Work on Ski-doo Safari

[fivebucks]

I live in west metro and just inherited a 1990 Ski-doo Safari LE from my father. It hasn't been run in 5 years. I put in new plugs and fresh gas but I can't get it to fire off. I would like to find someone to work on it but don't want to spend $300-$400 that a shop might charge cause it's a 20 year old sled that's only worth around $1000 if that. Any tips I can do myself or anyone here do some tinkering on their own? The sled would probably be just fine for an ice fishing sled for me but if it costs too much to get going I would rather get something newer with reverse. Thanks for your input.

[Surface Tension]

A cold engine won't start without being primed or choked.

If you have a primer it sends a shot of gas to the boot between the cab and cylinder.

They go dry so keep pumping till you hear and feel the gas.

If you can't get it to pick up the gas then you'll need a replacement. Any Ski Doo dealer will have those for around 20 bucks.

You could have a choke lever instead of the primer. It has three positions. Off, half, and full. At half it will stick straight up and at full it'll be flipped over. Cold starts are at full position. When it sounds like its starting to load up go to half choke. You can feather the throttle at the same time to keep the RPMs up. When its warmed up take the choke off. These are not a butterfly type choke rather they are a fuel enrichment type. You have to pull the engine over for them to work, see below about your fuel pump and dry diaphragms.

For now pull the plugs, more then likely they are dry. A tablespoon of gas to prime and replace the plugs. Give it a pull it should fire right up. The fuel pump is a diaphragm pump and they go dry as well. Sometimes it takes repeating priming for the pump to start working.

Since its been sitting you might need to eventually clean the carb(s).

Check the fuel line for good connections and the impluse line to the pump for possible air leaks.

Lastly if your not able to get gas from the tank, the drop tube inside the tank rot out and fall off and all you pull is air. To test that line you can hook up suction to it, If there are any bubbles or air replace that drop hose.

[fivebucks]

Thanks - it has a primer. The times I've pulled it I did not feel any resistance so probably I need to prime more. I will work some more on it and see what happens.

[Meat-Run]

when a sled been sitting for along time it might not hurt to "mouth" the gas tank where the cap screws on and blow pressure forcing gas up the gas line into the carbs. Not a pretty sight to see but works 99% of the time, just make sure to get a breath mint when done....

mr

[fivebucks]

I'll see if I can rig something up to do that. I only have a 1/2 tank of gas and I don't think I'd have the mouth pressure.

[leech~~]

I've had two Ski-doo sofarbehindme's as my buddies use to call them. Pull a plug out after you try priming and look to see if they are wet or if you smell gas. Sometimes with the primer systems they get flooded easy if you keep pumping away on them. What I use to have two do on them if they got flooded to clear them out was to have two sets of plug and just keep drying one set off while you are trying to start with the other set and keep rotating them. If you smell heavy gas and have wet plugs it is flooded. If the plugs are dry you may try some gas in the plug hole or starter fluid in the air box. If none of that works then your carbs are probably gunked up after sitting for so long and sad to say you are going to have to pull them and clean them out. Good luck and let us know what worked.

[mabr]

sofarbehindme's as my buddies use to call them.

Yeah right!!!! I couldnt help myself

[leech~~]

Yeah right!!!! I couldnt help myself

Opp's sorry skidre man! I would hope your "Yellow streak" could at least stay ahead of my big old 2-up Polaris trail!

[mabr]

LMAO and it did. MXZ's rule, even old ones.

[captainshane]

I also have a Ski Doo with a primer. I you are not feeling resistance you can keep trying to prime but you may want to replace it. Like Surface Tension said, around $20. There is a disc inside that has shrunk so there is no longer a good seal inside to pull the gas from the tank. I had to replace mine last winter on my 1996 sled.

