Ditch Riding Disaster

J

jusse486

New member
Joined
Nov 22, 2005
Messages
5
Age
38
Location
Near Elk River, MN
Last night, Thursday, I thought I would take the sled out just for a few miles and make sure everything was working fine before we got some serious snow. Needless to say, things didn't quite work out. Rode to the gas station half mile up the rode and filled the tank. I got no more than half a mile down the rode from the gas station when my sled bogged down and killed. I waited a few minutes, then restarted it. It started but would hardly run and wouldn't rev over about 3000 rpm. Shut it down and tried thinking about what could be wrong. For some reason, I thought the exhaust might have gotten plugged up as i was riding through a little bit of taller ditch grass before it killed. I tipped it on its side and sure, nough, it was plugged. As soon as I pulled the grass out, it exploded. By the time I got away from the sled and composed myself, there was no putting out the fire. The sled burned for about 20 minutes until the fire department got there, and there was nothing left at that point. A total loss. I now have a $2000 frame and motor sitting in the yard that I didn't even put 5 miles on. A couple of questions:

Anyone else ever have anything similar happen? The reasoning I came up with is there was gas fuems and heat in the muffler, and as soon as I pulled the grass out it got air and lit. Any Ideas?

Second, Does anybody know where you can get those exhaust protectors/deflectors? I've seen them on the snocross sleds where it deflects the exhaust backwards so nothing can get lodged in the pipe?

Last, I would imagine nothing is salvagable on the sled anymore, is there?

Thanks for any help.

I myself walked away with only some burnt hairs on my beard and my eyebrows. Not a great start to the season though. :cry: :cry: :cry:

I will post some pics of the remains as soon as I can.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
with the sled running how would grass get stuck in the exhaust?
or did this happen after it died? and the heat started the fire???
have rode in some pretty tall grass etc. before could this be a problem waiting to happen?
 
yikes! thats a freak accident. sorry to hear about that, it goes to show you that weird things like that that can happen. thats why im fully insured.
 
..SNAKEBIT.. said:
with the sled running how would grass get stuck in the exhaust?
or did this happen after it died? and the heat started the fire???
have rode in some pretty tall grass etc. before could this be a problem waiting to happen?
Click to expand...

I don't have any idea how grass could have gotten in there while it was running, but i think it died because the grass plugged it up. I'm not sure that the heat started the fire, but thats my best guess, because the sled was off and as soon as i pulled the grass out it blew.
 
Depending on what sled you have you can buy the mountain exhaust deflectors through yamaha. i bought the mountain viper deflector for my std viper. if you have an sx sxR you can get the one froma mountain max ect.... ski
 
The older mountain max deflectors are junk. The first time you hit something they are toast. The viper deflecter is a single piece, very strong and will fit a vmax or sx with a little tweaking. Sorry about your bad luck Jusse486, sounds like a mouse nest to me.
 
I'd bet on the mouse idea. Depending on how hot it got, you might be able to get something saved from the motor. Really sorry to hear it. Maxdlx
 
I vote mouse nest as well. The bright side of this is at least you weren't a 10 hour trailer ride from home on the first day of a week long trip. I know, little comfort. Sorry dude.
 
Regardless of it being a mouse nest or whatever got in there, why did it explode as soon as I cleared it?? Thanks for the info on the protectors, unfortunately I am now Yamahaless at the moment, and will be stuck with my "other" sled, the Arctic Cat. :yam:
 
Hot ember of grass/nest ignited the fuel fumes leaking from around the exhaust outlet. Fumes were present from tipping sled on its side, causing the carb vents to leak fuel. My best guess.
 
i had a mouse nest in an old sled of mine before-- in the air box. could barely get it running and was trying to figure it out, i opened up the air box and the nest had gotten sucked half way through the carb! those little bastages can really do some damage! :o|
 
You must of had some kind of gas leak! otherwise the chamber would have blown and that would have been it! I find it hard to believe it all burns up w/o a fuel source feeding it. mabe a leaky fuel line,or fuel pump
 
You just filled the tank so when you tilted it on its side I'm sure fuel came out of the tank vent as well as the carbs vents, the grass was probably burning in the pipe and when you pulled the grass out and gave it air it back drafted, Poof, Like everybody said the $hit in the pipe was probably the mice living in it, Bad Deal...........
 
Bummer sorry about the sled ! I used moth balls and still had mouse problems. 5 years ago someone told me to put a couple of Bounce dryer sheets under the hood......since then, not one problem ! ? ! I use Aluminum foil to cover the exhaust and airbox openings !
 
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