Problems

[ducker]

Bought a 2000 Panther 3 weeks ago and have put about 10 miles on it since I bought it. It had 1600 miles when purchased. Pulled the portable out on the ice yesterday. Was positioning the shelter by the drilled holes sled stops going forward or reverse. No pop, snap, crackle or anything indicating a problem. Clutches spin. Secondary clutch can be spun by hand. Drive chain broke? Bigger issues?

[Shack]

If the primary is spinning, the secondary would have to be spinning/moving also to input into the chain case via the jack-shaft. Is the secondary clutch spinning/engaging also?

If not, I bet it is just a burned and or worn belt. If it is than a could be a drive chain issue or shear pin/spline concern. Doing what you were doing I would bet it is a belt issue.

[Surface Tension]

Check for slop in linkage.

[ducker]

The belt was brand new when I got it. Secondary spinning also. I'm thinking drive chain. With that few miles I'm surprised that would be a problem. Does not appear to have been abused prior to my purchase.

[hydro]

If the secondary clutch and jackshaft turn freely and the track does not move, then the problem is between the two components. The chaincase is the component in between and since you have reverse I would look there first. Does the reverse lever engage anything? Maybe there is a problem in the reverse gear engagement or in the linkage for the shift lever. That may be a simple fix. Either way you will need to investigate the chaincase and gearing.

[ducker]

Thanks for the replies. Brought it in to the local repair shop. Hope its nothing to major.

[Shack]

Very well could be reverese linkage or drive causing this. Easy thing to check out first.

Assuming this is maybe a 580 EFI and I think they are all all the same though, but do not rule out a shear pin or spline issue.

The other areas I would guess if not linkage would be in the drive/reverse mechanism:

[Shack]

Here is another point to check:

Remove your belt and see if the secondary spins but the shaft (jack-shaft) does not and this would be the cause above.

Here are a couple more of the reverse:

[Surface Tension]

The jockeying back and forth is what clued me in on my prediction, that and it being the simplest thing to check.

Hope you found a good or honest mechanic.

[MN Mike]

The belt was brand new when I got it. Secondary spinning also. I'm thinking drive chain. With that few miles I'm surprised that would be a problem. Does not appear to have been abused prior to my purchase.

If the jackshaft is turning when you spin the secondary then I would say your probably right, on our mtn sleds, we have lost several chains in that 1000 - 1500 mile mark, they were all well maintained but the riding conditions finally did them in. I've seen a lot of chains go MANY more miles than that but you never know how it was treated / maintained before you bought it.

Who knows, maybe you busted a tooth on the sprocket and it broke the chain, seen that before too.

Maybe you'll get lucky and someone used the wrong oil and it either got gummy in there or too thick to shift from fwd / rvs or vise versa.

Mike

[Shack]

LOL that is why it gets frustrating trying as best as we can to help people with their issues in a forum like this. Who knows?

The way I read his original post, figure in Surface's jockeying around, its either has to be the shear pin, where the power is split (rev/forward) which includes linkage, or the chain going down to lower sprocket. You try to explain the best you can when you know what and where to look, but it maybe not be easy to understand.

If reverse was used and especially if the load of a fish-house is connected to the sled, those shear pins will shear and the internal rev. stuff and drivetrain will snap like nothing.

[MN Mike]

LOL that is why it gets frustrating trying as best as we can to help people with their issues in a forum like this. Who knows?

The way I read his original post, figure in Surface's jockeying around, its either has to be the shear pin, where the power is split (rev/forward) which includes linkage, or the chain going down to lower sprocket. You try to explain the best you can when you know what and where to look, but it maybe not be easy to understand.

If reverse was used and especially if the load of a fish-house is connected to the sled, those shear pins will shear and the internal rev. stuff and drivetrain will snap like nothing.

Thats very true, who knows.....

I was just in one of these buggers about 3 weeks ago but I can't remember all the details involved in the reversing mechanism, very well could be a shear pin, doesn't seem right that the chain would break at that mileage if it's been maintained good, we beat on a lot of sleds over the years but just a little neglect to the chain and it would bite you.

Mike

[Macgyver55]

Any word yet on what the problem was?

[ducker]

Not yet but hope to hear today. In fact I think I'll go out and bug the mechanic right now.

[ducker]

I think I got good news though sketchy. A bolt came out somewhere in the dropcase assembly. What it held together I'm not sure. Other than labor and a new gasket it doesn't sound like its going to be to bad. we'll see

[ducker]

The bolt came out as I mentioned but a clip and a spring need replacement along with the gasket. Should be happy its only $10 in parts but I'm not happy that is going to be 5-7 days before those parts come in. So much for using the sled to get around on the lake this weekend.

[ducker]

The mechanic replaced #'s 18,19,43,44 and a gasket of the drive/reverse mechanism, cranked up my suspension, sold me two more spark plugs. Bill $222.46. $20 for parts, $7.50 for spark plugs balance labor. If I'm going to be a snowmobile owner I better become more of a mechanic.

[FishHawk11]

Amen to that! The first snowmobile I had was a 70 something Ski-Doo Blizzard 7500. We got it free from a friend who didnt use it, it need a new track. So we tore the thing apart and put the new track on it. I learned so much from doing that, and it has saved me a lot of trips to the dealer for maintenece. Obviously things have changed in 40 years, mainly electronics, but the basics are the same. Good luck!