Vintage Snowmobile

Hi!

I'm looking at a 1978 Yamie 440 Exciter. My neighbor has it for sale for $200.00. It seems to run good, but not great. I'm sure that after a new set of plugs, and a carb cleaning, it will run better. However, there is a slight rattle coming from the clutch side cylinder, when I'm on the gas. I know that the carb boot has been replaced due to cracks, and was thinking that maybe it was running lean and some damage was done?

What do you think? Good deal or not?

Anyone know where I would be able to buy a rebuit top end for it?

Dennis Kirk does not have crap for these old sleds!!!!

If anyone can find me some worth while parts, I'll trade ya my oil furnace for them.....lol

Tim

$200, sounds like a great Deal! especially if it runs!!

There are some vintage sled websites, and being a Yamaha, should be able to get parts.

The clutch could have some broken springs or sliders, but should be checked. A little TLC and you should be able to get it running great! COuld be the exhaust rattling too.

Love the old sleds.

Here one forum
http://www.snowmobileforum.com/used-snowmobiles-parts/

http://www.vintagesnowmobiles.50megs.co ... GE_1D.html

http://www.vsca.com/

WNY wrote:$200, sounds like a great Deal! especially if it runs!!

There are some vintage sled websites, and being a Yamaha, should be able to get parts.

The clutch could have some broken springs or sliders, but should be checked. A little TLC and you should be able to get it running great! COuld be the exhaust rattling too.

Love the old sleds.

Here one forum
http://www.snowmobileforum.com/used-snowmobiles-parts/

http://www.vintagesnowmobiles.50megs.co ... GE_1D.html

http://www.vsca.com/

Thank you sir!

I never thought of the clutch rattling.....Actually, something that I forgot to post was that it does not engage until 3500-4000 RPMs....Don't know if this is right or not???

Just signed up at snowmobileforum . THANKS!!!

Tim

That;s probably about right on the clutch 3-4000 rpm, the engine has to get into its power band to give you some horsepower, to actually move it, it should go up to 6-7000+ and the clutches should start vari\ying back and forth, if you can jack the back up and run it off the ground, you can rev it up and watch the clutches engage.....there not much to them, but if they are sticking, it won't give you the correct power to the track and can burn up your belts....

Rattle could be a heat shield on engine, muffler internals, a variety of things that could rattle on the old ones.

Good luck!

A compression test should tell you if that cylinder is bad.

Just be aware that the parts market for a sled like that is virtually non-existent.

av8r wrote:Just be aware that the parts market for a sled like that is virtually non-existent.

Oh, I know.

That worries me a bit, but if I buy it for $200, throw $300 into it, and ride it for 2+ seasons, I'll be thrilled! Just need to get my wife think that we "need" one, and the next sled will be newer...lol


I see it as a place holder in my garage....Holding the place of a newer one...hahaha

cArNaGe wrote:A compression test should tell you if that cylinder is bad.

Looks like I'll be picking up a gauge!

WNY wrote:That;s probably about right on the clutch 3-4000 rpm, the engine has to get into its power band to give you some horsepower, to actually move it, it should go up to 6-7000+ and the clutches should start vari\ying back and forth, if you can jack the back up and run it off the ground, you can rev it up and watch the clutches engage.....there not much to them, but if they are sticking, it won't give you the correct power to the track and can burn up your belts....

Rattle could be a heat shield on engine, muffler internals, a variety of things that could rattle on the old ones.

Good luck!

Thanks a lot!

Hunlock wrote:

av8r wrote:Just be aware that the parts market for a sled like that is virtually non-existent.

Oh, I know.

That worries me a bit, but if I buy it for $200, throw $300 into it, and ride it for 2+ seasons, I'll be thrilled! Just need to get my wife think that we "need" one, and the next sled will be newer...lol


I see it as a place holder in my garage....Holding the place of a newer one...hahaha

$200 + $300 +$500 = my 1997 Indy 500

let's see, we had a few...but sold them over the years.

1965 Polaris Mustang
mid 70's Alaksa Ski 340,
mid 70's Arctic Ski 340/440,
1976 SkiDoo Everest 440
1996 Skidoo Formula SS 670
1997 Artic Cat Pantera 2-up
2003 Polaris 340
2001 Polaris 500 Indy
1999 Polaris Indy Trail 500

I think that it....none now.

WNY wrote:let's see, we had a few...but sold them over the years.

1965 Polaris Mustang
mid 70's Alaksa Ski 340,
mid 70's Arctic Ski 340/440,
1976 SkiDoo Everest 440
1996 Skidoo Formula SS 670
1997 Artic Cat Pantera 2-up
2003 Polaris 340
2001 Polaris 500 Indy
1999 Polaris Indy Trail 500

I think that it....none now.

Nice Herd.

This will be my first. I've already ridden it and like it, but like everything else I own(except my Hyfire), it needs some work. I think I'm going to pull the trigger on this one.......Post pics when I can.

For $500-$700 you can buy a late nineties Polaris 500 that will last forever....and there are parts everywhere for those.

av8r wrote:For $500-$700 you can buy a late nineties Polaris 500 that will last forever....and there are parts everywhere for those.

Hint
hint

For $200 I say buy it and ride it and patch it up until it no longer rides and then junk it. Don't expect it to ride good, the old sleds have terrible traction and get stuck easy and tip over pretty easily. Don't dump cash into it as I'd bet it's got one ski in the a junkyard and the other ski on black ice. I love old sleds, I have owned literally 40 or more 1966-1986 models of different quality. Old sleds have a common formula: one hour of riding equals 2 hours of wrenching. So work on it for 8 hours and you can safely assume that you'll get 4 hours ride time out of it. One thing for sure is that resale value of a non ride-able sled is zero unless it is a factory racing model. So the only way to sell one of these beasts is to repair the problem and then NOT ride it but put it for sale and try to get what parts $$ you sunk into it back which equates to a bummer. If you want to enjoy snowmobiling (as opposed to the restoration hobby) I suggest spending about $1000 and buy a sled from the mid 90's on up. I just picked up an Arctic Cat EXT 580 Mountain Cat 2-up for $800, parts are available over the counter easily and it rides and handles like a modern sled so I can ride the trails with it. The Polaris Indy 500 is a nice sled for reasonable price, for a little less money you can get a Indy 400 which is just as reliable but older suspension. The Arctic Cat twins are pretty good as well, I owned a Ski-doo formula 500 (bought new) and I can't really recommend it, the Polaris is a better machine. Stay away from the triples!