Shane

[fivebucks]

I pulled and pulled on the primer last night and never felt any resistance. I then pulled the brand new plugs and they were 100% dry so it looks like I need a new primer. I did put a little gas into the cylinder and it fired right off on the 2nd application of gas. It ran for a little bit and then killed and wouldn't start again on it's own and then I ran out of time. I may have to follow the fuel line etc but I think it will run again. Thanks for the advise and I'll keep you posted when I get a chance to work on it again.

[Surface Tension]

Don't waste your time pulling if it isn't primed.

Prime it through the plugs a few more times. As said the pump, when the thing sits for a long time the diaphragms in the pump take a while to start working again. The primer is T'd into the fuel line so if they are dry it won't pump. When/if you get to the point that it continues to run you might find the primer will work. Note that depending on temps, after it starts you'll have to prime it once in a while to keep it running till it warms up.

If you can get it to run but still the primer doesn't work that should be replaced soon.

[fivebucks]

Good deal - thanks!

[Surface Tension]

Is this a 377?

If so it is one of the most dependable engines Ski Doo's has every had.

The kit will have the hoses and T's. Save the new ones and use the old.

Good Luck.

[leech~~]

Is this a 377?

If so it is one of the most dependable engines Ski Doo's has every had.

The kit will have the hoses and T's. Save the new ones and use the old.

Good Luck.

I'll second the little 377 as a good motor. Mine, years ago, was a 2-up trail long track Safari. I had to lead a group of 1 Artic cat 580 1 Polaris 440 and a 600 80 miles back from Ely to Crooked Lake Lodge at night in a blinding blizzard that dumped 20"inch before it was done. The rest of them just could not break trail with their small tracks. They are really good on gas as well as the Cat almost ran out of gas and I still had 1/4 tank. They kept yelling at me every time we stopped saying they were bogging down running that slow and they needed to go faster. I said hey, I don't even know where the trail is most of the time so head out if you want or follow along and shut the heck up! I'm sure it was great running a few sleds back on a nice trail!

[fivebucks]

The registration card says the engine size is 368 so I would assume it is the 377. Good to hear it is a good dependable engine. I cancelled my pheasant hunting for the day and now with this snow I have some garage time today. I wish it were a 2-up long track as that would be my ideal fishing machine. I imagine it will still work just fine to pull my Otter around. I'll need to search the forums and rig up an auger rack at some point. Thanks!

[broken_line]

fuel, compression, spark a 2 stroke will run no matter what. you may want to try stealing grandmas turkey baseter and forcing gas into the fuel lines that go to the carbs. ive had it happen a few times where the needle is stuck and needs a good push. DO NOT use starting fluid in your air box unless you like plastic pieces through your flourecent lights and face . it will also work to pull the impulse line off of the crank case that goes to the fuel pump and suck then blow on it as fast as you can to prime the system.

[hydro]

it will also work to pull the impulse line off of the crank case that goes to the fuel pump and suck then blow on it as fast as you can to prime the system.

That would make a good YouTube video.

[fivebucks]

Got her running for a good 10-15 minutes with the track propped up but it would not idle on it's own, had to keep playing with the throtle. The gas in the spark plug holes fire it up every time. The primer still does not work so I will replace that. After sitting for 5 years the carb is probably dirty. Would running some sea-foam help clean it up without taking it apart? How about some of that spray carb cleaner? I'm getting excited to have a sled for fishing with all this snow.

[Macgyver55]

After sitting for 5 years the carb is probably dirty. Would running some sea-foam help clean it up without taking it apart? How about some of that spray carb cleaner? I'm getting excited to have a sled for fishing with all this snow.

Running Srafoam or other cleaners rarely will clean it out enough. You really need to pull the bowls off and clean the pilot and main jets. Not doing so could easily result in damage to the sled as soon as you start to use it. Running a 2-stroke too lean is the fastest way to its demise.

[hydro]

Got her running for a good 10-15 minutes with the track propped up but it would not idle on it's own, had to keep playing with the throtle. The gas in the spark plug holes fire it up every time.

The symptom you describe is a plugged fuel system.

