FNG with a question or 3

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cityboy2977

New member
Joined
Feb 24, 2014
Messages
15
Location
Kalkaska co. Mi.
hello all. new guy here and also new to sleds. i dont know very much about them and will have a lot of questions in the future. i have been reading prior posts in order not to ask some of the basics. already downloaded manual from Yamaha. but that only gives basics.
im not a tard when it comes to mechanics. but i have never wrenched on sleds.

machine in question is a 1997 Vmax 700sx with 3600 miles. got this Vmax and an Indy Lite in a trade....which i only had $650 into. so i think i got a good deal.
anyhow, the PO beat the piss outta this machine and from what i see didnt take very good care of either one. busted/bent and crappy fix on right trailing arm, wrong belt, very short pull cord, foam on the air box toast, almost no chain oil, track a bit old(but studded), and seems like it was just left out uncovered for almost all its life. and thats just the Yammy.

i rode this machine for less than 5 miles before the belt broke. it didnt totally give and i tried to limp it back to the house....got a mile away.
as of now i just put on a new belt(8ch) and new pull cord.....what a pain in my rectum dealing with the recoil spring.

first question: chain oil calls for SAE 75-80 weight. can i use 80w-90 gear oil ?
manual shows this dipstick should read STD just above the arrows. this dipstick reads REVERSE. should i assume this is a re-power in this machine ? where should proper oil level be on this stick ? or should i just go in between the arrows ?

second question: coolant is on E and i dont "think" it was before. where is the first place(s) to look for a leak ? going to get some antifreeze in the next hour.

third question: when is it time to change the track ? ie what paddle length ?
 

1. 80-90 is fine. The dipstick should have both STD and REVERSE on it.
2. The clear coolant bottle is an overflow. Top it up and keep an eye on it for now
3. Tracks arent replaced like a tire where the lugs wear down. If there is any chunks or tears in the track (not in the lugs) it can cause issues and another thing to look at is the inside of the track. Where the slides ride on and the little nubs the drivers hold onto.

Also since the sled is studded and if you do end up having a coolant leak check the front and rear heat exchangers in the tunnel.

PICS WOULD BE GREAT
 
here are some pics. you will notice the mismatched tail light lens with drywall screws, broken rear & front bumpers, and the craptacular repair on the trailing arm. oh, and the shot ski's







 
The tech manual, not owners manuals say 75 or 80 weight. So whatever you can get your hands on would be fine. I would be skeptical of all the drive line bearings if the oil girl was ebay that hard. Pull apart the chain case, inspect the chain and probably replace it to be safe. A broken chain destroys the chaincase, no way around it. Lack of lubrication will wear it out fast. The drive shaft bearings are fairly straight forward at that point. They are all the same, you can order the kits from all balls, pretty much the go to standard. Change them all up, inspect the skid and change worn parts, get an oem trailing arm because the aftermarket are junk and then you can ebay or junk yard the remaining parts to clean the old girl up.
 
Give her a wash and a couple hundred in parts and shel be a good sled. It looks to me that every single tow point ( bumpers and ski loops) have been ripped off not impacted.
 
I like a lot of other guys run synthetic ATF in my chain case. REAL easy to spot a leak and I change it pre-season. If you want to drain whats in there prior to pulling the cover the drain plug is up inside the tunnel on back side of chain case. I grew up around Kalkaska county prior to moving to Mancelona, still get over there quite a bit.....was over there today grooming trails, we turn around at the Hide a way on Starvation Lake. I may have a rear bumper off a SRX laying around. I have had good luck with C&S out of Gaylord for used parts.
 
thank you for the answers and advice. this will be a slow fix up. i cant do much now because im always "laid off" in winter....... im a carpenter and not much building goes on in these months. and a lot less building up here in winter. but fall is when i can sink a few bones into 'er.

Devil, i can almost hit the Hide a Way with a rock from my front yard...im on Starvation lk. road. do you by chance drive the big red groomer ?
if you have any parts i can use im sure i can throw ya something you can use.
 
Devil, i can almost hit the Hide a Way with a rock from my front yard...im on Starvation lk. road. do you by chance drive the big red groomer ?
if you have any parts i can use im sure i can throw ya something you can use.[/QUOTE]

As a matter of fact I do run a big red groomer! There is two of them now. Kalkaska just upgraded to a Pisten Bully and a Dubie groomer. Our (Jordan Valley Trails Council) drag is a grey/blue combo with wings that can run 15ft wide, Kalkaska's drag is red/black with no wings. I have a pole barn over on 612 and will look and see shat I have in the next few days.
 
big green JD groomer right around the corner from me. i seen the big red one in town....was visiting next door from where it was parked. small world

if you have enough parts that i can use maybe we can work a deal for some of my labor. rough & finish carpenter for almost 20 years....i know residential inside n out. but i DONT do roofing...lol
 
cityboy2977 said:
big green JD groomer right around the corner from me. i seen the big red one in town....was visiting next door from where it was parked. small world

if you have enough parts that i can use maybe we can work a deal for some of my labor. rough & finish carpenter for almost 20 years....i know residential inside n out. but i DONT do roofing...lol
Click to expand...
Welcome to the site, I'm a neighbor also. At otsego lake. If Jesse (devil) don't have a bumper I got one off a 98 with the cover laying around. Yours for the taking, it all come around!
 
The rear pipe part of the bumper is all I think I would have and your welcome to it for FREE! I do have a set of plastic Viper skis (red loops too!) that I am pretty sure would fit your sled, I would need the $100 I have into them (bought them from another member for spares). I swung a hammer for a living for 15 years(started working for Northern Exteriors during the summer way back in high school) was the cable guy for 8 years and have ben a Miss Dig Locator for 5 now, Trust me I feel ya on the lack of fundage rolling in during the winter! Me and MARVIN (unemployment) get good and tight every winter!

Chris (Super1c) is where those Viper ski came from! The only bumper cover I would have would be in blue.
 
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super1, hows the fishin in Otsego lake ? i understand that lake is pretty shallow throughout.
i really appreciate it fellas.

Devil, unfortunately the priority is keeping the heat & lights on, so i cant drop $100 on the skis atm, although i would in a minute if i had the dough. i got a couple sets of skis in the trade but i dont believe they will fit anything i have. so if/when identified maybe i can sling those to buy what you have.
yeah, ive dealt with uncle Marvin but its been a long time. before we moved up here from Wayne county i was self employed, so no uncle Marv for me.
 
No problem...was just throwing out there what I had, Picked them up just in case and then upgraded to aftermarket on the other sleds so I have spare spares!
 
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