HELP! 2 dead sleds :-((

[Mrs Snowrider]

We have two 05's. A 700 and an 800 RMK. Riding with a group of friends in the SNowies. We were still on trail riding at around 50 MPH when both sleds within a few minutes of each other died. Gas is 1 month old. Our only common denominator. Cranks are solid, no movement in the clutches. No firing when pulling. No fragments on the plugs. Here is the weird part, both of our plugs were identical. One white one, one brown one. We know they were running lean, but what caused them both to go down simultaneously?? We are moving them back into the garage to thaw out. Where do we start? Carb? Jets?? Was it water in the gas that froze up the jets? How do we get the computers reset?? HELP

 

[abm2958]

We have two 05's. A 700 and an 800 RMK. Riding with a group of friends in the SNowies. We were still on trail riding at around 50 MPH when both sleds within a few minutes of each other died. Gas is 1 month old. Our only common denominator. Cranks are solid, no movement in the clutches. No firing when pulling. No fragments on the plugs. Here is the weird part, both of our plugs were identical. One white one, one brown one. We know they were running lean, but what caused them both to go down simultaneously?? We are moving them back into the garage to thaw out. Where do we start? Carb? Jets?? Was it water in the gas that froze up the jets? How do we get the computers reset?? HELP

Could be that you got a batch of bad gas. Did you fill them both from the same place?

 

[sled_guy]

Computers reset? Don't know what that's about.

Do they pull over? Is there compression? Did you jet them for running in the Snowies and go too lean maybe?

If both bought gas at the same place it points to maybe bad gas, but that is usually a detonation issue, not a stuck ring issue.

sled_guy

 

[Mrs Snowrider]

Yes we have compression when we pull them. Our sleds are jetted correctly as well.

What damage could the bad gas have done??

 

[sled_guy]

Bad gas can cause detonation which will eat the top of the piston off.

It can also cause the motor to run lean and stick a ring. But if you have compression then the rings aren't stuck.

Did you trailer the sleds to the Snowies on an open trailer without covers? Maybe moisture in to the electrics or something?

sled_guy

 

[Mrs Snowrider]

Actually we keep our sleds in either the toy hauler or the enclosed trailer. What we did do was buy gas at Fosters in Laramie a month ago, had gas left over, put that in our sleds 2 weeks ago.

We will now be keeping isopropyl alcohol with us and will use that! What a way to ruin an epic weekend of snow!

 

[skis_n_skid]

Were you dropping in elevation when it happened? Was the temperature colder than you normally ride? What elevation range/temperature range are you jetted for, and what was the elevation/temperature when they went down?

 

[Mrs Snowrider]

We are jetted for 9-11K I believe. We haven't changed our jets, we ride here frequently. We were climbing in elevation. Sleds were warm when we left. The outside temperature was about 20 degrees.

 

[skis_n_skid]

So you were at or above 9k ft when they went down? What is the elevation where you unload/start out?

 

[this1ultraflyz]

sounds like bad gas how full are tanks now?? And they both had oil? Where they running 100% good just prior. or poorly. No temp lights came on? oil lights?
Probably the gas as both sled gave it up at same time.

 

[klr]

I think is bad gas, I live in laramie and fosters as been known to have water in there gas. sorry

 

[Mrs Snowrider]

sounds like bad gas how full are tanks now?? And they both had oil? Where they running 100% good just prior. or poorly. No temp lights came on? oil lights?
Probably the gas as both sled gave it up at same time.

Tanks were both full. We are going to drain them. Sleds ran fantastic on prior trip. NO lights came on, and they were both filled with oil.

I guess now is to figure out what is wrong with them. . .

We are not buying from Fosters ever again! I would rather pay more, and be inconvenienced before I give them my $$ again. We just try to support the local economy since we use Wyoming mountains and roads.

 

[klr]

I get gas at the truckes stop at the next exit going west on 1-80 chaper and better gas.

 

[SylvanLaker]

Guys!!!! Make sure there is no ethanol in the gas, many gas stations don't tell you and it will cause a sled running on the edge lean to pop. Trust me, been there done that twice...... check your gas...

 

[Mrs Snowrider]

Guys!!!! Make sure there is no ethanol in the gas, many gas stations don't tell you and it will cause a sled running on the edge lean to pop. Trust me, been there done that twice...... check your gas...

I am not sure about ethanol, but we do have MTBE in ours. By adding a little oil in the gas tank helps fix that issue.

Altitude at Laramie is probably 8-8500 feet elevation.

So, where do we begin to fix this? Pull carbs? Clean jets?

 

[WestMont]

Check the drain tubes on the bottom of the carbs for any water.

Do a compression test then you know for sure what it is.

Do the top of the pistons look sand blasted?

Do the plugs have good spark when pulling over the engine with them out? If plugs have no spark unplug the black/white wire coming from the stator and see if you have spark then.

 

[Mrs Snowrider]

We did compression checks last night, the 700 was at 90, the 800 was at 100. Good idea on taking the tubes off the carbs. There wasn't any shavings of any sort on the plugs, so we are assuming the pistons are fine. We won't know until we break it down this weekend.

 

[X2Freeride]

We did compression checks last night, the 700 was at 90, the 800 was at 100. Good idea on taking the tubes off the carbs. There wasn't any shavings of any sort on the plugs, so we are assuming the pistons are fine. We won't know until we break it down this weekend.

IF your tester is accurate thats too low. Better pull the top end apart and check for damage.

 

[mm144]

you should have 125 to135 psi in your tests!!!

 

[WestMont]

Agreed with X2Freeride. The compression is low on both the 7 and 8 hundred but could be the gauge not giving an accurate reading. When checking compression both cylinders should be very close to each other in psi of compression and no more that a 10% difference between the two and it would be nice to see them up in the 125 or better range on both cylinders on both sleds.