What oil is best? and what ratio?

[bwalker]

No idea. Check all the exploded diagrams from the online parts stores like babbits or country cat.

I will say this: the oddball 16" x 156" x 1" 2.52 driver track is no longer made. It was used on the bearcat 440 ll, the many later bearcat 570's. So if it's one of those, u gotta snatch up used tracks the second they hit the used market. I got one coming to Alaska all the way from Montana! $125 usps ground. Ouch. Obsolete odd ball things are a btch.

Could one put a different set of drivers on it so one could use a common size track?

 

[bwalker]

Yep, I do firewood, slabs and logs with ole sht box bearcats.

Or really any older 2 stroke utility sleds. So ive used the lucas oil stuff all my chainsaws, yamaha, polaris, ski doo and arctic cat utility sleds, evinrude and yamaha boat motors and solo ice augers.

The lucas stuff pours from a jug at 30-40 below zero. When I go into town for supplies, I despise bouncing all over trying to find some sort of special oil. So the lucas stuff is convenient.

Lottsa amsoil zombies up here. I dunno how people can afford that sht.

The reason I like the bearcats over the polaris widetrak lx:

Wildwood hydraulic brakes vs cable brakes.
Stronger motors with more torque with aggressive ports and flat exauhst ports. 488 fuji has a round, lazy exhaust. Giant koyo barrel roller bearings on pto side. As opposed to spindly ball bearings in the polaris fuji.

On the bearcat 440 ll, longer stroke than the skandic 440. 65 mm vs 61 mm. Better wide ratio clutching as well.

Dumbest fkn utility motor ever: 600 etec.
I call em al gore 2 strokes, just look up iso flex grease crank bearings.

I've hated working on ski doos since I was 16 years old. I like our mercan sht. Long live polaris and arctic cat!

If I wasn't constantly spending money on my timbersale, the polaris titan would be my choice.

The 600 etec is a stupid choice for a work sled. The ACE four stroke woukd be OK, if it were not for the fact it weighs a ton.

 

[Likesaws]

Echo 355T Handful of tanks only run on Dominator @32:1
View attachment 485771

View attachment 485769



Husky T435, only ran on Dominator. Dozen or so tanks. @32:1
View attachment 485772


Husky 346XP. Ran on mostly Bel-Ray H1-R and then Honda HP2 over 12+ years. @32:1
View attachment 485773

Husky 550XP. Ran first on HP2 for a winter and then on Dominator this winter. @32:1
View attachment 485774

Useful pictures. The truth is what shows.
Thanks

 

[bwalker]

One other thought in regards to Red Armor and it's weird ability to provide for lots of residual oil. I think it might be an illusion. I've been dying Maxima K2 red using off road diesel fuel dye. When doing this it looks like it has a ton of residual even at 40 or 50:1.
I cant say definitively that the red dye makes it look like there is lots of residual oil, but this sure looks like it to me.

 

[EFSM]

The clutch eats uo roller bearings. Isoflex bearings were a good idea with poor execution.

Why? End or side load?

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Could one put a different set of drivers on it so one could use a common size track?

Yep if there's a will there's a way. It depends on which model sled. Going from 2.52 pitch drivers to 2.86 drivers, gotta pay a shop to use a hydraulic press and different length pipes to press on new ones. Thats if the track driver shaft isn't some odd ball size.
Then the bill turns triple the cost of a direct swap/used track.

Other instances, u can go to 15"x156 tracks and trim the lugs until you've got tunnel clearance on an older sled.

Sometimes the rear suspension skid can be modified to a shorter or longer track.

Ski doo did this odd ball track thing as well:
139" track on the tundra r and an even more odd ball 1.97" pitch.

Polaris had the occasional odd ball: 20" x 141" on the widetrak gt.

 

[bwalker]

Why? End or side load?

When the clutch moves in and out with changes in rpm it sideloads the bearings. This constant axial load just kills roller bearings.

 

[Hinerman]

Echo 355T Handful of tanks only run on Dominator @32:1
View attachment 485771

View attachment 485769



Husky T435, only ran on Dominator. Dozen or so tanks. @32:1
View attachment 485772


Husky 346XP. Ran on mostly Bel-Ray H1-R and then Honda HP2 over 12+ years. @32:1
View attachment 485773

Husky 550XP. Ran first on HP2 for a winter and then on Dominator this winter. @32:1
View attachment 485774

Are these good, or bad, or somewhere in between?

