Wyman Pond Racing

final episode of 2 Guys Garage for this topic?

Last night, in the relative warmth of the temporarily heated space, and in between plays of the 1st quarter, the new stator was carefully installed.  It went without issue.  The line in the stator baseplate was aligned with the mark in the engine case.  #1776 did a fine job and really showed his electrical experience with wires properly routed and tucked away nicely.  It was satisfying that after trying white crayon, silver marker paint, and finally white out to highlight the correct timing mark on the flywheel, the white out really jumped out at you when the timing light was aimed on it.  Well done #1776.

Anyway, the engine was fired up and started up with very little effort.  #1776 immediately said that it had never started that easily before and that it sounded like it was idling better than before.  I love #1776 in this regard in that this proclamation was expected and he is like my father in law as the eternal optimist and nothing like my family - the eternal skeptics.  For the record, it did start very easily (as it always has) and the idle sounded no different than before (because this sled has always had a normal idle.)

In any event, the timing light was aimed and the reading was...........  25.  Roughly 12 degrees advance of spec same as before.  We were, well, of course we were disappointed.  What does this mean?  Are we doing something wrong?  Is the timing light no good?  Is the sled tachometer not good enough to do timing with?  So this reading is off by the same exact amount as the orig stator.  At first we took this to mean the stator was probably good to begin with.

BTW, in case you are wondering why we didn't/havn't just made the adjustment to the stator to bring the timing in, it's because in the manual there is a note that the rotation adjustment of the stator that must be made will be equal to the distance that it must change.  And the distance from 25 degrees to 13 degress on the flywheel would require a rotation of appx 3/4" where the slots in the baseplate will only allow appx 3/16".  That can't be how far the timing is actually off or I'm betting the sled wouldn't even run.

After much silent thinking, we are left to ponder if it's possible that the timing is ok and that maybe the old stator was bad and this one will fix the problem.  But until the snow falls to test the theory, we will be left in the proverbial whiteout.

Beer was Long Trail Autumn (delicious!).  No tunes (solemn time).

#5

Good time for an update.  #1776 has been properly motivated using the deployed technique.  He has been more active in my garage than a field mouse.

The 800 came to life using starting fluid sprayed, like a good woman, right down the throat and told to take it.  The timing procedure required the use of a dial indicator to determine proper marking of the ignition on the flywheel.  We did not have a dial indicator so I used the depth probe of a vernier caliper to make the proper measurement (for anyone who wishes to understand how this can be done please make a formal request on the thread and I will embellish).

Using a 1970 model timing light connected to the battery of my truck, we established 3500rpm +/- 500rpm using the dash tach (not recommended), and found that the timing was approximately 12 degrees advanced of spec.  #1776 was not convinced that I had made the proper calculation to mark the flywheel (can you imagine?!?!??!?!) and wanted to double check before moving forward.  We also noted that we had not disconnect the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor).  I have no idea what this does but it is in the manual.  End of work for day 1.  The beer chosen for this session was Wachusett Black Shack Porter.  6 were consumed, 4 by sled owner, 2 by mechanic.  Tunes provided by 92.5FM The River.

Day 2: #1776 arrives with new dial indicator and homemade jig.  We reindicate TDC (#'s 4, 7, 13 et all, that's Top Dead Center) and then find 13 degrees BTDC (that's Before TDC), this is 0.0443" pre-travel which is the correct ignition timing for this domestic twin.  I make #1776 explicitly recognize that my initial setting was, in the immortal words of Vinnie Gambino "dead balls-on accurate".  #7 that ref was for you buddy!  #1776 also confirmed that the requirement that the motor be at exactly 68 degrees F when performing ignition timing is not critical.  He was also told that by simply lining up the mark on the stator base plate with the mark in the engine casting that should make the timing fine and was told to change the stator.  Armed with the confidence we re-shot the timing and found it to be exactly halfway between the 1st and 2nd hash mark after the 10.  #1776 sighed and said well thats 11.5 degrees and that's just outside the acceptable tolerance of +/- 1 hash mark until I reminded him that each hash mark is 2 degrees therefore making the timing "dead balls-on accurate".  13 degrees.  He has given final approval for stator replacement.  No beer was consumed on day 2.  The compressor drowned out the radio.

You are now up to date.  The stator should be replaced tonight and timing will be rechecked to see if it will come into spec.  If the flywheel appears to stand still with the pointer indicating 13 DBTDC (Degrees Before Top Dead Center), then the 800 is fixed and will be ridden with the club this year.  If not, an adjustment will be attempted.  If timing is confirmed and there is not change in performance/gas mileage, the 800 will be condemned to Craig's List.

