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Alpha needs AIR in the pow!

ndfb35

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The best rider in Cat history left Cat for money. So that takes care of the argument. Not saying the dude was wrong, but a can doesn't mean squat when it comes to being a good rider.
 

skiutahcabin

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Guessing this would need some good mods or removal of something?? Dropping 5lbs somewhere,,,, has anyone seen this style attached to a ctec or ascender chassis??
I like the idea..
yes, has anyone used these (D&D Pro Breather) ? I have no experience with them but it looks like a great option
 

sno*jet

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Dec 13, 2007
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The best rider in Cat history left Cat for money. So that takes care of the argument. Not saying the dude was wrong, but a can doesn't mean squat when it comes to being a good rider.
was pretty much my point, can didn't seem to be an issue. glad you cleared that up tho lol
 
B
Nov 11, 2010
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was pretty much my point, can didn't seem to be an issue. glad you cleared that up tho lol
Not all GGB and MBRP cans are going to be a miss. I have seen some that work and some that don't but the rate of one's that don't work are higher than other manufacturers from what I've seen on both Doo's and Cats. Erik EZsmoke posted a pretty good list.
 
S
Aug 23, 2019
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I haven't looked into options but the alpha sucks, in really deep powder, due to no air. If you don't think so you haven't been in deep enough powder. Why they would put a half inset intake where snow can lay in that little crease between the hood and windshield is beyond me. Plugs it off right now. Look at the skidoo 850. They are susceptible to branches but they don't bog in powder.
Polaris Rmk are worse
 

skiutahcabin

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The Axys intakes aren't as good as the Pro chassis was but the Cat is way worse for drinking water. It's my biggest hesitation in switching to a Cat.
I've only had issues on super deep and super light days, which was most of last year- tho I just ordered the pro breather and we will see how it works this year, I can only hope it's even remotely as good as last year
 
S
Nov 26, 2007
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utah
last year i had similar problems with the engine coughing and running rough in deep, light snow with my 19 alpha...i finally got serious and siliconed the air box paying special attention on the front part of the nose cone and i also put a strip of that foam door seal around the channel where the hood fits into the nose cone, no more problems....fast forward to this year, 20 hardcore, i spent about 3 hours taking apart the air box and siliconed the seals and joints carefully....especially where there are sharp angle changes around the screws by the yellow reflectors and the very front where there are two screws that hold the nose cone and air box together...i also put the door seal in the channel where the air box joins the hood.....i rode today in awesome light powder, 4 1/2 feet deep according to snotel, several hours with practically no stopping (one water break, one pretty good stick), sled was totally encased in snow from front bumper to tunnel bag in back.....air intakes were totally covered and only occasionally did i wipe them off, but not because the sled was bogging, just because i was wiping all the snow off front of sled etc.....i run a Cutlers can like i have for my previous alpha and m-8s before the alpha...when i got back i took the hood off to inspect the air intake to the throttle bodies, no water droplets, no milky oil residue, nothing, nada....the sled ran great, and i was deliberately trying to ride in the deepest snow to induce a bog...didn't happen....so my experience indicates to seal the air box, the can doesn't seem to matter (and i tried to lean into the exhaust, jump it, whatever, no exhaust bog)....the door seal was important i think, and the time to really seal the forward part of the nose cone ....
 

jb800

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Just need to get yourself a set of these so the snow dosent pack into the intake. Picture of one side with the insert and other without. Shouldn't hold snow as bad.
 

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ndfb35

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Just need to get yourself a set of these so the snow dosent pack into the intake. Picture of one side with the insert and other without. Shouldn't hold snow as bad.

Where do you purchase those things or what are they?
 

skiutahcabin

Member
Lifetime Membership
Oct 6, 2012
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Timber Lakes Utah
last year i had similar problems with the engine coughing and running rough in deep, light snow with my 19 alpha...i finally got serious and siliconed the air box paying special attention on the front part of the nose cone and i also put a strip of that foam door seal around the channel where the hood fits into the nose cone, no more problems....fast forward to this year, 20 hardcore, i spent about 3 hours taking apart the air box and siliconed the seals and joints carefully....especially where there are sharp angle changes around the screws by the yellow reflectors and the very front where there are two screws that hold the nose cone and air box together...i also put the door seal in the channel where the air box joins the hood.....i rode today in awesome light powder, 4 1/2 feet deep according to snotel, several hours with practically no stopping (one water break, one pretty good stick), sled was totally encased in snow from front bumper to tunnel bag in back.....air intakes were totally covered and only occasionally did i wipe them off, but not because the sled was bogging, just because i was wiping all the snow off front of sled etc.....i run a Cutlers can like i have for my previous alpha and m-8s before the alpha...when i got back i took the hood off to inspect the air intake to the throttle bodies, no water droplets, no milky oil residue, nothing, nada....the sled ran great, and i was deliberately trying to ride in the deepest snow to induce a bog...didn't happen....so my experience indicates to seal the air box, the can doesn't seem to matter (and i tried to lean into the exhaust, jump it, whatever, no exhaust bog)....the door seal was important i think, and the time to really seal the forward part of the nose cone ....
where did you ride? I am heading to Utah to ride Friday if conditions are ok
 
S
Nov 26, 2007
1,402
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utah
Mirror Lake hiway to access meadows, Gold Hill area....road between Bear River service and Gold Hill turnoff was rutted with trucks getting Christmas trees, after that things were good....Mirror Lake hiway runs southeast from Evanston, Wyo, hiway 150 i believe...have fun
 

niner

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Frog skins in the nose cone.
 

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whithj

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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?
 

summ8rmk

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18's have huge gaping holes, that suck in massive amounts of snow when its deep and fluffy.
Put powder valves up front so they will only open if the top gets plugged.

Sent it
 

niner

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Had no issues,was over the hood all weekend. Sled ran really good all weekend with no bogs top screens were constantly covered with snow.
 

M8onEdge

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Dec 24, 2011
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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.
 
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