Looking at 98 vmax xtc 600

yamahamark

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Mar 14, 2015
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761
Location
southwest mi
So a buddy and I went and looked at a sled he found its in really good condition and only has 23xx miles the guy is the original owner. The only mods are bender can thin head gasket .6 and reed spacers and stock jetting. The problem is it's locked up both pistons melted. He seems to be stuck on $500 which isn't bad. Are concerns are what caused both sides to melt down??? Would it be stock jetting with the thin head gasket making it run lean???
 

Hard to say. Oil injection and/or carb problems. You likely would need both heads, pistons at least. Depending on the damage inside. Coolant leak may also be a factor. I had my 600 rebuilt last winter and then a track stud puched a big hole in the cooler. All the fluid started pumping out. I ripped the studs out of the track. Useless for typical trail riding especially deep snow. Even as a long track it won't push this weight and gets stuck in deep snow.

Check the cooling exchangers. If they're damaged I 'd just walk away. Too much to repair and it all adds up.
 
X-2 what Tripplec said. Picks gouging through the front heat exchanger has been the culprit for many sleds. With both pistons melted loss of coolant seems the correct diagnosis but until you find the problem the expense to make it run again may be abundant. Depends on how much you like the sled and how thick your wallet is.
 
Will check the coolers as it does have a few studs missing. I have a 97 600 twin and like it alot but I am looking to get the triple it is much better. He's switching from Polaris to Yamaha and thinks triple stands for triple the trouble I told him that's not the case with Yamaha but he still wants a twin.
 
Looked at it again today and it had a shiny new woody stud stuck right in the cooler. Now just trying to get price down. I'm thanking about $250 should be good???
 
Guy wouldn't come off the $500 price tags so we looked at a 97 vmax sx 600 for $1,000 its got 4500 miles along with complete rebuild. It had a ring spin and the guy put new cylinder's on 1000 miles ago. Has 125 psi in both cylinders. Plus he said he would throw in a good used ripsaw track, a bender can and some plastic ski's. Was he daughters sled so the skis are "PINK". I told my buddy not to pass that deal up.
 
Went today and bought the sled and got it for $850 my buddy is very happy with his purchase it's his first Yamaha but definitely not his last. He is now hooked!!
 
Much better than a major fixer up one. Well done, hard to find a good used machine low price here.

I am going to look for a fan cooled one-up with reverse. My Venture is way to heavy and stuck in drifts too many times.
 
Fan cooled sled are great running sleds and usually cheaper to fix when something happens. I ride an 87 phazer when temps are a little warmer out as my buddys liquid cooled gets hot on those warm days.
 
Fan cooled sled are great running sleds and usually cheaper to fix when something happens. I ride an 87 phazer when temps are a little warmer out as my buddys liquid cooled gets hot on those warm days.
Yes I agree. I had a few back in the 80's, Mirage II for example. Ran great and all day on a tank of gas. LOL But age is working against me and since I don't need blinding speed, just go ability and a good track in soft power to dig through the deeper snow and not get stuck. I have to be able to lift it which is a challenge all suited up and standing on a soft base. But it has to be much better than this either way.

I should get more than enough for this to cover a fan cooled model.
 
Yes digging out SUCKS because like they say "you haven't been stuck until you've been YAMAHA stuck". I've had to dig out my sx 600 and vmax4 800 a couple times not fun..
 


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