Problems with waterskipping the Viper..

Plowboyblake

Plowboyblake

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Joined
Dec 4, 2006
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19
Age
39
Location
Port Byron, IL
Ok guys,
Been experimenting with a little water skippin lately on my 02 viper. It has Boivin rear with a ripsaw track with 192 stainless studs, and CPR pipes. I taped up the front end to eliminate water from gettin inside and took the seat off to save some weight. I also tightened up all of the suspension all the way around and took the snowflap off. I tightend the transfer rod up all the way on it to have no weight transfer... But wondering if I should turn it back down to pull the skis off the water more, it doesnt do it at all right now.. The problem I am having is when Im on the water, the sled sputters at 7500Rpm and stays there, almost sounds like its hitting a rev limiter for some reason. Once and IF I can get it to rev up to like 8000, it goes away and pulls just like it should. No idea what is goin on, but tomorrow Im goin to put some new plugs in it and clean the powervalves>......Its a very wierd deal for sure, and I know that from being about 80 degrees its running rich, but once it revs past that its just fine. Also, the bottom end is just like it should be. Torn for ideas here guys so lookin for answers quick, as Sunday I'm running it out to the beach, about a mile on water.... :confused: Hope to hear from some of you experts soon... email me if you would like to see the video, and the popping noise is very prominent in the videos....Thanks guys
 

I thought snowmobiles were made for snow and jet skis were made for water..........LOL.............Just given you some grief!!!;)!
 
viper48 said:
I thought snowmobiles were made for snow and jet skis were made for water..........LOL.............Just given you some grief!!!;)!
Click to expand...


Ya, I know and that is the EXACT reason I want to make it go.....EVERYONE I know says it cant be done but for once in my life I'm gonna be the guy that..."Boy, do you remember that Blake guy that rode his snowmobile to the beach last summer.." I want to be a hero for once....
 
OK, some ideas:
Take off your front shocks, and tie up the front suspention. Your rear shocks should not be tigth. and loosen your rods for more transfer. It will work better if you have your skis off the water.

.
 
Jep

tie ski shocks. And center shock spring to maximun tight because water presure is against track is big. Center shock must also be to its maximun lenght so stopper band loose. If skis touch water those slow you down.

Rear stopper band so tight that sled is stille driveable. If rear axle is too high sled is very loose to drive. When sled is on the ground track under rear axle must be about 3" off the ground.

keep track so loose as you can , take flap away, tighten secondary clucht -> more speed.

Hope you understand my poor englinsh, and these were my thoughts after summer driving with gps measuring speed

and check this

http://www.totallyamaha.net/forums/showthread.php?t=38356&page=2
 
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I agree with tightening the secondary, but doesn't add speed, rather acceleration. Other recomendations were right on, you want max transfer. Carefull taping up all the vent holes on the hood, gets pretty hot under there and motor doesn't like it. Best guys I've seen do long crossings leave them all open. Stops pipe and clutches from getting too hot. Clutch get too hot and you loose the belt 1/2 way across, it won't mater what you did to the suspension, lol. Other then that, try and lean it out a bit. And if ur serious, loose the 192 studs!
 
When tighting secondary I gained speed because water is much more heavier element than snow. But i think it depens what sled u are riding.

Anyway if belt slips u see clear black marks at clucth if so tighten secondary.

Test and tune, but make only one mod at time so u see what effects an how much.

I`ve taped only left side (clucth side). If water gets to the belt u will be a submarine captain

let us know how it went

-sami-
 
Yes Sam you are correct. In deep snow and water x-ing a tighter secondary will yield faster results. It holds the belt lower in the primary and giving you better back shift. Which in general means better acceleration and more torque. This is exactly what you need with the heavier caused by those two conditions. Guess you were right when you said "more speed" as that will be the RESULT in these conditions, but I always associate loosening the secondary to a high top speed. Of course that is in lower drag conditions.
 
Definately watch the water on the belt, i've had a few problems on mine with the belt slipping in the winter months in ditches and such with a little water in them. Just trying to follow the trail and had to skip a patch of water maybe 100ft long and a foot deep.... nearly didnt make it because i have all my vents open..... so that would be the #1 thing I would do before anything, leave pipe side open but tape clutch side up and that should seal most of it, i've also heard of guys using some RTV on there bellypans and such to seal up the cracks. I think thats a little extreme but some guys swear by it, as long as you can keep water off that belt you should be good to go and then test the other ideas the guys have given you.

Good luck

Definately post videos!!!! lol
 
well guys,
today I made the crossing. Its about 3/4 of a mile on wide open mississippi river. I was screamin, probly about 70 or so... Worked great, but need to do a tad bit of silicone work, since I never did any before on it. Once I get that done, we'll be good to go for next weekend. I did sink it on the beach when I was trying to be Mr. Cool and leaned way too much to turn and lost bite with the track and down I went. We pulled it out and musta gotten water into the gas tank cause we couldnt get it to get fuel. So we brought it back over on my flatbottom and I got it running when I had the proper tools at home. Also, I believe I need to have the front suspension turned wayy up because it seems that the sled will never carry on the rear, the fronts were always in the water....
 
Ideas on the RPM thing

First of all, I think they are right on the secondary issue.....you are overshifting.....wind up the secondary 10 or 20 more degrees.

Second, why dont you jet it down.....it must me rich as hell. If you got the motor running right you might not need to touch the clutches.

Madmatt
 
I have got the secondary tightened up as much as possible...Shifting isnt a big issue as it was working pretty well. I agree on the jetting, but lots of work and is for sure running rich but still pulls good enough. I just need to work on some more suspension setups to get it a little closer...
 
been there!
you should roll it on its side and caulk the front corners of the tunnel in front of the track
I would tape off all vent hole in the belly pan, leave hood holes open
I agree on the jetting you most likely dont realize how much power your loosing
 
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