THERES A HUGE STORM COMING!

I have a 79 5500. THe last time it was tuned up was unfortunatly 95. The last time i took it out the sled would only get up to about 35mph at full throttle. I am assuming it is because i havent winterized since 95.....i know i know, the snowmobile gods are ready to kill me. (this is like the first time we have had snow like this in years).

Any way, I am assuming the carbs are all clogged up. Is there anything that i can do, relatively in a day to clean up the old sled and get her going again for this weekend? I do not have time to take it over to get it tuned up so i am looking for a quick way to clean up the carbs or whatever i need to do.

thanks for the help

Heres what i'd do:)

Drain tank of all old gas
If possible rinse with a little new gas

Completly disassemble carbs removing jets paying attention to the settings and clean with a toothbrush and throttle body cleaner

Check all fuel lines carefully for cracks

Check rubber carb adapter for cracks

Grease every zerk you can find on the skid, skis and under hood

Well i got her going. She ran good. Idled real nice. It was a good weekend of riding. I cleaned the carbs after draining the tank out. Worked nice. Top speed was still only 60 though. Better than what it was before though.... Any thing you can think of that would reduce speed? As i let into it, it accelerated great up to about 50 and then reaching 60 was tough. It seemed like it was at a high rpm and then when it was topping out the motor was bogging down and you could hear it.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for the help.

By the way the carbs were pretty clean, not much stuff in them at all. Drained the tank and mixed the new fuel with 93 octane which really helped. but still not the 100mph it used to do....

Hello, cleaning and rinsing your carb's or taking shortcut's will only eventually leave you broke on the trail, if that sled hasn't had a "complete" tune-up since 1995, it definitly doe's I can guarantee it based from experience! The problem you are having with it going only 60, that sled should doo a little better than that! First, completely dissasemble your carb's, the needle assembly, high or main jet, pilot jet, inspect your needle and seat assembly, paying particular attention to the "tip" of the float needle, if there are any sign's of wear like any dent's etc replace it! Next, using a "good" carb cleaner, if your bowl's are brown or varnished, I bet your jet's are dirty, if they are too bad, I would just buy new one's, give your carb's a GOOD soaking again, but let the cleaner soak in the carb's for a while, I use a tooth brush to clean the outside of carb's and the inside of the bowl's, also check to see if your float's float, take a cup of gas and sit them in there, push them down they shouldn't sink, check your drive belt also, and clutche's also, Good luck. Wiscpooman

Yes x2 what wiscpooman (http://www.snowmobileworld.com/forums/member.php?find=lastposter&t=75339) is telling you to do. When a motor slows down at high rpm's it is usually because it is leaning out=$$$$$$

I cleaned the carbs out. I completely took them apart, removed the jet and everything. They were surprisingly pretty clean. I scrubbed them and everything. They actualy looked band new inside it was kind of unexpected. It definetly ran better when i did this.

The belt is farely new, there is little to no wear on it. Next would be the clutches. Does anyone have a step by step on how to clean them? replace them?

I would rather do it myself than take it somewhere

When you removed the jets did you remove both of them?

You cleaned the carbs ,,so for max top end
make sure the carbs are sync. good,,,they open all the way,
,check the compression to make sure a ring isn't rusted and sticking.
pull off the belt and turn the track make sure all the wheels turn and are greased up loosen up the track if it,s tight.,
,chain tension is good .
clean and lube everything,,
check the plugs for the right colour after a couple runs to make sure your jetting is good.
clutches ,,,disassembly means making some tools.
basicly do the secondary it is easy basic tools required just watch where the spring end is when you dis assemble it.and there may be shims to adjust width.
the primary should be ok up to 3000 miles it will start to rattle at speed when it is worn out,

I removed the both jets from each carb when i cleaned them. Made sure they were opening in sync and all the way. I checked the plugs prior to running it. What are they supposed to look like after a couple runs?

Can you give me an idea of where the secondary clutch is and how to take it apart? and clean it?

Did you try a new belt on the sled before you start tearing into the clutches?

the primary is bolted to the engine the secondary is the other one.

you can check to make sure they basiclly function on the stand.
as you rev it to wide open the primary will close and the secondary will open.

the belt should sit 1/16 to1/8 above the edge of the secondary

the plugs should be a shade of brown,,if it is white it is lean or if it black it is rich.
run to engine at the speed you are adjusting for ,at least 2 mins