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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 28, 2018 - 08:07pm PT
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I'm about to drive to Tahoe to buy a snowmobile that only runs on 100 octane aviation fuel, but a friend said there's new law so that now you can only buy and use it in airplanes?
Is this true?
I can't find anything about this new law online and I'm in a pinch to figure this out before I waste a few thousand bucks on something I might not be able to fuel up.
Please help if you have inside info!
PS: I'll delete this waste of space thread once I get this sorted out, thanks in advance
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Feb 28, 2018 - 08:36pm PT
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whatever savings on the price of the sled are offset on the gas burned getting up there, plus the headache of having to refuel at a moments notice to want to ride the conditions, no?
oh, and sorry, I have no idea about new laws on aviation fuel.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Feb 28, 2018 - 09:02pm PT
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Haven’t flown lowly gas guzzlers for yonks. Used to see the hot rodders buying av gas all the
time BITD. After 9-11 access to even general aviation airports changed such that that in itself
made the practice difficult. It is also unnecessary- simply go online and you can find a list
of gas stations that sell racing fuel and then there are the additives readily available. Unless
you are going into racing I can’t imagine why you would want such a high strung beast.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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Feb 28, 2018 - 09:06pm PT
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check out a small airport...they usually have Hi-octane...isn't there some kind of additive that will boost the octane...?
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Feb 28, 2018 - 09:16pm PT
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Is there some reason it only runs on avgas? Call Tanner. He used to be into sledding and my brother-in-law owns a bunch of high-powered sleds and Tanner runs anything that will run on Avgas. I think he puts the stuff in his remote control car, his golf cart, his Toyota tundra and his blender.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Feb 28, 2018 - 09:18pm PT
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BITD, avgas was different only in its lead content to keep valves from melting in the aviation
air-cooled engines. Dunno if it still is so. Can’t imagine a snogo engine built in last 25 years
needs any lead in its fuel.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Feb 28, 2018 - 09:21pm PT
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First of all, call the airport and ask them about getting AV Gas. The issue may be gaining access to the tarmac, where the fuel trucks are. After 9-11, the SLO airport would change the gate code about once a month. Every time my father flew down, I'd get the new gate code so that I could drive out to his airplane and pick him and his baggage up.
Auto parts stores sell octane-boosting additives for high-compression hot rod engines. If you don't live near a hot rod gas station, like in the San Fernando Valley, you can make your own 100 octane out of ordinary civilian gasoline and a bottle of additive.
As I recall, those additives were methanol, or ethanol. They weren't too expensive, either. AV Gas at an airport is really expensive, because it's not just high-octane, but high-purity. The gas at your local station is dirty garbage, by comparison.
Just for the record, a car that supposedly requires high-octane gas, like my old Range Rover, runs fine on regular most of the time. If I am going on a trip in hot weather, with steep grades at high altitude, I use supreme. But, the rest of the time I use regular, and the engine never knocks.
Detonation, or knock, typically occurs in an engine that is hot and under high loading, and not when it's loafing along. High octane gas inhibits the onset of detonation, so that it doesn't occur anywhere within the vehicle's expected range of operation, including its maximum output in adverse conditions.
Stay light on the throttle of your snowmobile, and you might get away with using supreme from the local gas station.
EDIT: Tetraethyl lead was originally used to boost the octane rating of gasoline and allow higher compression-ratio engines with more power. The valve lubricating qualities were secondary. During the transition away from leaded gasoline, in the 1970's, it was still available for older cars that needed the valve-lubrication qualities. I remember when rebuilding VW engines, or getting a valve job, would involve the option of replacing all the valve guides and valves with lead-free versions. A lead-free valve job on a VW would cost about twice as much as a basic valve job. I don't remember ever having the option of having the valve seats replaced.
EDIT EDIT: A brief googling of 'octane booster' shows that A) getting 100 out of 92 supreme may be difficult, and B) at least some are not recommended for 2-stroke engines, presumably because the additives (like napthelene) reduce the lubrication of the crankshaft bearings.
What kind of monster engine is in that snowmobile? A custom-made rig?