 

[bwalker]

Are these good, or bad, or somewhere in between?

Too early to tell with the echo.

 

[EFSM]

Are these good, or bad, or somewhere in between?

You mean the saw or the oil?

 

[Hinerman]

You mean the saw or the oil?

I guess the oil. A guy posted pics of piston crowns and cylinders with reference to using a certain oil; so do the pictures indicate the oil is good, bad, or somewhere in between. I have no idea what the pictures mean, so I am trying to understand the purpose of the post.

 

[FederalQ]

I think the photos illustrate different clean burning characteristics of 3.1% fuel mix over time. Now, I would like to see cost vs. benefit of everyone‘s favorite oil for real world bottom line. The Schaeffer‘s 7000 I have been using is 34 cents per ounce. Pump gas ethanol free 91 octane is now $4.90 USD per gallon for me. Mixed 32:1 that cost is up to $6.26 per gallon currently.

 

[mainer_in_ak]

O'Reilly also sells Mystik Sea and Snow, which is a better oil than Lucas and cheaper to boot. It runs $35 a gallon.
This is the same oil as Citgo Sea and Snow. Its FD rated snd I have used dozens of gallons of the stuff in sleds with great results.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/jt-4/mystik-jt-4-full-synthetic-motor-oil-1-gallon/mys1/jt4snow1

Dang, thats mighty cheap for a full synthetic everything oil.
Ill grab a few gallons of it.

 

[bwalker]

Dang, thats mighty cheap for a full synthetic everything oil.
Ill grab a few gallons of it.

I ran the crap out of that stuff when I snowmobiles. Its great stuff and my RAVE valves never fouled. I also never had the piston/ring issues that plagued early 2000's Doo 800's. Partially because I left the oil pump alone and it ran at 20:1 calculated.

 

[bwalker]

I think the photos illustrate different clean burning characteristics of 3.1% fuel mix over time. Now, I would like to see cost vs. benefit of everyone‘s favorite oil for real world bottom line. The Schaeffer‘s 7000 I have been using is 34 cents per ounce. Pump gas ethanol free 91 octane is now $4.90 USD per gallon for me. Mixed 32:1 that cost is up to $6.26 per gallon currently.

Whats Shaeffers go for per qt?

 

[bwalker]

Based on @lilspenny comment that Chevron Techron removes carbon from pistons I decided to give it a go. I will say I was very skeptical because I have never found a product that removes carbon well and not for lack of trying.
I brang the piston to TDC and filled the combustion chamber with Techron on Sunday morning as can be seen in the second pic. I let it sit until this afternoon. I then proceeded to start blower and do some yard clean up for maybe 15 minutes. I then applied the cruise and let the machine run wide open for 30 minutes to burn off the Techron. Here are the results.

 

[bwalker]

After Techron soak


Prior to Techron soak.


As you can see the Techron didnt do anything despite soaking for multiple days just as I suspected.

 

[bwalker]

I guess the oil. A guy posted pics of piston crowns and cylinders with reference to using a certain oil; so do the pictures indicate the oil is good, bad, or somewhere in between. I have no idea what the pictures mean, so I am trying to understand the purpose of the post.

Glad you asked this.
What one looks for is as follows. Ideally you want zero deposits on the piston skirt and specially the ring lands and grooves. The piston crown should have a light covering of carbon with small amounts of wash where the ports discharge. If the piston has a bare metal crown it either hasn't been run much or is pig rich. The crown should not have any crusty material or raised carbon as this indicates mettalic ash build up. The color of the crown should be from a dark grayish color to light black. The darker and heavier the coating the dirtier the oil is. The exhaust port should be clear of any build up. Staining is fine, but you dont want to see raised or flaking carbon. The muffler should be dry and free of oily residue and the spray screen should be clean and build up free. The combustion chamber should have light carbon with no raised buildup. Depending on porting its normal for the combustion chamber to show some bare metal or not. It just depends. Spark plug should be a very light tan color. The under side of the crown will have some carbon build up if the motor was ran hard. This is normal. What you dont want to see is an ashy grey appearance as this means the piston has gotten close to its melting point. You also dont want to see any sort of sand blasted appearance on the piston crown or a burnt out spot/divot. The former is indicative of detonation and the latter of pre ignition. You want to say adequate residual oil on the piston skirt and in the crankcase.
The above assumes quality oil and fuel are used.