FJViper
New member
Figured mine were......Used Stabil in the gas when I summerized. Just pulled my carbs off and low and behold, little balls of the infamous jelly plugging up my pilots(all three were clogged), multiple globs all over the main jet cups and more inside the tophat filters. What a mess!
All cleaned up now though. Just have to get some allen screws for the float bowls to replace those crappy phillips screws and I can put them back together. Skid is done with new bushings and grease fittings. Power valves were clean, just have to adjust them once I fire the sled up. Onto the clutches next. Wash and wax and she's ready to go. Then onto the wifes sled.
All cleaned up now though. Just have to get some allen screws for the float bowls to replace those crappy phillips screws and I can put them back together. Skid is done with new bushings and grease fittings. Power valves were clean, just have to adjust them once I fire the sled up. Onto the clutches next. Wash and wax and she's ready to go. Then onto the wifes sled.
Funny i just did the same thing . carbs werent bad but i ALWAYS clean them. Did the wifes sled yesterday and mine today! All ready to roll..
motorhead327
VIP Member
Was is the traditional red stalbil or the new blue marine stuff? The red is outdated for the e-10 fuel.
FJViper
New member
Absolutely, I always clean them regardless, just wasn't expecting the amount that I did see. More or less just a friendly public service announcement to the guys out there who don't feel it's necessary to clean their carbs before the season starts. All it takes is a little bit of crud to clog up a couple jets or passageways and you've got big problems. But, as always....to each his/her own.
FJViper
New member
motorhead327 said:
Actually it was the marine Stabil. I haven't used the red since the marine came out. I was pretty shocked to say the least. Never had a problem prior to this. Granted, most of the gas in the carbs had evaporated (but not all). No white residue at all.
Last edited:
motorhead327
VIP Member
FJViper said:
WoW, thats crazy! I bought a bottle last spring but it didnt get my trust yet, now it never will. Two seasons ago I tried the transmission fluid technique and had great results so I did it again last season as well. The carb jets were spotless.
killerklown
Member
Cleaned mine today. They looked spotless, but there was a weirdidle hang and blurb/popping as RPMs came down on first start up this season. I had the red stabil in there and then let it run out of gas, thought that would be good. Close but no cigar, running like a million bucks now!
I've had great luck with Startron if you guys can find it in your area. Works well to counter the E10.
Most of the time I end up draining the tanks on all of my sleds at the end of the season anyway.
-Mark
Most of the time I end up draining the tanks on all of my sleds at the end of the season anyway.
-Mark
super1c
Super Moderator
Did mine a few weeks ago, worst ive ever had. Same gas sludge balls your talking about. Crappy gas. I always drain all gas and clean every year but worst ive seen for my sleds. Not sure how the guys that dont do this every year stay safe.
staggs65
Moderator
me too chris, first time I've ever had the little e-10 balls. did nothing different from normal
Macheater
New member
Ya I have a story u guys ain't gonna believe. I didn't believe it myself. Back around early May of this year I pulled the carbs off my 02 srx. My goal was to rejet to 01 specs and do a cleanup and inspection. Somewhere along the line my "carb cleaning" turned into a MAJOR engine and suspension removal, rebuild, and polishing job. Anyway, my freshly cleaned and rejetted carbs were put in a box and untouched for the next 4 months or so. So in the meantime I installed a Bender cold air kit and before reinstalling the carbs i needed to rejet again (for the cold-air kit). Now, fastforward to early October, I pull the float bowls back off and guess what? Those same gel like balls on two of the main jets! WTF? 
I strongly suspect that fuel that was left in the breather hoses made its way back into the float bowls where they turned into the dreaded silicone-like garbage that can ruin an engine.
Several years back, a friend of mine burned down his doo 583 on a trip in the UP. The sled had seemed to run fine the previous day. Upon inspection, the cylinder that burned down had a carb with a pilot jet that was completely plugged. The lack of fuel from the pilot jet was just enough to lean it out to the point of burndown.
Moral of the story (and this thread), keeps those carbs, fuel systems clean. Todays gas is EVIL!
I strongly suspect that fuel that was left in the breather hoses made its way back into the float bowls where they turned into the dreaded silicone-like garbage that can ruin an engine.Several years back, a friend of mine burned down his doo 583 on a trip in the UP. The sled had seemed to run fine the previous day. Upon inspection, the cylinder that burned down had a carb with a pilot jet that was completely plugged. The lack of fuel from the pilot jet was just enough to lean it out to the point of burndown.
Moral of the story (and this thread), keeps those carbs, fuel systems clean. Todays gas is EVIL!
Vmax540
VIP Member
Remember to run long enough to get the treated gas into the fuel lines and carbs otherwise you're just treating the fuel in the tank. I recently purchased a 275 gal. storage tank and wonder what is best for this type of storage ~ 6 months ?
akrievins
New member
We have a beater 1990 Arctic cat Jag 340 fan single carb, and we've never cleaned the carb on that. Sometimes stabilize the gas over the summer, but we just keep running it. It doesn't die.
Can it be that those old carbs are very simple and don't get all gummed up?
Can it be that those old carbs are very simple and don't get all gummed up?
FJViper
New member
No, you said it. It's a beater sled......What's fun about those is if it starts to bog out or backfire or whatever, you just hold the throttle to the bar and hold on. It'lll come out of it eventually lol!! Al that initial crappy running is all the crap being flushed through the carb. I'll bet if you actually cleaned the carb and put some nice fresh gas in it you'd be amazed at how good it runs.akrievins said:
Ahhh.....screw that! pull it and pin it!!.....
akrievins said:
Please remember that CDN gas has far less ethanol than US gas. Premium has 0% ethanol.
Yea Canada.
SRX_700 said:
Please hijack a tanker full of premium and head south-east to Maine, please. Thanks!
mod-it
Member
We finally had a few stations around here pick up the non-ethanol premium, so I filled up only from them last season. Put seafoam in at end of season last year. When I fired the sled up this year it is idling smoothly without choke and picks up from idle fine with no hesitation. Still going to pull the carbs though, its just worth doing for the peace of mind.
the transmission fluid trick works well, no problems this year on anything with a engine/gas operated that had some put thru it, the ones that didnt get it......... all need carb cleaned.
I fill up with premium every time. Most stations around here have E-0. That is all i put in mine (when possible). I always make sure the last tank of the season is E-0 too (along with foggin and all the other stuff).
MM70001
New member
I've got a 2001 MM700 and a 96 Skidoo F3 600 triple, drained my gas last spring and carbs and this fall found gelled fuel in my lines to fuel pump, I checked my carbs an removed some junk from bowls.Took the sled for a short low rpm ride arould the field, going to pull the bowls again to see if any gelled junk was in the fuel pump and delivery lines to the carbs. All of this despite using Startron.Do most people clean and replace the top hat filters or remove them?