Snowmobile season is just around the corner and rather than waiting until just before taking that first ride, fall is the time to take the sled out of storage to perform some important preventive maintenance. AMSOIL can help with the world’s best line of snowmobile lubricants and maintenance products. American Snowmobiler offers the following preseason maintenance tips:
Trailer
Be sure to check trailer wiring harnesses, wheel bearings and tires. Re-grease the wheel bearings if the trailer was backed into water over the summer. Check tire pressure and be sure to have a spare tire, jack and the necessary tools on hand to change a tire if necessary. Test the wheel nuts to ensure they turn properly.
Carbs
Remove and clean the sled’s carbs. Because corrosion can build up and reduce fuel flow, remove jets, soak them in a cleaning solution and blow with compressed air.
Brakes, Bearings
Thoroughly check the brake system and replace brake pads, slide-rails, carbide runners and studs if necessary. For sleds that are a few years old, check the bearings in the drive system and the wheels on the suspension. Check over the electrical system to make sure everything is working correctly and no wires have frayed or become disconnected.
Track
Ensure the sled’s track is not ripping or coming apart, and take a look at the tunnel to make sure the studs are not ripping through into the fuel tank or coolers. Run the sled in a dry garage until the system is warm to check for coolant leaks.
Tuning
Rich Jetting
New snowmobiles are usually jetted rich. Performance can be improved by jetting down a couple of sizes in warmer temperatures, but it is important to jet up again when the temperature drops. An Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) gauge can tell riders how well the jetting is matched to the conditions.
Gas Quality
EGT gauges can also indicate gas quality, showing a high temperature if the gas is low on octane and causing pre-ignition. This problem usually arises early in the season when smaller, low traffic gas stations are still selling summer-blend gas from tanks that contain water due to condensation. It is best to stick to high octane gas from high traffic stations if the sled has a carburetor, while abiding by manufacturer recommendations with fuel injected sleds. Because older sleds from the late-1970’s and early 1980’s have more compression, they require premium fuel and possibly an octane booster.
Air Box
Gutting the air box often requires re-jetting to avoid engine damage. While gains can be attained by removing restrictions on some older snowmobiles, newer models are capable of silencing the intake system without restricting flow.
AMSOIL offers a premium line of snowmobile products that keep snowmobiles running at peak performance throughout the riding season, including Synthetic 2-Cycle Oils, Formula 4-Stroke® Power Sports Synthetic Motor Oil, Shock Therapy Suspension Fluids, Synthetic Water Resistant Grease, Synthetic Chain Case Lubricant and Octane Boost.
