• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

Alpha needs AIR in the pow!

E
Feb 22, 2009
285
99
28
42
Say what you want, the design is a joke. The quality control on fabricating the air box and vent system should be an embarrassment to arctic cat. My '18 had 1/2" gaps up top and cracks all the way around the airbox that I sealed and the dealer sealed. Unfortunately in really deep snow the sled still bogs out when the upper intake vents on the dash are buried. Not in all snow conditions but when the snow is sufficiently heavy to cut off air flow. It has to bog because it simply isn't getting enough air for combustion. Stop, wipe it off and it runs great. This isn't water ingestion, it's a lack of air. The video above looks nice but it isn't close to enough snow to cause this to the extent I and other posters are talking about. Perhaps the can has some effect, I'm not sure because I've been running an HPS when having this issue so I will try the stock suitcase. There is a distinct difference between the situation when the sled bogs out due to air restriction and the cut out miss from significant snow ingestion. I've experienced both and they are different. Clear the vents and the sled immediately takes off, get a dose of snow in the intake and it takes a bit to clean up and run. A tough lesson all compliments of some Cat engineer hood/intake genius that should be unemployed.

Gut your intake shelf

c3ef3f1c7b1c4d293553fe646df7e443.jpg
4257ed072592f43b66177eb91a3f155c.jpg
804cc741af19f5f53228fdc463a47ebe.jpg
0e7263b44edb069786ad0ae97d8209cc.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

White Rad

Well-known member
Premium Member
Nov 16, 2009
1,002
1,089
113
WA to B.C.
This is a great thread. I have sealed and re sealed my entire hood and intake system. Sled is a 19’ 165 bone stock including the can . For me the alpha is not rideable in deep snow like we have in revy right now. If you do mostly climbing and side hill moves it’s much less of an issue. I like to drop big downhill lines into must make turn outs and the very first downhill carve that dumps snow over the hood chokes off the intakes and the sled instantly bogs out. As other riders have said it’s not practical to constantly wipe the intakes off in this type of terrain/riding. I literally have to clear them after every single down hill carve or the sled will not run. Sometimes even after clearing the intakes if I had to lawnmower along for a few turns before it was safe to stop and wipe them off the sled still will not clear up right away. I do not believe that this is from snow ingestion and is 100% from not enough air. Beyond frustrating....the deep days we wait for all year roll around and I can’t drop into my favorite terrain because this sled simply cannot breath in really deep snow unless all you do is point it uphill.
 

kidwoo

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 28, 2008
2,630
1,875
113
I can’t drop into my favorite terrain because this sled simply cannot breath in really deep snow unless all you do is point it uphill.

well, it's not called the DEscender chassis.

Just always go uphill and never go down one. The way AC intended.


apparently
 

whithj

New member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 11, 2007
79
2
8
Just rode today in handlebar deep snow and experienced bog with 2019 Alpha. Snow was piled from top of windshield to handlebars and the gap under the intakes was packed with snow. I had to constantly wipe snow off intakes to prevent bogging. It's very frustrating losing power/momentum and sticking a sled in very bad positions! Pre season i dissembled the intake and sealed with Permatex and checked the intake screens for gaps. I am running a BMK can, however another rider on a 2018 with stock can was experiencing the same bog. I cant help to think the sled simply cant get enough air in these riding conditions. Really curious if vents like the pics posted by "niner" help without causing any issues?
,

I dont have bog issues when conditions look like niners video because snow wasn't piling on the intakes. In my experience, the bog only happened one day when fresh deep snow conditions were perfect. I was tree riding, sidehilling at slower speeds feathering the throttle to WOT to maintain momentum and control. My body became a shovel funneling snow onto the intakes. One slight hesitation from a bog and I was stuck deep (same with another rider's 2018 w/ stock can). I'm not trying to bash cause I love my sled, just looking for solutions to prevent issues next time i have the opportunity to ride the "snow of the season". This NOT a snow ingestion or Can issue, the sled gets starved for air when snow is deep enough to PILE on and under the stock intakes.
 

summ8rmk

Most handsome
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Feb 16, 2008
12,368
6,039
113
yakima, wa.
,