This will all take place before 8:30pm as Pats v. Jets takes priority in the circumstance that first place in the East and a possible post season seed rides on the outcome of the game.  Long Trail Ale will be the beer and Patriots pre-game show will be the selection tonight.

Is #7 going to the game I wonder??  Wear two sets of undies!

#5 out.

#5, is there an update on the 800?

2 Guys (Minus One Guy) Garage episode update:

For those who missed the broadcast on SPEED sponsored by Lucas Oil, one of two guys exposed the (wishfully) suspect stator (see picture) for inspection.  It was physically flawless as far as the host could see.  No evidence whatsoever that water or fluid had ever touched this part.  As evidenced by the photo, the coils gleamed in the worklight and showed no signs of corrosion that gave support to the issue for the 580EFI motor.

After contemplating a while, I sent a quote to the beleaguered sled owner from a year gone by; it was made many moons ago and was the result of a year of uncommon component failure.  I speak of the Year of the Clutch.  The quote was: "90% of carburetor problems are clutching."

With this recollection, even though I knew we had already removed the primary cover and replaced the spring and flyweights with new part numbers (per tech update bulletin) and carefully inspected the free and smooth movement of the rollers, I removed the spring again and replaced the cover to check for binding.

Haunted by an article in last issues Snow Tech titled Sticky Clutches, this clutch did in fact stick when moved to the full open position.  I thought about whether this condition could cause the bogging issue from 0-50mph.  Hmm.  It should actually be the opposite.  Since my clutch is apart I did the same test.  It did not show signs of sticking.  However, as I continued to clean old belt from the clutch, it became easier to slide along the motion.

<sigh> oh well, we have the other stator, our plan is to check the timing before we remove the original and then swap them out.  But first the owner will need to clean the carbs to get the machine running (don't even try to start an engine with this new gas if fuel stabilizer was not added and the engine not run all summer!)

That's the update.  As a side project on this episode, the exhaust valves on the 600 were cleaned and the garage heater and air compressor products were reviewed by the host.  Both come highly recommended.  Also, the trailer top was (somewhat) straightened out (from hitting the branch last spring) and the wheels were removed for bearing inspection/tightening.  The wheel work has introduced a new mystery to why the inside 1/3 of the left tire has no tread remaining when there was no substantial lateral motion in the wheel bearing on that side versus the right side.  Hmm.  Why the uneven tread wear on that tire?

I guess tune in next time!!  No answers, just more maintenance.

#5

You're going to quit???? Can't believe what I'm reading.

Let me tell you a story about a guy who never quit. He was a Quarterback, Halfback and Punter for the famous Notre Dame Football team. His name was George Gipp.

It was on his hospital death bed that he delivered his credo and legacy. He said this line to Knute Rockne, then football coach of Notre Dame. The full quotation from which the line is:

I've got to go, Rock. It's all right. I'm not afraid. Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock. But I'll know about it, and I'll be happy.

Rockne used the story of Gipp, along with this deathbed line that he attributed to Gipp, to rally his team to an underdog victory over the undefeated Army team of 1928 at Yankee Stadium.

I want you to take this approach to the Polaris 800.

Now go fix one for the Gipper.

#7

Are you going to really fix the Polaris.  Didn't I just read that it is time to trade it in if it is not working well in the Ski doo post?

#10,

Wherever I ride, your place is conveniently on the way. No worries.

#7

Well good thing we are entering the 2011 season then!

No fear #7, comments from the peanut gallery have always come in ebbs and flows in the club.  It is still pre-season.  Meeting attendance has been good this year.  #10 continues to promise interest in wpr events from the safe distance of the internet.  #1101 just did a wpr event with the Prez.  #1776 has been grazing craig's list on the snowmobile section (although in the Ski-doo section, but it is a Polaris keeping him from joining our events, no excuses/apologies from the apologist!).  Have faith, for the core members snowmobiling is not a choice.  It is a way of life.  An incurable disease and we are all infected.

The only competeing vice I am dealing with is skiing.  But that's another forum.

I will say this, I was travelling in a car with my boss, and I mentioned our trip was scheduled for the second week in March.  She is 7+ months pregnant and will be going out on maternity leave in Jan for a couple months.  Her response was "well I don't know if I'll be back by then."  I just looked at her and smiled.  Still too new to tell her like it is.  She hasn't been indocterinated yet.  Yet...

I am getting antsy about whether we will choose Maine or riding up the St. Lawrence.  I still love the idea of going to Canada for our annual pilgrammage.  I will surely miss it.  Leaving from the Casino - c'mon guys.  That's cool.

I'm excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#5