Fuel Expert Discusses Using Aviation Gasoline In Automobiles
EDIT EDIT EDIT:
That Av Gas contains lead, and a lot of it. So, it is definitely on the EPA/DOT's list of stuff to NOT put into your car. The heavy fine is because of environmental poisoning, not because of some sort of War On Terror gibberish coming from me. My link just above discusses how the lead fouls everything from spark plugs to oxygen sensors to catalytic converters.
Look into the octane booster additives. Or find some racing fuel. The Rocket Brand link below mentions a 112 octane racing fuel they sell.
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Feb 28, 2018 - 09:57pm PT
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I'm about to drive to Tahoe to buy a snowmobile that only runs on 100 octane aviation fuel
How about turn around and head back home to shop for a snowmobile that doesn't need such ridiculously difficult to obtain fuel?
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2018 - 10:02pm PT
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"AvGas is also illegal to use in anything except aircraft engines. Violations can carry a potential penalty of $25,000 per day of violation.'... Wait, what!?
To the other questions/comments. My old snowmobile ran on 100 octane and it was easy to buy at the airport down the street last winter so I was wondering if there was a law change coming down? I do admit it was annoying to not be able to use normal gas but when the price is right I'll deal with it
The one I'm buying Friday is a great deal but it has a turbo that has been built for 100 octane and supposedly (I don't know) it can't be ran on premium unless the turbo is removed. I don't care about the turbo so I'm fine with that, mostly just don't want the hassle or expense of changing things.
I'm gonna call the airport tomorrow morning before I leave to see if anything changed, but what Cosmic posted above has me worried?
Thanks for the replies so far! I'd prefer stock everything, but there aren't a lot of option in CA for sleds that can take two people up a mountain in deep powder for $4,000 or less.
Edit: micronut, I just texted Tanner, thanks
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2018 - 10:04pm PT
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How about turn around and head back home to shop for a snowmobile that doesn't need such ridiculously difficult to obtain fuel? I've been searching all winter to no avail. Also, I'm impatient and it's snowing :)
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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Feb 28, 2018 - 10:07pm PT
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Leave it in Tahoe.
Most stock modern snow machine engines make crazy power and will run fine on high octane pump gas.
Reminds me of all my friends(amateur old guys) modding their 450 mx bike engines.... why... just why?
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2018 - 10:17pm PT
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Most stock modern snow machine engines make crazy power and will run fine on high octane pump gas. Again, I totally agree, but that's not what's on the used market right now
That boostane stuff seems like an expensive alternative
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Feb 28, 2018 - 10:17pm PT
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How long have you been in California? Environmental protection laws change all the time here. You can't even get a free plastic bag at the grocery store because they kill whales.
My link above discusses how LL110 Av Gas has a lot of lead in it. So, the EPA doesn't want it being used in cars. They tolerate it in airplanes because they, apparently, need it.
If you just remove the turbo, the engine may end up with a really low compression ratio, and really poor performance. Was that turbo just an add-on to an engine that ran fine, and they wanted extra power? Or was the engine originally designed by the factory for the turbo, with a basic engine compression ratio of 6:1, or something?
Av gas, apparently, was the cheap go-to fuel for homemade hot rods needing high octane gas. To say that snowmobile only runs on av gas is probably not correct. 100 octane racing fuel would probably work, but might be pretty expensive.
Find out if the turbo is an after-market rig that was put onto a perfectly good snowmobile engine to hot rod it. And, if taking it off just gets you back to the original stock performance that came from the factory.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 28, 2018 - 10:20pm PT
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Find out if the turbo is an after-market rig that was put onto a perfectly good snowmobile engine to hot rod it. And, if taking it off just gives you the original stock performance that came from the factory.
It's aftermarket. How big of a hassle and/or how expensive is it to go back to stock? I'd prefer stock
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Feb 28, 2018 - 10:40pm PT
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I think the first thing to do is find out from the seller if he can reverse the turbo installation for you, or at least provide all the information and old parts so you can do it yourself.
And, look into 100 octane racing fuel for cars. The extra cost may not be that bad. The extra power from the turbo could wear the engine out faster if you always drive it really hard. And, the turbo itself may not last very long (cooling and oiling issues). But, if you can find the 100 octane racing fuel, it might make sense to just keep the turbo, and go light on the throttle to minimize wear on the engine.
I'm not any kind of aftermarket turbo expert, but I've been working on cars for about 40 years, so, here it goes:
The aftermarket company would want to make the turbo installation as easy as possible. So, it is unlikely that extensive, expensive and difficult modifications were required.