I dont have bog issues when conditions look like niners video because snow wasn't piling on the intakes. In my experience, the bog only happened one day when fresh deep snow conditions were perfect. I was tree riding, sidehilling at slower speeds feathering the throttle to WOT to maintain momentum and control. My body became a shovel funneling snow onto the intakes. One slight hesitation from a bog and I was stuck deep (same with another rider's 2018 w/ stock can). I'm not trying to bash cause I love my sled, just looking for solutions to prevent issues next time i have the opportunity to ride the "snow of the season". This NOT a snow ingestion or Can issue, the sled gets starved for air when snow is deep enough to PILE on and under the stock intakes.
I agree with ur statement of the video niner posted. That is not "deep over the bars snow" it is deep and what most of us dream of and hope for. That snow is not what u "deep snow" riders have a problem with. "Deep snow" is relative to each persons perspective. His video is perfect deep snow for me and Arctic cats.

Sent it
 

Chewy22

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 17, 2009
1,996
1,371
113
Montana
Here is a solution that has worked for me. I’ve put these on all my PCs, before the sleds ever hit the snow. Have never experienced a bog issue because the intakes were plugged until this last 4 day trip. Specially day 1 & 2 right after a 2 foot dump. I have not put these on my Alpha yet. Just wanted to test it out and see if the frog skinz really helped. I believe they do. Tearing the hood apart as soon as I can. Not saying this is right but it is a solution. These come with the speedwerx stag kits. It says 12-17 but will work in the ascender hoods too.
FYI - my hood is sealed with a defender, not a snow ingestion issue.

130F68FA-6D4B-4D3B-8A22-A3E34C0A7AFF.png
 

Chewy22

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 17, 2009
1,996
1,371
113
Montana
Here is a picture of me stuck on the flat. Was not watching closely and went to take off with the intakes covered in snow. Sled bogged bad and I just sunk. I have a video I will up load to YouTube later today of it bogging because the sled had no air.

The picture was taken after I swiped a lot of the snow off. You couldn’t see the gauge, snow was damn near level with top of bar bag.


C0C86DD8-A83D-4B4D-A0C6-0C5575B040A4.jpeg
 
Last edited:

whithj

New member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 11, 2007
79
2
8
That's the snow i'm talking about. Thanks for the skin kit idea. Cant tell with out looking at my sled, does that vent location pull air from engine compartment or outside air?
 

sno*jet

Well-known member
Premium Member
Dec 13, 2007
2,829
1,298
113
^how's any holes in the hood gonna provide air in that scenario? looks like the stock intake is still partially available. you guys who haven't tried the mountain fit defender kit really need to do so imo.
 

jakey-boy

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jan 10, 2009
1,447
787
113
Idaho Falls
instagram.com
^how's any holes in the hood gonna provide air in that scenario? looks like the stock intake is still partially available. you guys who haven't tried the mountain fit defender kit really need to do so imo.

Theres a hood piece that goes over his vent location therefore there remails a bit of a gap even in the snow pictured. No it is not 100% fix but every bit helps. I have done similar with great results. The final option would be to add a SLP powdervalve that sucks hot air from underhood in a last ditch effort to keep running but those valves are a joke if you put them where they are supposed to go which is basically where his speedwerx frogskinz are except the SLP valves are raised so they catch ice buildup.

I agree with you that a large chunk of these people would be surprised how much the defender helps though. I ended up needing both defender and more air to solve my issues.
 

Chewy22

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 17, 2009
1,996
1,371
113
Montana
I ended up needing both defender and more air to solve my issues.

Exactly where I’m at. I have the Defender, now I need more air.

Spot on, the hood wings creates a gap that keeps the frogs skinz from being completely cover.

Yes at times it may pull in some hotter air from the engine bay but it’s better the complete bog.
 
B
Mar 26, 2017
2
0
1
Can someone just make a aftermarket intake? Cycles and sleds put a silber on mine and got rid of all of that ran tube up to the upper intake. Seems what they did could be easy enough to do on a non turbo application. I’ll get pics and post later on this am. This is my buddies same set up though.View attachment 335269
I had the same idea- turbo tube from throttle bodies, they have the sensor bung on there already, and then some tubing to a snorkel air intake out the hood! Be done with this clamshell ****box heavy ass hood. I emailed justin@silberturbos asking about purchasing just the throttlebody part of turbo tubing from them and haven’t heard back. I should give them a shout. I’ve heard of a few top ends burning down from snow. I’m running the mountain fit prefilter now- after a scare at 600 miles On the sled with bog and running like crap in super deep powder snow.

