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Old 12-01-2008, 05:42 PM   #1
sgold44
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Default Ski Doo Maintenance

I'm looking for maintenance info for my 1996 Ski Doo Mach1 Triple. I bought it last year. I started it up this weekend. As I was looking around the engine, I noticed a dipstick on the right side down low just below the pull cord. I pulled it out & it looks like grease?? Any ideas about what this is. I'm new to snowmobiling & don't know much about these machines.
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Old 12-01-2008, 07:33 PM   #2
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That sounds like your chain case dipstick. That oil should be changed once a season. Also grease any fittings that you can find around the machine, there should be some down under the track area, also if you can clean up the carbs or atleast blast some carb cleaner theu them. If fuel has sat in there with out any stabilizer mixed in the gas you can have a float or needle stick and that will not be fun tryingto fix on a cold day...
good luck
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Old 12-01-2008, 08:19 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ACutAbove View Post
That sounds like your chain case dipstick. That oil should be changed once a season. Also grease any fittings that you can find around the machine, there should be some down under the track area, also if you can clean up the carbs or atleast blast some carb cleaner theu them. If fuel has sat in there with out any stabilizer mixed in the gas you can have a float or needle stick and that will not be fun tryingto fix on a cold day...
good luck
All great advice, but by the sound of thread 1 the person should probably have the unit looked at by a professional as it does take a bit of technical knowledge to do the work properly.
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Old 12-01-2008, 09:53 PM   #4
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Default A snowmobiler's Bible, so to speak....

is his/hers owners manual...........
If it's not in there, it'll push you in the right direction.

Tips; http://www.snowmobilers.org/saferide...e/page_00.html
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Old 12-02-2008, 07:46 AM   #5
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Yes, that dip stick is chain case oil. If the previous owner did not inform you as to when the last time it was changed, it would be a good idea to change it before the season. There should be a drain plug at the bottom of the chain case. Your owners manual will have info as to what chain case oil to use, and how much of it you need. You can get that at your local Ski Doo dealer. It's not cheap, but it is cheap insurance.
There are grease fittings in the skid. There should be one towards the back in the axle, and one in the middle where the shock is. Take a close look around, there maybe more. There might also be 2 grease fittings up front, one on each ski spindle. Under the hood, I believe there is one maybe two in the steering linkage.

Regarding the motor oil, try to find out from the previous owner what kind of oil (synthetic or non-synthetic) he used. It is not a good idea to mix different types of oils, so try to use what he used. Doesn't have to be the same brand.

If the motor hasn't been run in a while, put a bit of Sea Foam in the gas tank. Check the label on the Sea foam bottle for the right amount, and be sure to add in some nice fresh gas.
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Old 12-02-2008, 08:38 AM   #6
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Or, for about ten dollars, one can pick up a terrific old pair of wood or fiberglass cross country skis at someone's garage sale.

Just imagine....no greasefittings...no gasoline...no trailer...no insurance...no registration....no very stinky two-stroke oil stench that stinks up your clothes and the air...and no noisy snowmobile....and when there is no snow on the trails....you can leave the skis on the cartop and go hiking. ...imagine that ?
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Old 12-02-2008, 09:15 AM   #7
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Sent you email on this subject
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Old 12-02-2008, 10:22 AM   #8
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Default Some info and advice

If you don't have it , here is a pointer to the Operator's Guide for the 1996 Mach Series http://12.2.215.22/og/default.asp?Se...&brands=SKIDOO This includes maintenance info.

I don't know if they are still available but you might want to look into getting the shop manual for your sled.

Because you are unfamiliar with snowmobiles I would echo what RLW said, go to a professional for a through checkout. You don't want to be stranded miles out in the woods because you didn't recognize the need for maintenance on some critical part. You might want to find a mechanic who, for an appreciation fee, will let you look over his shoulder and ask questions.

What is the history of your sled? Has it been maintained? Was it winterized last year?
What condition is the track in? Is it adjusted properly?
Does the carb need work? Is it ready to clog up because there is junk in it?
Are the brake and throttle cables in good repair or going to snap after you do a few panic stops?
Do all the wearable items (skegs, sliders, etc) have enough wear left for the season?
Have you found ALL the lubrication spots?
Are the fluids OK? When were they last changed?
Are all the filters OK?
Are the skis adjusted properly?
Do you know how to adjust the weight balance? This is critical for good control of your sled.
Is the clutch adjusted properly? How about it's wear?
Is compression in your cylinders OK?
Do you have a cooling system? How about its hoses, etc. A cooling system leak will stop you dead.
Do you have safety equipment with you? Spare drive belt? Spare headlight bulb? Tools? Flashlight?

Get a safety manual from Skidoo and read it.

Join a snowmobile club, you need to anyway to get a break on registration. Go to a club meeting and pump other members for info on taking care of your sled and about riding in the area. Make sure you have the club trail map for the area.

Finally, after it's all set to ride, don't do out alone for your first big ride. If something breaks down you can get a tow (do you know how to set your sled up for towing?) or at least a ride back.

And please stay off the Lake and avoid night riding until you know what you are doing and you know your sled is reliable. Night riding, alone, especially on the lake can be very hazardous. If you run into trouble at night there are fewer other riders around and the temperatures can get dangerously cold.

Snowmobiling is a wonderful sport and with anticipation and preparation can be a safe one as well.
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Old 12-02-2008, 03:10 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fatlazyless View Post
Or, for about ten dollars, one can pick up a terrific old pair of wood or fiberglass cross country skis at someone's garage sale.