The hot gas, exhaust, side of the plumbing would be the most difficult part of the installation. The cold, intake air, side could be done with flexible rubber or plastic hoses. The fuel system probably required either retuning/rejetting a carburetor, or reprogramming/rechipping a fuel injection system. A fuel injection modification may have also required installing different, larger injectors. I know that Bosch has a whole series of injectors that take the same electrical plug and look about the same, but they all have different fuel-flow ratings to allow leaning out or enriching the mixture by swapping the them out.
Replacing an existing piece of the exhaust system by simply bolting the turbo in its place would make sense. In that case, the original stock piping could go back in quickly. Again, find out if the hot rodder still has what he took out when he put the turbo in.
Or, it may be that cutting and welding the exhaust system was required to fit the turbo. That would require reversing those moves, and as in climbing, might be more difficult than when they were done in the first place.
A turbo acts a bit like a muffler, so the original muffler may have been replaced, or even discarded. What sort of noise pollution laws exist for snowmobiles?
Rejetting a carburetor, or reprogramming a fuel injection system could prove to be a real pain in the ass, if you're not used to doing things like that. A good MAF fuel injection system might not have needed any modifications, because it meters the fuel based on mass airflow. Denser, hotter air being forced through the intake could be accurately picked up by a hot-wire-type mass airflow sensor. A simpler fuel injection system may have required tricking the brain box to accommodate the higher density and temperature of the air coming off the turbo. A carburetor would certainly need adjustment to compensate, in the same way that they used to require adjustment for high altitude. That might have been as simple as adjusting a couple of mixture screws. Or, required replacing or reaming out the stock jets.
Here's something I just thought of: get an intercooler that has a high pressure drop as the air goes through it. A high-resistance air-to-air heat exchanger will have a high rate of heat exchange, with cooler air exiting it, compared to a low-resistance heat exchanger. Intercoolers for cars are big, because they need a lot of surface area to compensate for the relatively low pressure drop across them.
Much of the turbo boost pressure would be lost in the intercooler, so that lower pressure, cooler air was fed into the engine. That would reduce the effective compression ratio, and allow the use of lower octane gas. The engine would run more efficiently with cooler air coming in, too.
The intercooler would go between the turbo air outlet and the engine intake, and could be easily plumbed in with flexible hoses. Long hoses to and from the intercooler, providing additional flow resistance, might be beneficial, but turbo lag would probably increase. If you keep a steady throttle while cruising, turbo lag wouldn't be an issue.
An intercooler might be able to defang and domesticate that wild-assed snowmobile engine.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Feb 28, 2018 - 11:28pm PT
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^^^^^^^^^^^^
The guy who made that video is qualified to replace Hope Hicks as the next White House Director of Communications.
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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octane technical issues aside, does the legal angle re: avgas involve highway use tax avoidance?
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tradryan
Big Wall climber
San Diego
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Disclaimer: I don't know shite. But that said, I've heard you can add Toluene (available from a paint store) in a specific amount to boost octane from 91/93 to closer to 100. This was in the context of high performance twin turbo stock cars (e.g. Volvo S60/V70R, expensive machines and there are many that swear by this). My V60 generally runs pretty crappy on any CA gas but I've never poured toluene to try it myself. I say give er hell!
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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octane technical issues aside, does the legal angle involve highway use tax avoidance?
If you were to use AvGas in a registered automobile on the road then yes... Same thing if you tried to use home-heating oil in a Diesel car/truck. Many people do though without any problems since who's going to really enforce this?
Since a snowmobile is essentially an unregistered off-road vehicle this would likely be a giant grey area that would again be very unlikely to ever be enforced.
But I wouldn't want to be the trial case either...
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cavemonkey
Ice climber
ak
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If you think you will be saving money by buying a modded out turbo sled that only runs on 100....you got another thing coming. Pay now or pay later. My summit 800 easily takes 2 to the top, heck, even my m-6 rarely had problems. A longer track is the key and tighten up your suspension.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
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I assume many airports would not, and certainly should not, sell avgas for non-aviation purposes because of 42 U.S.C. section 7545(g). "No person shall introduce, or cause or allow the introduction of, leaded gasoline into any motor vehicle which is labeled "unleaded gasoline only..." Snowmobiles are not "motor vehicles" under the clean air act but selling avgas to randoms who show up at the airport without an airplane would be a risk. Legal issues aside, leaded gas is toxic and people really shouldn't be using it for recreation.
