel coming through the exhaust and when it gets to a cherry-hot silencer, this is where the “BANG†can come from. This holds true for all two-strokes; you really should let them come down to idle before cutting the ignition.
November 20, 2007
Dear Ralph:
I have to tell you, I love your magazine! But, that’s not what I want; I have a 1990 Polaris Indy. Every time I go wide open and let off the throttle the cable falls out. Can you help me? Thanks for any advice you can share.
Aaron Legate
Campbellsport, WI
Thank you for the kind words. As for your throttle issues, follow the throttle cable from your handlebars down towards the carbs and you will find what is called a “splitter boxâ€. This is where the single cable that attaches to your throttle up on the handlebars goes into a box and pulls on two cables, one for each carb. Inside this box things must move freely. Most likely is the lubrication (grease) inside of this splitter box is all dried up and the parts aren’t moving freely, so when you let off the throttle the single cable is not moving with the throttle lever and it pops out of the retainer. It’s either this splitter box, or the cable is damaged (kinked or frayed) somewhere that is causing it to not move freely. Heck, it could be corrosion and a lack of lubrication anywhere inside the cable after this many years.
Two options; see if you can disassemble, clean and re-lubricate the internals of the splitter box (use something like a light grease, white lithium) and get it all moving smoothly again, or replace the throttle cable. That’ll run about $70 for the cable, and you’d want to synchronize the carbs and re-time the oil pump if you replace the cable.
November 20, 2007
Dear Ralph:
I have a 2007 Arctic Cat F-1000. I am not real happy with the stock track, so I want to replace it with a Ripsaw 128†x 15†x 1.25â€. I am not going ice dragging with it, 98% of my riding is on groomed trails and the rest is racing my buddies across the lake. The dealers tell me I’m nuts for even thinking of changing it, but I had one on my ‘02 800 and it made a huge difference in lose snow with just 96 picks down the middle. I know there is a pound or two difference in weight and I may lose a little on the big end, but I don’t think so. So what’s the big deal?
Also, if I remember right you guys had an article on what all needed to be changed in the rear idlers? Spacers, or something?
What do ya’ think, am I nuts?
Tim Madden
No, I don’t think you’re nuts at all. We had the same reaction to the stock tracks used on the 2007 F-Series models, they were adequate but not as good as a Ripsaw. They’re good for top end and good for packed trails and the 1†lug height is preferable for studding due to the lower lug height, but ideally I would also choose a Ripsaw as my first track choice. The difference in top speed will be minimal, 2-3 mph at most would be my guess.
Why would dealers tell you you’re nuts? Possibly because they think a sled with this much power should have no less than 144 studs, with many telling you 168-192 is even better, and if you’re going to be installing that many studs then the shorter 1†lug height and resulting shorter stud length would be preferable. No doubt. But, like you stated, you’re not going ice racing with it, 98% of your riding is on groomed trails. Knowing this, I agree with you that the Ripsaw would be a better all-around choice for traction, acceleration side-bite, and loose snow performance, while maintaining outstanding top speed and reduced rotating mass, all with a good history of durability. Warranty claims have been minimal with the Ripsaw pattern, it’s a really good track.
There will be some who would balk at the price to make the change, and question the performance gain for the dollar. Only you can answer this question, as you would have to figure in the total cost of getting the new track installed minus what you can get for your old track. I personally believe it would be worth it if you ride a couple thousand miles.
Yes, the 2007 F-Series sleds had narrower tracks, which allowed owners to install the narrower 14†tracks for top speed gains. Look closely at the width of the drive lugs inside of the track, on the outer belts. The rear axle and spacers are shorter to let this happen. To install a Ripsaw you would need to install the longer axle and spacers from a Jaguar Z1 (according to the track experts at Tracks USA). Very simple and inexpensive.
Or, one other option could be to try the new Cobra 1.25†track that Arctic Cat is fitting their 2008 SnoPro models with. Assuming Arctic Cat is still using the narrow drive lugs, the Arctic Cat version of the Cobra track might drop right in without any axle and spacer changes. We haven’t tested this new track, but it should be worth consideration.
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