SS 338 find!

Pictures

Finally got some pics. Check how straight the pan is. Removed the tank, it's cracked EVERYWHERE! I thought it might be able to be fixed at first but no way. Enjoy. G.
 

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Thanks. Everybody here has been great. Things are coming along swimmingly. Need a rear bumper yet, still trying to find the red material to recover the seat. But other than that things are going well. Thanks to all. G.
 
Gorkon you will not find seat material that is correct. I looked for over 3 years for a NOS cover for my '71 GP292 that I raced. Paid something like $400 for the cover. I do have it and I could be talked out of it now that I sold the chassis. I have been offered $300 for the whole seat. I can email you pictures early next week if you want

Monty
 
Thanks Monty. I did find an outfit called ATWOOD that makes seat covers for all kinds of sleds and I'm hoping they can help. Still waiting for a response though. This tank is toast and I was eyeballing up a GS center mount tank that I have.......hmmmm? Send me the pics please, I would love to use a 71 seat and tank if that were possible, just don't know if I can afford to! G.
 
Gorkon said:
Thanks Monty. I did find an outfit called ATWOOD that makes seat covers for all kinds of sleds and I'm hoping they can help. I can afford to! G.
I highly doubt that you will find the CORRECT heat pleat and dimple texture. Like I said, I turned over everystone and it took me 3 years and then I had to finally give in and pay for a NOS cover.
Good Luck with your hunt.

Monty
 
Hey Monty, a 71 tank would mean I need the 71 seat, you sly dog you! lol. Atwood claims to be able to make the seat cover, will talk to him this coming week sometime, I'm leaving tomorrow for a few days so I'll have to get back to you later.

I removed the engine today and split the case and got one jug off. The cylinder looks real good as does the piston and rings. The other side will not budge! I'll let it soak in Sea Foam for a week and then see what happens.

When I removed the pipes I found that it was indeed hit in the front and damaged the pipe. It has been repaired but not very well and there's still some damage remaining. I might have to find another pipe! Yippee! The vintage sled bug!

Anyone know of any Yamaha salvage yards I can check out? I found someplace called Ricky's Yamaha parts in MN, but the number I have doesn't work! Thanks. G.
 
Gorkon said:
Hey Monty, a 71 tank would mean I need the 71 seat, you sly dog you! lol. Atwood claims to be able to make the seat cover, will talk to him this coming week sometime, I'm leaving tomorrow for a few days so I'll have to get back to you later.


Anyone know of any Yamaha salvage yards I can check out? I found someplace called Ricky's Yamaha parts in MN, but the number I have doesn't work! Thanks. G.

Was I THAT Transparent? LOL

Nothing against Atwood, but If you are going to have a cover made - Please contact Diane Miller. She owns/runs A-1 Upholstery out side Flint Michigan. She was a Sno-Jet and Ski-Doo Supported racer with a great history. She as done several seats for me and is top notch. There is nothing better then supporting a business that supports the vintage snowmobilers in my opinion. Here is her contact information:Bill and Dianna Miller
A-1 Upholstery Repair
6905 E. North Ridge Road
New Lothrop, MI 48460
(989)-845-7906
(989) 845-7923 fax
a_1upholstery@hotmail.com
If you mention I sent you to her..... she'll likely talk your ear off!

I dont have any salvage yard information for you, but PM and I will send some contacts that may be able to help with parts

Monty
 
Thank-you Leon. I will be contacting you guys in the not too distant future.

As for the sled, seeing as how the crankcase case was full of water at one time and everything is seized solid. I believe a newer crank is the way to go with this in order to gain the tapered end for a more modern primary clutch.

But I still have to get that other jug off the piston to get anything apart. Found some stuff called 'Engine Release' with a money back guarantee to free your engine. I was thinking of ordering their product but thought I'd inquire here first to as anyone's experience with the product? Any other suggestions?

I think I know where I can get a Phazer crank. Will a Phazer crank fit in there? They are the same stroke is all I know for sure when it comes to that though.

Got the tubing to build a new bumper, but other than that time is being robbed by bigger fish. Thanks. G.
 
pipes are on the way to NY to get coating. now all we need to do is get that front bumper to you somehow. anyone got anything going from indiana to canada this thing can hitch a ride.... :o|
 
That year, Yamaha made the SL-338, the SW-396 (18" wide track ) and the SS-396. They did make the SS-338 and it was not that common, but there were a few. I knew the SS-396 was about 36 HP, and guessing that the SS-338 was about 32 HP Pretty much every thing on the SS-396 was interchangeable on the SS-338
 
Update and request for opinions.