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pvalchev
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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This used to be done commonly but yes, I think it's becoming a no-go. This is what my airport sent on Dec 1 2017:
"
100LL FUEL FOR AVIATION USE ONLY

Aviation Fuel - 100LL
Starting on December 01, 2017, 100LL Aviation Fuel will no longer be available at KTRK for non-aviation users, ie: boats, OHV's, etc...
Truckee Tahoe Airport District Standard Procedure Instruction SPI Number 171.2 is now in effect. The purpose of the SPI is to mitigate the potential misuse of leaded fuel products and promote public health and welfare of the community and surrounding environment.
"
SPI 171.2:
https://www.govregs.com/regulations/expand/title49_chapterI_part171_subpartA_section171.2#title49_chapterI_part171_subpartA_section171.2
I don't know if all airports have complied and have banned it, but I wouldn't choose to rely on avgas for non-aviation uses myself.
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Winemaker
Sport climber
Yakima, WA
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Is this a two stroke engine? It's really difficult to turbocharge 2 strokes effectively. As to toluene, that was the main component in the previous Formula One turbo era, it allowed incredible compression ratios to be run; beware of exposure issues. If this engine sucks through a carb, which I'm pretty sure it does, you might have real mixture issues. Seriously, go with a stock engine.
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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I’m with winemaker ..... at the Kart races we sell 110 for some of the crazy shifter Karts 2stroke, 5 gal for $85.
Sounds like you and the owner of this super snowmobile might not know what you’re doing, the actual configuration is in question.
You need to know before you plunk down big $$$.
Sometimes a “DEAL” is far from a deal regarding hi-performance equipment.
Best of luck.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 1, 2018 - 12:14pm PT
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95% of those craigslist listings for snowmobiles are just trailers with a bunch of keywords added.
I'd go with stock but this is the only long track in my price range I've seen for a while that's not super old.
I just bought some av gas down the road in reedley to take it for a test run and, as usual, nobody even works there and it wasn't an issue.
Pvalchev,
Very interesting, the seller was turned down in truckee and that's why he thinks it's no longer possible to buy gas at airports. Which is also why he's selling it cheap.
The good news, I talked to the makers of the boondocker turbos and they said you switch out a $120 part and can run it on premium so that's what I plan on doing.
Learning lots here, thanks everyone! Hopefully I don't get totally screwed buying something with so much aftermarket work but the trailer/sled deal is too good for me to pass up.
Fingers crossed! I'll report back after taking it out Sunday!
Edit: winemaker and guyman: you're correct that I don't know what I'm doing :) It's a two stroke with fuel injection. My previous sled was bored out, suped up and ran on av gas and I rode that thing into the dirt before it finally pooped out from the fuel system eroding. Hope this one treats me as well
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ionlyski
Trad climber
Polebridge, Montana
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Limp-Return that rocket sled and get yourself a Bearcat grooming special edition. Then buy a Ginzoo groomer from West Yellowstone and a fast pair of skate skis and you're all set to go. Oh and make sure the Bearcat has a good winch on the front.
You'll get in way better shape and won't piss off everyone for miles around.
Arne
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Again... good luck.
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Riverkern Annex)
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Interesting statement that AvGas can only be used in aviation engines only. Seeing how I work in an industry that uses AvGas in the support equipment engines (ie power carts and the like) used to work on aircraft, I find that questionable IMO.
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SFDukie
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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I don't know regs re avgas sales but procedurally, it's easy. Pick your preferred airport. https://www.airnav.com/airports/
In info section, it lists sources of avgas. call them and ask them for gate code. FBOs sell fuel to folks filling gas cans regularly, and personally, I've never been asked if I'm putting the fuel in an airplane or not
Don
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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In the 1980s the FBO I flew with at began using auto gas in their 172s and 152s, the FAA had approved it. I was suspicious because we would always have water in the sumps, avgas is much higher quality
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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104+ brand octane booster, available at any autoparts store or big box, for a few bucks. No more trouble than mixing oil for a 2 stroke.