9AF9AE9F-D443-462A-8267-DBD6D473F44D.jpeg
 

skiutahcabin

Member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 6, 2012
51
22
8
Timber Lakes Utah
UPDATE: So the suffocation issue I had was 3 parts.
1. I added a D&D breather. this SOLVED powder getting into the intake.
2. The dealer had rebuilt my front end and left off the hardware, so I was ingesting a LOT.
3. Even after fixing both of that if it was super deep there was a lack of places for the sled to breathe, so I added some breather ports that would give more surface area to the intake, solving or greatly improving intake when it's over the hood deep. IMG_3613.jpgIMG_3613.jpg60545846785__91844AC9-D791-4213-98DB-CCFEF25B0F67.jpg60545846785__91844AC9-D791-4213-98DB-CCFEF25B0F67.jpg
 

Octanee

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 15, 2010
1,188
217
63
44
Cranbrook Bc
I sealed up my airbox below then found one day driving dow. Highway with some snow/hail flurries that I had 1/4 my upper intake area full of snow and hail! Wtf!

Well up top where your screens are there are huge air gaps in there too, nobody really talks about it, just the lowr section. I siliconed it up and it's good now. But that said I wish I had drilled some holes and got some stick on screens for the lower airbox, and I likely still will. Air will take path of least resistance so even if it did pull some under hood air, most of It will be outside external air until a restriction starts.
 

summ8rmk

Most handsome
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Feb 16, 2008
12,368
6,039
113
yakima, wa.
I sealed up my airbox below then found one day driving dow. Highway with some snow/hail flurries that I had 1/4 my upper intake area full of snow and hail! Wtf!

Well up top where your screens are there are huge air gaps in there too, nobody really talks about it, just the lowr section. I siliconed it up and it's good now. But that said I wish I had drilled some holes and got some stick on screens for the lower airbox, and I likely still will. Air will take path of least resistance so even if it did pull some under hood air, most of It will be outside external air until a restriction starts.
Urs must be an 18?
They have huge gaping holes up top.
Lots of pics of this subject. 19's don't have this issue as they redesigned the upper intake filters.

Sent it
 

Octanee

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 15, 2010
1,188
217
63
44
Cranbrook Bc
Urs must be an 18?
They have huge gaping holes up top.
Lots of pics of this subject. 19's don't have this issue as they redesigned the upper intake filters.

Sent it

Nope mines a 19 alpha.*perhaps* they shifted when I had the intake apart then during re-assembly? They are sealed up now though.
 

summ8rmk

Most handsome
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Feb 16, 2008
12,368
6,039
113
yakima, wa.
Nope mines a 19 alpha.*perhaps* they shifted when I had the intake apart then during re-assembly? They are sealed up now though.
Can u post pics?
I would like to see the area of concern.
Maybe i have missed it...

Sent it
 
N
Nov 14, 2012
43
22
8
I sealed up my airbox below then found one day driving dow. Highway with some snow/hail flurries that I had 1/4 my upper intake area full of snow and hail! Wtf!

Well up top where your screens are there are huge air gaps in there too, nobody really talks about it, just the lowr section. I siliconed it up and it's good now. But that said I wish I had drilled some holes and got some stick on screens for the lower airbox, and I likely still will. Air will take path of least resistance so even if it did pull some under hood air, most of It will be outside external air until a restriction starts.
Ya I had the same problem. Sealed my hood...still sucking snow. Upper intake was the problem. i discovered it the same way. Snow blew in there on the highway. That was on a 20
 

Octanee

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 15, 2010
1,188
217
63
44
Cranbrook Bc
Can u post pics?
I would like to see the area of concern.
Maybe i have missed it...

Sent it


Only picture of the area but you will see how it all "seals" poorly if you take a good look. Decent way was basically just getting silicone in there with screens in place and sealed it up, half of it had a little bit of a sealing channel and the other rhalf just butted up against that upper screen plastic which isn't good.

20200227_192343.jpg
 

summ8rmk

Most handsome
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Feb 16, 2008
12,368
6,039
113
yakima, wa.
Thanks @Octanee.
Truth is, where i live and the wet heavy snow i ride in, that crappy seal on the 19 is most likely sufficient. U should see the 18's, u can literally stick ur finger inside the gap.
Now that i know this is an issue, i will have to seal it. Peeps that ride inland dry snow should absolutely seal asap.

Sent it
 
Premium Features