My new old ski-doo!

[jimlj]

I had a 97 Polaris XCR 440 fan...Same exact thing, fast on hard pack, instantly stuck in the fluff ...luckily that XCR was real light weight, so I could lift it out of a deep drift.

I meant to say ZRT in my post. The ZRT was a liquid cooled triple cylinder triple pipe rocket. I bought it a couple years old late in the season when the snow had started setting up. I loved it for a month or so that year, but couldn't wait to sell it the next year after trying to ride on new snow. Mine had been long tracked with a 1 1/2" track. The things were heavy from the factory, not sure what the track added to mine.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Jim,
I should also clarify, because I have owned faster machines than the XCR 440. When I said "fast on hard pack"...I should have said it "feels soooo fast on hard pack". The Top end on that light machine with a fat man on it (me), was 70 mph. But with it's minimal suspension, I felt like I was flying and any slight mis-maneuver would end up in a total wipe-out.
>>>btw, that same machine going through 10" of fluff, with me on it, would top out at 30 mph...LOL.

[jonp]

Those fans are great. Im a big "fan" of them as the less to go wrong miles from help the better in my view.

I remember those old Rupps and Scorpions for that matter. I think Lloyd brought this up before and I posted but we had a 292 TNT. Compression so high it was a bear to pull the cord. Someone had remade it as a race machine and it would haul. My first ski doo I bought with my own cash earned cutting pulp one winter was a Kawasaki Invader. Really ahead of its time I think in styling and perfomance. A 440, I never found the top end as it just kept picking up speed.

Last one I owned was a Polaris Firecat 700 with the long track. Fast doesn't begin to cover that bright orange sled. I never ran against a production sled that could go from start and out run it on the lake. I got it to 110 mph out running a Ski Doo Bumble Bee that didnt think I knew what a sled was and that wasn't top end. Buddy I bought it from raced and said he had his wife on the back and hit 120mph down a road. I believe him. I lived at my hunting camp a few years back in the woods. Only way in during winter was walk or skidoo. Twice a week I would wait for the groomers to go by and around 10 pm take off. Miles run at 60 mph just like a highway down double groomed all by myself.

Boy, in high school we had a gang that would ride up to our friends farm, help him finish chores and go out riding half the night. Good memories. We had everything from a Motor Ski to a Polaris Colt SS to my Invader to a Ski Doo Blizzard 9500 to a John Deere Spitfire, old 340 Ski Doos. Just went as fast as the slowest could go. Never went out without tools, belts etc just in case and a tow rope. Much fun rolling through the fields and sugar bushes by moonlight, stopping for fuzzy navels and just howling at the moon good times in the middle of nowhere at -20.;

[Kev18]

Question for you guys.I rode the sled for two days, even 4 hours straight with my girlfriend through deep snow no problem. Now its been 2 days and it randomly bogs down. You could be going in a straight line full throttle or along a hill side, doesnt matter. Even does it when you give gas on a fresh pull. It just doesnt take the gas, it bogs down and doesnt go forward.

We cleaned the carb, checked the fuel pump, checked oil pump... We're sending it to a mechanic in a couple days.

[Three44s]

Clutch and still the carb.

Three44s

[Rally]

Try filling the gas tank all the way. The way the tank is mounted in the machine it almost gravity feeds. Give it a good run, or try to replicate when it was bogging before. If filling the tank fixes the problem, replace the fuel pump. The fuel pumps are a pulse/ diaghram type pump, and it doesn't take much to perforate the diaghram. If it is a lack of fuel problem, you can also use the primer pump to give it a little more fuel, while running, just to see if the additional fuel helps with the bogging down.
You should also take the primer pump outlet line off, and pump a cup of fuel into a clear glass and see what your fuel looks like. Since it was a used machine you never know what has been put in the fuel, and if the fuel is contaminated, you are just pumping more dirt into the carb you just cleaned.

[Lloyd Smale]

you should have tried 60 on that 69 tnt. Felt like a 100!!

Jim,
I should also clarify, because I have owned faster machines than the XCR 440. When I said "fast on hard pack"...I should have said it "feels soooo fast on hard pack". The Top end on that light machine with a fat man on it (me), was 70 mph. But with it's minimal suspension, I felt like I was flying and any slight mis-maneuver would end up in a total wipe-out.
>>>btw, that same machine going through 10" of fluff, with me on it, would top out at 30 mph...LOL.

[Lloyd Smale]

make sure you have good gas with NO ALCOHOL and a new set of plugs before you start ripping into it. If you have alcohol laced fuel dump it and drain your carbs.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

you should have tried 60 on that 69 tnt. Felt like a 100!!

I was 14 (in 1979) when I bought a used 72 TNT 340. It was fast for a older stock sled, But I never got to spend much time in the seat, and surely never got to 60mph. The test drive was thrilling. After paying for it, I drove it home and it started to sound funny and lacked power. One of the cylinders blew. My Dad talked to the seller for me, and he bought it back.