Make sure it's compatible with the 2 stroke. Lucas' octane booster says it's not for 2 strokes. I would guess that's because it deteriorates the oil in the gas, or corrodes the crankcase.
Check with the turbo company about using an intercooler. One of those is about $100 on eBay, and would improve gas mileage, and keep the engine cooler, for longer life.
What is that $120 part that allows you to use premium gas? A pressure-limiting wastegate?
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Winemaker
Sport climber
Yakima, WA
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As an ex-formula car driver, engine builder, etc. I'm curious about turbo-ing a two stroke. What do you do for oil supply to the turbo? How do you map timing, etc? What about the exhaust expansion chamber(s), reed valves, etc. etc.? Mixture control, oil feed..... Taking a quick Google it looks difficult. Please advise.
Edit: Just found some videos of turbo snowmobiles. Why don't motorcycle guys turbo? Does this setup really last? Mucho smoke. Curious about output.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Modern turbo engines may not be rocket science,
but they’re close! I mean F1 engines are 1.7L V-6’s
and they put out like 900 HP? That’s rocket science.
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Winemaker
Sport climber
Yakima, WA
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locker: Formula Ford, Formula Ford 2000, couple of Atlantic drives. Sorry, not sure what you mean by 'launch'.
Reilly, they're 1600 cc engines. In the first turbo era in the early-mid 80's the engines were 1500 cc. With unlimited boost (over 4 bar) the BMW 4 cylinder engine, using an actual production BMW iron block, was reaching 1200 h.p. in qualifying. Honda was reputed to have run an oval piston engine on the dynamo to over 1500 h.p. before oval pistons were outlawed. Toluene, as mentioned above, was the fuel that made this possible; it WAS called rocket fuel! It would test below the allowed maximum 102 octane rating, but would effectively be way above that during combustion.
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Majid_S
Mountain climber
Karkoekstan, Former USSR
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I used to put them in my car every week for 2 years while working on planes Aviation gas has higher lead then normal gas and it is made to lubricate and cool engine parts suck as valves, No harm other than extra deposits on the head .
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Winemaker
Sport climber
Yakima, WA
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Locker, never launched, but did come to sudden stops several times.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 4, 2018 - 10:43pm PT
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What is that $120 part that allows you to use premium gas? A pressure-limiting wastegate? That's exactly what they said it was
As an ex-formula car driver, engine builder, etc. I'm curious about turbo-ing a two stroke. What do you do for oil supply to the turbo? How do you map timing, etc? What about the exhaust expansion chamber(s), reed valves, etc. etc.? Mixture control, oil feed..... Taking a quick Google it looks difficult. Please advise.
There's a separate oil reservoir on the turbo. It has a computer with a screen to make adjustment. Not sure about exhaust but everything is aftermarket except the frame and engine block. The seller said it's a good idea to replace the reeds every summer if I put a lot of hours on it. Cheap parts, but a hassle.
UPDATE
For better or worse, I bought it! Short test run in Tahoe and a couple hours on it around Huntington lake today. It ran great and is absolutely unreal. 240 horsepower and when the boost kicks in (set as low as possible) I can barely hold on. It'll definitely get my wife up the hills for her snowboard runs. And get me to the border of the wilderness for splitboard laps. Buying gas at the local airport was not an issue but I still plan on detuning it to run on premium this summer.
Got the full story. Original owner was sponsored and got upgrades for free. $13,000 new, with $23,000 of aftermarket parts. It's essentially made of aftermarket parts except the frame and top end. No airports around Sacramento or Tahoe will sell avgas without an airplane anymore so the current owner is selling it to move to a state with "less dumb government than California"
Thanks for all the comments here, it was really informative even though OT. Now I just need to get better at riding!
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Lorenzo
Trad climber
Portland Oregon
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They tolerate it in airplanes because they, apparently, need it.
They don’t need it. It’s cheaper than formulating high octane other ways, and the airplane folks have a good lobby.
Thirty years ago the car folks told us taking lead out of car gas would cripple the economy.
Ended up costing half a penny a gallon, which the oil companies used to charge 3¢ more.
Nobody noticed.. oil cartel price controls swamped the effect.
The Avgas makers were mandated in 2014 to make all all gas unleaded by 2018, and they found excuses not to. So it is still allowed for planes, but your snowmobile doesn’t get to piggyback on that.
