Summer storage

[jeffheart153]

What are you guys doing to your sleds for summer storage. I know Doo has the fog process built into the sled. I don't really do much to my Viper.
Again asking for my buddy with the 18 XF. His dealer is pretty useless.

Thanks

 

[ARCTIC]

I usually fill the fuel tank to avoid condensation and put the correct amount of stabil in it. Place a block under the track to keep the fingers from deforming over the summer. I have an enclosed trailer so that is all that I have done for the last 25 years. I also don’t top off the oil since it seems to leak out between the plastic filler neck and aluminum tank if topped off.

If you read the manual, it talks about fogging the engine and lots of other things that I have never done and have never had any issues with performance the next winter.

 

[MountainCat1]

Enclosed trailer here too; 1 can of Seafoam per tank of non-ethanol or AV gas on all sleds & start and run ~15 minutes once a month in the off-season; Maybe as much for me to get my regular 2-stroke exhaust fix dreaming about next winter as it is to lube the engines moving parts! I have not bothered to elevate the tracks on my sleds from 2.25. 2.6 or 3.0 PC tracks without paddle deformation. How can a single block supporting a track relieve paddle pressure better than just allowing the entire track to support itself? To my way of thinking "physics" the only sure way of relieving track & ski pressure in the off-season would be to hang the entire sled. Or am i just missing something?

 

[89sandman]

Track off the ground, I just turn a 2x4 on its side and stick between the lugs under the rear scissor arm. Fill the tank and leave it. Drain the gas, put it in the truck and add fresh before first fire up of the next season.

 

[boondocker97]

Sta-bil in the fuel tank and start them once a month and let them get warmed up. Keeps everything lubricated that way without the hassle of fogging the motors. I put a 2x4 under the track of the M7 with the challenger track on it to keep the paddles from folding over. I don't worry about putting anything under the powerclaw tracks. They seem to keep their shape pretty well. If you're leaving it somewhere where mice can get to it, plug the exhaust with steel wool at a minimum.

 

[jim]

I feel like there is some misinformation here. I'm surprised everyone is saying to start it up once a month...that introduces fresh moisture to the crank and wrist pin bearings, which can and do corrode.

Agree with Stabil, but I use Sea Foam. And not a lot...just as recommended by label on can. A whole can? Not in the know there. 1 oz per gallon is recommended to stabilize it...I use less without issue. My concern with stabilizers is that they typically settle into the bottom of the tank and cause some smoking and runability/idling issues when the fuel pick-up gets a lot of sea foam.

And fogging with WD-40 is a good idea. This will coat the bearings and prevent their corrosion. Also coats the inside of the exhaust to prevent corrosion there.

I also flush all grease zerks...meaning I pump grease until a decent amount comes out...this assures no water is in there and also cleans out old contaminated grease and gets you set for next season.

If usually wipe a light coat of WD-40 on any exposed exhaust that is only painted or steel...this prevents rust spots from growing and flaking.

And I never start the sled based on the above stuff. I summarize it and let it sit for 6 months. Always starts right back up. Never an issue with the above approach.

 

[Vern]

Fill it with non eth, add stabil, park it. I usually start it a few times a summer just because.

 

[Suzzy-Q]

I feel like there is some misinformation here. I'm surprised everyone is saying to start it up once a month...that introduces fresh moisture to the crank and wrist pin bearings, which can and do corrode.

If there’s moisture in there it’s actually from sitting and condensation building in your engine and that’s why they recommend fogging to introduce extra oil to protect during the machines down time, starting it up actually purges any moisture out and brings new oil into the crank case to re-coat everything with new oil to cylinders piston crank etc. Ever take apart a two stroke? Oil everywhere from it falling out of the fuel stream suspension. If the engine sits over time all the oil runs down things and settles in the bottom or on the bottom, the top side of things are now susceptible to rust buildup from condensation. Nothing wrong with starting them up more frequent the better I’d say

 

[Suzzy-Q]

And you get to smell that sweet 2 stroke aroma lol

 

[Yaeger34]

I don't think I have ever kept anything long enough for any of this to really matter. I can't say I know of anyone who has ever had problems due to this with fuel injection. My oldest thing is a 2013 RMZ250 (turns so amazing I can't get rid of that one). Other than that its usually 2-3 years max and sold!

 

[summ8rmk]

I have had my kitty cat since 1996.
Ridden a few times a year, never done anything special for storage.
Pasture pounder, 1984 Polaris indy trail, ridden the same amount as the kitty cat, owned it since 2002. Seafoam in the fuel tank.
Never changed sparkplugs in either sled either. Both start fairly easy every winter.

All other sleds, start once a month and seafoam in the fuel.

[emoji507][emoji192]

 

[sno*jet]

question: what does sea foam do for non-ethenol fuel? i havent used stabil or anything unless theres ethonal fuel in them. no issues.
i wash/dry sled thoroughly, rev the water off the track, grease suspension (going to do upper a-arm bushings again) and park it in the barn. I start it once half way through summer and let it get full temp. before winter i pull the powervalves for cleaning, sea foam deep creep spray helps break the carbon up. inspect the pistons from that angle, spay a little deep creep on them, turn motor over slowly by hand... put it back together, check the cable lengths for spec so shes ready for another season. this year im sending the exhaust out for ceramic coating, i hate the pipe insulation mess. those clamps that hold the clamshells on can be tightend up once in a while btw. noticed one of mine rattling