Super dry snow getting through C3 intake

[tribalbc]

What is the consensus on dealing with really dry snow getting through your intake?
We have had a bit of an anomaly in coastal BC. Cold artic outflow winds met with a Pacific warm front and we ended up with nearly bars deep snow of extremely low density snow. Minus 20 celius when it was snowing and the tinniest of flakes, just thousands of them!
So the snow is like a fine dust and is getting through my filter leaving an iceberg in my carb intake worthy of the titanic!
Bike is a kx500 no carb heater as I have not had a lot of icing issues in the past, but only been snowbiking a year now. Even with a heater that amount of moisture going through is not great for making power.
Anyone double up filters? Snowmobile foam filter plus the pre filter? Different tricks of the trade?

 

[tribalbc]

Just to add it wasn't truly ice in my carb it was snow. I didn't have to chip it out I could scoop it with my finger.

 

[teal_210]

2 prefilters is a must.

 

[Rolling20s]

Has nothing to do with snow getting through your filter. Has to do with moisture in the air going through the big Venturi of a two-stroke carburetor. The Venturi effect cools the air which in turn cools the carburetor and the moisture sticks to it and builds up as ice. You need a carb heater. Carb heaters now come with a valve that you can control based on moisture and temperature levels. It is an essential item for a two-stroke snow bike

 

[Rolling20s]

Sorry, I missed your post where you said it’s actually building up powdery snow in your carburetor. You must have a really broad mesh filter. I run a pod filter with no airbox and a pre-filter over that. I’ve been running a CR 500 snow bike for six years now and I’ve never had actual powder snow buildup in the carburetor. Sounds like you need to get a finer mesh pre-filter, or do you like the other guy said and double up

 

[tribalbc]

Sorry, I missed your post where you said it’s actually building up powdery snow in your carburetor. You must have a really broad mesh filter. I run a pod filter with no airbox and a pre-filter over that. I’ve been running a CR 500 snow bike for six years now and I’ve never had actual powder snow buildup in the carburetor. Sounds like you need to get a finer mesh pre-filter, or do you like the other guy said and double up

It's one of the C3 filters that comes with there intake kit. Haven't had this problem in the past but as I said it is super fine snow, like talcum powder. I know it's a rare problem but I want to see how others have solved it.
Do you have a standard sled pod filter with a prefilter over the foam then?

 

[needpowder]

It's one of the C3 filters that comes with there intake kit. Haven't had this problem in the past but as I said it is super fine snow, like talcum powder. I know it's a rare problem but I want to see how others have solved it.
Do you have a standard sled pod filter with a prefilter over the foam then?

In our super fine, dry Utah snow I always had snow go through my pre-filter and onto my pod/airbox/whatever. Doubling up definitely helps.

 

[wwillf01]

Agreed also if snow cakes around the carb along with snow getting it everything will freeze up in Utah.. but we always have dry snow. Double filters help but it will still get through.

Sent from my SM-F900U using Tapatalk

 

[tribalbc]

Thanks for that guys ?
The day before it was -20 C, really humid as well as snowing 3 inches a hour and I got icing on the outside of the prefilter as well as in the carb. That I could understand, that type of icing weather brings down aircraft.
But the next day was bluebird, low humidity, and -10 to -15 C. But the snow was so fine it got past the filter.
Do you find the pod foam filter with a prefilter works better than two prefilters?
Any issues with ice building on the foam?

 

[wwillf01]

Thanks for that guys
The day before it was -20 C, really humid as well as snowing 3 inches a hour and I got icing on the outside of the prefilter as well as in the carb. That I could understand, that type of icing weather brings down aircraft.
But the next day was bluebird, low humidity, and -10 to -15 C. But the snow was so fine it got past the filter.
Do you find the pod foam filter with a prefilter works better than two prefilters?
Any issues with ice building on the foam?

My experience , especially if it is not protected foam is a no go ... you need to have carb heat... can be as simple as covering with a ziploc with some holes in it... you don't want snow touching the carb and some of the heat from the engine transferring over. There is no way I could run without carb heat here it would ruin to many days ... even with carb heat I still need to keep snow off the carb...

Sent from my SM-F900U using Tapatalk

 

[tribalbc]

My experience , especially if it is not protected foam is a no go ... you need to have carb heat... can be as simple as covering with a ziploc with some holes in it... you don't want snow touching the carb and some of the heat from the engine transferring over. There is no way I could run without carb heat here it would ruin to many days ... even with carb heat I still need to keep snow off the carb...

Sent from my SM-F900U using Tapatalk

Yeah I have my carb wrapped in an old wetsuit neoprene 3 mm. Works good in most situations but I am looking at adding heat. I am just cheap and like to fiddle as much as I can before I throw bucks at a situation.

 

[tribalbc]

When I say carb icing I mean inside the intake before the slide.

 

[ravenous]

KX500 needs carb heat . End of story.
Dicking around with wrapping your carb and stuff is a waste of time.
Hurry up and heat that thing before you waste any more of this amazing B.C. winter.

 

[portgrinder]

what he said.

carb heat. 30:1 oil. problem solved.

you could put 87 prefilters on it. same result, and less airflow.

trying to save money is going to get you in a throttle sticking wide open situation, or re-lining your cylinder

 

[tribalbc]

I like lots of oil, always run 25 to 1 in my 2 strokes.
I have had a couple throttle sticking situations, clutch and the kill switch are your friends. Cylinder and piston are still happy looking just had a look today. Icing causes a rich situation and incomplete combustion so it should not hurt anything in theory. When I get icing issues I have issues with loading up more than anything.
I am planning on putting heat in soon here.