I’ve been watching this thread for a while and would like to suggest a plan for you to try. When a engine sits for a long time the fuel in the carb, lines and tank evaporates, decomposes and turns to a gooey mess, often hardening into a varnish. I’m sure you have heard that and I know cleaning the carbs isn’t a job that many like to do, but as Macguyver said, it is necessary.

First, take the carbs apart and clean the bowls, jets, and passages out. Gumout spray carb cleaner works well for this and you may need a toothpick or fine wire to clear the small holes in the jets. Look for any fuel system filters or screens and clean them as well. Make sure the tank and fuel lines have been cleaned and there is no gummy fuel in them. Replace any inline filters, including the one at the end of the pickup tube in the tank.

[leech~~]

I use a welding torch tip cleaning set to clear the holes out in carbs when cleaning them. Their stiff enough but still bend a little and come in a set with lots of sizes.

That's my carb cleaning Tip of the week!

[Surface Tension]

Yep, phase 2 of your new sled ownership.

Clean the carb.

Remove the gas line from the carb. If you can't get at it right now then do later.

Loosen the clamp where boot meets carb.

Remove the mounting bolts from the air box, that will allow you to pull the carb from the boot without doing damage to the boot.

Remove the throttle cable with slide and needle by unscrewing the cap on top the carb. DON"T touch the cable adjustments.

Put a clean rag over the slide and put it off to the side. Eventually you'll clean the needle and slide with a rag and carb cleaner.

Gently pull the carb out of the boot.

Tip it to drain the gas out of it.

Inspect that boot for cracks. If it is it'll need to be replaced. Got on the phone can get a replacement. Start with the dealer and at the same time you can ask about having your carb cleaned. Tell them its off the sled. Its up to you to replace the impulse line from crank to fuel pump and gas lines. If they are brittle replace since you have the carb out. Bring them into the dealer for correct size.

If you want to continue on with the carb cleaning yourself, well you wouldn't be the first that did so and didn't get what needs to be cleaned clean. A step by step without writing a manual I'm not prepared to do. But here is it in a condensed version.

Remove the bowl. Everything could look shinny clean, green, or a gummed up mess.

Don't let the shinny clean fool you.

Remove the float via a pin located near the inlet valve(needle and seat). Careful not to bend the tag that adjusts your float drop. Or lose the needle attached to the float.

Its up to you if you want to replace the inlet valve(needle and seat)

You have a mixture screw on the side of the carb body. Gently turn that in (clockwise} counting its turns till it gently bottoms out.

Now you know your starting point when you put it back together. Remove that needle.

Soak that and then wipe it clean with a rag.

Leave the screw alone that goes into the round hole your round slide came out of. You can see it.

What to clean.

Anything brass and any hole that is in the brass. Careful not to force any object while cleaning as you'll oversize holes and jets. Use Carb cleaner as a solvent for soaking and spraying, Circuits in the carb body need to be cleaned. Soaking is best followed up with spray carb cleaner and compressed air.

Everything goes back together just like you took it apart.

When you put the slide back notice the long groove in the slide and line that up with the pin in the slide throat.

Test the throttles operation before you start the engine just in case you goofed putting the slide in

Adjustments. I believe you have one carb so this is easy.

Mikuni carbs are I D I D O T proof as long as you have them clean.

The screw you removed should be back where you started.

You tune that by ear.

The larger screw you didn't remove sets the idle speed. You might have noticed the end is large and tapered. The slide rests on that at idle. Screw it in and the idle will go up. Turn it out and the idle will go down.

[leech~~]

Wow, great info Frank! I would add to lay out a clean rag or towel on a bench and lay the parts out that you take off in the same postion they came off the carb so you have a good idea where they need to go back in the order you took them off. Carbs aren't that hard, it's just remembering what order to put them back together and NOT dropping the little parts some where on the floor!

[fivebucks]

Great info - thanks a ton. I gotta bowhunt next Saturday but this will be a project for one of the next weekends. Thanks!