Well things are moving, albeit slowly as life will allow but, moving. Pipes are done and beautiful. Engine is apart, finally. Unfortunately not without the loss of the mag side piston and jug. The jug is in reserve, capable of being re-sleeved if the need should ever arise, certainly won't throw repairable stuff this old away. A pair of good jugs, pistons, gaskets and such is on the way, as is an aftermarket CDI. Once the pistons arrive they will head off for thermal barrier coatings on top and poly graphite coatings on the skirts.

Got my fingers crossed on a pair of supposedly new, racked Phazer flat slides. Just imagine those with a set of Boyesen power wings and some Aaen Filters!! Whee!

Giving thought to fabbing some carb spacers that mount a balance bottle, but don't know anything yet about the importance and relationship with regard to airflow/distance from the back of the slide to the piston on a piston port engine or even the effect of a balance bottle in this application. Any thoughts or input? Certainly appreciated.

Still trying to sort out upgrades to CDI, plastic fan (lighter, less reciprocating weight) and tapered end crank, in order to facilitate modern clutching. Have an 84 crankcase with gear driven pump and tapered end crank, but it won't take the SS jugs or fan shroud/recoil.....which of course carries the serial number! I need an earlier plastic fan/mag with this 84 stator so I can run the CDI.

I think I'm going to start looking for 72 or 73 crankcase. That would match my SS jugs with a gear driven pump and allow me to drop the taper end crank in as well. I believe!? Sheesh! Well, this has been a learning experience anyway! Thanks to all you guys who have shared, I appreciate you lots.

Any suggestions as to what is better for me, a Comet 108 or a....forgive me for saying this, Polaris P-85 primary? I've been told on numerous occasions that the P-85 is a better choice, a good clutch and that there is better tune-a-bility to it than the Comet. Truth? I don't know.

I'm going to take the jugs in for some mild porting as I can see much in need of cleaning up which, in all good conscience, just can't in be left there! (At least that's what I’m telling the war department)

But I'm told that I can expect 40 hp or, even more! It’s gonna be neat to find out.

I’ve given a lot of thought to decals and have decided to do something of my own instead. This is what I’ve come up with so far.

What do you guys think? I’m going to do the hood stripe red, with ‘SS 338’ in the stripe like the GP decal on this hood. Not original but, I don’t care. The white portion on the top decal is going to be white reflector and the red being Yamaha red, of course. I like it better than the original decal, what do you think?

I’ll get some more pictures posted as soon as there’s something worth taking pictures of, lots going on. Got an SRX 121” track free, should be plenty of traction for this! Looking for a 121 Phazer skid to go with it.

Thanks to all. This scheming with a 9 year old is too much fun! G.
 

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i like the picture of the "booty" better.
lets see some pics of those old pipes of mine....
 
I figured someone would take quick notice of the bums, and so it starts. Honest I didn’t do that intentionally. Its at my friends place and they’ve been their for so long I don’t even see them anymore.

The pipes are long gone out of town with all the rest of the 'parts' and I didn't get any pictures. They look nice.

Still short of pieces though, the hunt goes on. Another day of learning, have an 84 mag and stator and while they will both work physically, the fan is too shallow compared to the old one.

I don't have the fan housing for this 84, so I can't tell if its different. There must be something different there for sure as the fan blades are curved down shorter towards the outside as opposed to square across the top, and about 3/4 of an inch shorter blades than the older plastic fan.

So now I need to see an 84, 338 outer fan shroud to see what’s different. If memory serves they have some kind of ducting and that’s why the fan is smaller.

Can anyone tell me anything about the oil pump drive gear? This 84 core I got is missing the primary and I’ve never seen one so, I’m trying to figure out where the drive gear is for the pump, is it on the sleeve of the primary clutch? Is it machined in, as in part of the sleeve or, is it a separate gear, pressed on, or otherwise, on the sleeve? If that’s the case, how does one upgrade clutches on one of these without losing the oil injection?

Hmmm?
 
just use an exciter engine. thats what im putting in mine. along with a track and rear skid from the same exciter...
 

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Yes, I could do that, but I'm mixing and matching parts to get the best I can of the newer stuff like CDI and still keep the numbers matching sled. I figured out the ducting last night for the fan, so I'm good in that department now, just might have to do a little fabrication. Still looks like I will need a 72 or 73 case though.

Tell me, on the engine in the pic, where is the oil pump drive gear? Can you post me a picture of that? As in the back side of the primary. Thanks. G.
 


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