Just imagine....no greasefittings...no gasoline...no trailer...no insurance...no registration....no very stinky two-stroke oil stench that stinks up your clothes and the air...and no noisy snowmobile....and when there is no snow on the trails....you can leave the skis on the cartop and go hiking. ...imagine that ?
Hey FAT,

Sounds like a great idea. But where are all those Cross Country Sking Trail? Oh you mean the the 6000+ miles of Snowmobile Trails those "STINKY" Snomobilers developed?
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Old 12-02-2008, 03:45 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fatlazyless View Post
Or, for about ten dollars, one can pick up a terrific old pair of wood or fiberglass cross country skis at someone's garage sale.

Just imagine....no greasefittings...no gasoline...no trailer...no insurance...no registration....no very stinky two-stroke oil stench that stinks up your clothes and the air...and no noisy snowmobile....and when there is no snow on the trails....you can leave the skis on the cartop and go hiking. ...imagine that ?
Hey, look! Another FLL off-topic thread hijack.
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Old 12-03-2008, 06:50 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chipj29 View Post
Regarding the motor oil, try to find out from the previous owner what kind of oil (synthetic or non-synthetic) he used. It is not a good idea to mix different types of oils, so try to use what he used. Doesn't have to be the same brand.
To be clear for the original poster, Chip is talking about 2-stroke injection oil, not motor oil. You would not want to put traditional motor oil in a 2-stroke injection tank. The average snowmobiler, unless the motor is really tweaked, runs a standard injection oil, nothing special. Use Ski-Doo oil and make sure it is the proper formula. In many newer machine, they have revised the oil composition for better performance and emissions. Arctic Car for instance has APV oil (at least they did 3 years ago ), which is a clean burning oil for use in newer exhaust power valve based engines. This may or may not be good in older machine applications, I honestly don't know as I got out of riding a few years ago. I always ran the OEM recommended oil and never had issues in any machines.

I have always found older Ski-Doo's to be a bit finicky and you want to make sure that it is properly tuned. Ski-Doo has a history of tuning their machines pretty well out of the box to to the point that if the settings get a bit out of the norm it is easy to blow a motor. It always seemed that the ski-doo's were the most likely to break down during my many years of riding and being a club president.

My last sled was a Rev X package 800 with mods though, and I really loved it!
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Old 12-04-2008, 07:08 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by codeman671 View Post
To be clear for the original poster, Chip is talking about 2-stroke injection oil, not motor oil. You would not want to put traditional motor oil in a 2-stroke injection tank. The average snowmobiler, unless the motor is really tweaked, runs a standard injection oil, nothing special. Use Ski-Doo oil and make sure it is the proper formula. In many newer machine, they have revised the oil composition for better performance and emissions. Arctic Car for instance has APV oil (at least they did 3 years ago ), which is a clean burning oil for use in newer exhaust power valve based engines. This may or may not be good in older machine applications, I honestly don't know as I got out of riding a few years ago. I always ran the OEM recommended oil and never had issues in any machines.

I have always found older Ski-Doo's to be a bit finicky and you want to make sure that it is properly tuned. Ski-Doo has a history of tuning their machines pretty well out of the box to to the point that if the settings get a bit out of the norm it is easy to blow a motor. It always seemed that the ski-doo's were the most likely to break down during my many years of riding and being a club president.

My last sled was a Rev X package 800 with mods though, and I really loved it!
Thanks for making that clear. That is exactly what I was trying to say. Ski Doo/BRP makes three grades of 2-stroke injection oil. Full synthetic, semi-synthetic and non-synthetic/mineral oil. For example, in my Sea Doo I use the BRP full synthetic, as it is recommended for my older 2-stroke. In my Ski Doo I use the BRP non-synthetic, as that is what is recommended.
If you don't have the owners manual to reference for suggested oil, you could play it safe and use the semi-synthetic. However for an older sled, you are probably fine with the regular oil. I used to have a '96 Ski Doo, and used the cheap stuff in that.
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Old 12-04-2008, 04:59 PM   #13
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Default To clear up some myths....

about 2-stroke injection oils....

I highly recommend Klotz synthetic Techniplate TC-W3. After the initial engine break in period, I used it in my 1998 Formula DLX 670 Ski Doo and
it still runs just like the day that I baught it, same strong power, and the best part is, No Smoke!

Spec; This premium synthetic lubricant has been providing racers and
inthusiasts with the best protection available for over three decades. The
smoke-free formula and great smell will ensure that the rider behind you
will enjoy the quality of Klotz as much as you're enjoying the performance
benefits. Meets and exceeds NMMA TC-W3, JASO FD, ISO-EGD and
API TC low ash specifications for certified warranty compliance in Ski Doo,
Polaris, Yamaha and Arctic Cat snowmobiles.

I used to buy it at Jack Willey's in Tilton. http://www.jackwilleys.com/
Update 12/5/08. I had called Jack yesterday before I posted this, and couldn't get through. I was able to talk to him today
however and what with the economy in the tank, he had to close the walk-in store but has a website and is still selling parts
and accessories for your recreational vehicle needs. So if you would like to help support a local business, I've added a link above.

To check pricing,
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/common/Frontpage.jsp
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Last edited by trfour; 12-05-2008 at 01:58 PM. Reason: Update
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