[Kev18]

Try filling the gas tank all the way. The way the tank is mounted in the machine it almost gravity feeds. Give it a good run, or try to replicate when it was bogging before. If filling the tank fixes the problem, replace the fuel pump. The fuel pumps are a pulse/ diaghram type pump, and it doesn't take much to perforate the diaghram. If it is a lack of fuel problem, you can also use the primer pump to give it a little more fuel, while running, just to see if the additional fuel helps with the bogging down.
You should also take the primer pump outlet line off, and pump a cup of fuel into a clear glass and see what your fuel looks like. Since it was a used machine you never know what has been put in the fuel, and if the fuel is contaminated, you are just pumping more dirt into the carb you just cleaned.

That makes sense. Il try to give it a few pumps if it bogs down again. Il still send it to a competent mechanic. When we were messing around in it, for the carb and such, we had to empty fuel lines, so we gave it a few pumps and cranked and cranked. When we were doing that, an extremely small hole (factory drilled) on the gas pump was squirting gas, ALOT OF GAS. Like a water gun, but it stops when the sled runs.

[Tripplebeards]

My smith bought a snow dog that past year. He said it weighs about a 100 pounds and is compact so he can load it in and out of the back of his truck easily. I think I’d rather have a sled.

https://youtu.be/EaDE0RiEgdc


I forgot I had a scorpion stinger as well think it was a 72’ model and went about 20/30 mph max. Drive it for about 5/10 minutes and it would bog down and not move but the engine would keep running.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I like that snowdog

[Rally]

Kev18,
If the fuel pump was pumping fuel out the vent hole (meant for air) the fuel pump is shot. They are an easy fix and cost about $22.00 (US). It is a good idea since the fuel pump is leaking, to also drain the tank and flush it out good. If you just added fuel to the tank when you bought it, and the fuel pump is leaking, it's a fair chance that dirt in the tank could have been the reason.
I'd encourage a young guy like you to do the repair yourself. It is a easy fix and there won't be a mechanic if it breaks down in the bush, half way to the cabin, when it's -20.

[Lloyd Smale]

looks like those old huskys they made in the mid 60s. They had a front that was similar but bigger and a two person seat that sat up on two skis in the back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAyXYFX3nvk

My smith bought a snow dog that past year. He said it weighs about a 100 pounds and is compact so he can load it in and out of the back of his truck easily. I think I’d rather have a sled.

https://youtu.be/EaDE0RiEgdc


I forgot I had a scorpion stinger as well think it was a 72’ model and went about 20/30 mph max. Drive it for about 5/10 minutes and it would bog down and not move but the engine would keep running.

[Kev18]

Kev18,
If the fuel pump was pumping fuel out the vent hole (meant for air) the fuel pump is shot. They are an easy fix and cost about $22.00 (US). It is a good idea since the fuel pump is leaking, to also drain the tank and flush it out good. If you just added fuel to the tank when you bought it, and the fuel pump is leaking, it's a fair chance that dirt in the tank could have been the reason.
I'd encourage a young guy like you to do the repair yourself. It is a easy fix and there won't be a mechanic if it breaks down in the bush, half way to the cabin, when it's -20.

It worked good for two days then would bog down. i took apart the pump and it looks ok, but il get a new one. I Just went to the cabin today and I had to pull my sleigh full of stuff by hand, on foot... Like a peasant I went for a walk, not a ride

[fastdadio]

The corn syrup that's being put in our fuel these days is not good for the vintage machines. The alcohol can rapidly degrade rubber seals and diaphragms, swell/warp certain types of plastic gas tanks, and cause corrosion in fuel lines and float bowls. I highly recommend using alcohol free recreation fuel when ever possible for all your small engines.
https://www.pure-gas.org/

[Kev18]

The corn syrup that's being put in our fuel these days is not good for the vintage machines. The alcohol can rapidly degrade rubber seals and diaphragms, swell/warp certain types of plastic gas tanks, and cause corrosion in fuel lines and float bowls. I highly recommend using alcohol free recreation fuel when ever possible for all your small engines.
https://www.pure-gas.org/

I only use Super 91 or 91 if possible. Thats a good website! Thanks.

[jonp]

Thanks for the site! There are mistakes in it so be careful and take the time to update it yourself

[lpel]

You are a lucky man. We put tons of rough miles on those machines up north back in my working day. They are a tough machine. I’d love be to get one now that I’m retired to use for calling coyotes. Only machine that was nicer ( well maybe not) is the old Elans. You could fit them in an Otter.

[Kev18]

You are a lucky man. We put tons of rough miles on those machines up north back in my working day. They are a tough machine. I’d love be to get one now that I’m retired to use for calling coyotes. Only machine that was nicer ( well maybe not) is the old Elans. You could fit them in an Otter.

Dont like Elans. They are weak and short. They get stuck everywhere. Only good thing about them is that they weigh nothing.