Unleaded solutions have been available for 70 years and has been sold in the EU for 20 years.
UL avgas is mandated and 100 octane UL is readily available.
http://www.hjelmco.com/pages.asp?r_id=14663
http://www.avgas.pl/?pl_unleaded-avgas-spreads,79
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Limiting lead emissions with-in the state is hardly dumb. Particularly in light of the fact that we are talking about a toy.
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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Got the full story. Original owner was sponsored and got upgrades for free. $13,000 new, with $23,000 of aftermarket parts. It's essentially made of aftermarket parts except the frame and top end.
Good Lord man! Have fun but don't die...
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 5, 2018 - 01:20pm PT
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Limiting lead emissions with-in the state is hardly dumb. Particularly in light of the fact that we are talking about a toy. i suppose it will cut into the 'fun' for those whos kicks depend on knowing their poisoning other people
lead is one serious toxin
I'm with you both there, the quote about it being dumb was the seller's. It was funny that he got mad that CA was trying to take away his ability to burn lead. I'll be changing out the necessary parts to make it run on pump gas ASAP. In the meantime, there is a gas station no too far away that sells 100 octane, but it's $9 per gallon :/
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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$9/gal? Pfffft! That’s the price of regular in Norway! My 3000 mile drive there this summer
is gonna hurt me at the pump! Luckily I won’t be in the Raptor. 🤡
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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Does it require actual leaded gasoline (i.e. to prevent shredding non-hardened exhaust valve seats of 30 years ago) or is it just the octane it requires for the insane boost?
You can certainly buy/blend high octane unleaded racing fuel in sealed 5-gallon (or larger) barrels. It's dreadfully expensive but much more stable than regular gasoline and lead-free. I've had open containers for a year or more with no noticeable degradation. Perhaps they were just recommending avgas because it was cheaper...
Tetra-ethyl is dreadful stuff. My grandfather was one of the marketing guys for the chemical companies trying to put a positive spin on it. They knew it was terrible poison then too.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 5, 2018 - 04:43pm PT
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I think it's just the octane and doesn't actually need the lead in the modern 2-stroke engine. I'm no expert, but I know that a lot of people with similar setups use high octane lead-free gas. Also, all you have to do is change a pressure releasing valve to run it on pump gas like it did when it was new which indicates that the lead isn't necessary.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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pingcrab.. .All you have to do is change the pressure relief valve to run it on pump gas...? 60 posts later we find this out...LMAO...Have fun and don't get jacked up on that thing...
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 19, 2018 - 10:53am PT
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Wait a second, I thought you guys said a modified sled with a turbo and a bunch of aftermarket parts was going to be simple and reliable!? Why did the clutch break off in the middle of nowhere when the boost kicked in!?
All of you owe me some money
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 19, 2018 - 12:03pm PT
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Thankfully I wasn't solo for once and my friends' big four stroke towed me out just fine so the only cost was a few hours.
The timing was good too as we were on the road heading out. If it had happened in a few of the places we went yesterday it'd still be sitting there.
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Mar 20, 2018 - 09:14am PT
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You said that rig has a bunch of aftermarket stuff. How much was in the drivetrain? I ask because it is fairly common that people put extra power in the engine and leave the rest of the drivetrain stock and then stuff breaks.
Looks like a fun ride. Happy trails.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2018 - 04:50pm PT
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I was told that the top end of the engine and the frame are the only original parts of the sled. The clutch and the secondary were aftermarket.
Don't worry xCon, the part to transition it to pump gas is on the way. In the meantime I live in the central valley so my lungs are super tough :)
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Mar 20, 2018 - 04:53pm PT
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I live in the central valley so my lungs are super tough :)
hahahaha
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zBrown
Ice climber
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Mar 20, 2018 - 08:25pm PT
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Some years back folks used to soak they weed in it as a sort of poor man's Paraquat
It didn't matter much.
They all mostly fe dead now.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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Mar 20, 2018 - 09:03pm PT
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Zbrown has caught the virus...
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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Mar 21, 2018 - 10:54am PT
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You got off easy... at full boost that thing will shred much more than a clutch!
The weakest link saved you.
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| Messages 1 - 54 of total 54 in this topic |
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