The MIGHTY BEARCAT was a new sled for me last year. I took off the carbs and had them cleaned right after I purchased it. I wasn't going to do it this year because I use STA-BIL in ALL my fuel. Well, I had a little time to kill so I decided to take them off today. I brought them up to Wheels in Motion. He taught me how to do them now. It's a good thing that I did clean them. BOTH were plugged solid. That is such a tiny jet, it's no wonder they get plugged up. So the moral of the story is ....DO THEM EVERY YEAR. It's a cheap preventative thing to do. Better than blowing up a piston.

What did they teach you? Pass along the valuable knowledge.

Bob what are you crazy. check here first before you go there I have more carb stuff then I know what to do with.

Thanks for the offer. You were a big help teaching me the clutches. I pulled them off easily and wanted to go for a ride anyway. Now I know how to do it.

It's really not anything new, just how to clean them. If an old one armed man you just had knee surgery can do it, there's no excuse for you Normie's not to be able to do it.

The best part about this whole day was when I walked into the shop, don't I see a one armed guy there too. Unfortunately he too is missing his right arm. Otherwise we could share a pair of gloves. He rides too !! Randy told me about how good he is shooting pool. Unfortunately he doesn't have any money that he can lose to me lol

Its easy enough to remove the Carbs, once removed the only maintence I have done when I had my carb sled was to use carb cleaner, spray it and wipe it out. The small jets, I turn them in and out to make sure they work freely, and put the carbs back in. I agree with Bob, its a good idea to check them out once a year, but mine never had a problem just using Stabile over the summer, and my last ride I would put come carb clean in the gas tank. I only pulled my carbs every other year. The most important thing to do it to make sure no mice got into the air box. Some sleds have a screen where the airbox connects to the carbs, but some do not. MY polaris didnt, and dirt and debris can get in there. Plus the plugged airbox can make the sled run like crap because it runs way to rich. I found out the hard way. Another thing, fan cooled sleds like the mighty bearcat, or like my wives F570, make sure there are no rats nests in the cooling fan, or worse under the sheet metal box that covers the head of the motor. Even with very little space, they like it in there. If the head gets too plugged up with mice droppings and such, the fan will not cool the engine correctly and then BOOM!!!. It happened to my neighbor.

I use STA-BIL too. After seeing what the jet looked ike, I plan on cleaning them every year. You really need to take that small jet out to get it clean.

They only place I have found it is at Cabellas in Hartford, but you can get a Stabil for personal watercraft and boats down at Cabellas, its a different color than the normal red stuff, its blue, and I guess the properties of the stabil is susposed to be better for plastic gas tanks and then new fuel with ethanol. I bought some last fall, and have been using it. I dont know if it works better or not, but no problems so far.

the blue stabil is better with new gas my friend builds choppers and works on sleds and say blue better for 2 and 4 stoke motors and you can buy at any cap store

I started using it last year. I got it from CAP too. I'm just wondering why the jets STILL get clogged if I use that blue STA=BIL

[quote name='BANDIT' post='7426' date='Dec 2 2009, 11:21 AM']I started using it last year. I got it from CAP too. I'm just wondering why the jets STILL get clogged if I use that blue STA=BIL[/qu is that all you use all year did you a dry gas or anything in every fillup the new gas breaks down to water after tendays if not running

I was told not to use dry gas and STA-BIL together. I understand why too. Never used anything but Sta-bil and put it in with every drop of gas, at the recommended amount.

Every time you fill up???? Really? Why? I only use it if I am not riding for awhile. Is there a benefit to use it every time?

The reason your jets are still getting clogged is the ethanol in ethanol gas is a cleaner. Any scum, sludge, floaties, etc gets pumped into your fuel lines , filters, carbs, etc. Ethanol does not turn to water, ethanol will seperate from gas because of moisture content in the tank. We use pure ethanol or alchohol in air lines in tractor trailers to dry up any moisture in those lines, especially in the wintrer. Use dry gas with ethanol gas periodically to keep moisture from causing an ethanol seperation. Dry gas readilly mixs with water faster than ethanol. Remember adding dry gas will also boost gas octane, so if you are using premium gas be careful in 2 strokes , you are increasing octane and thats why motors blow. Essentially you are brewing a home made race gas. The best thing to do when you are riding is to fill your tank after each ride to keep from getting moisture. When not in use, either empty tank or keep very little so you can mix up with fresh when you want to use it. Add stabil to that small quantity so you dont waste stabil.

The other thing is at the gasoline terminals where we pick up the product, Ethanol is stored in a seperate tank from all grades of gas. The ethanol is computer injected at the loading rack when the trailers are loaded so they dont have the same problem of seperation in their multi-million barrel tanks.

Hey Jay, is there anything that you dont know about..... And no, this isnt and insult, I am complementing you. I dont think I have ever asked you a question without you giving a very good explanation.

Well he rides a Arctic Cat so of course he's smart

I've read stabil doesn't work in the new fuel. Is this true o'l gray fox (ttc)?

Not sure, I always go on the theory run gas through all engines with stabil then all small tanks empty out and empty gas lines. The only gas tank I dont is my boat because it is a 110 gal tank so i try to make sure I finish the season with 1/4 tank or less and fill with fresh in the spring. I also line the tanks bottom with dry gas for any condensation build up in the down time so it will mix well with fresh when ready to use. Knock wood, no engine troubles yet. Remember John Deere is original 1977, has seen leaded gas, white gas, unleaded gas, ethanol gas, Nothing runs like a Deere, not even a Bota, sorry had to do it, lol

Cause I'm old , remember I was the one to throw Moses a life jacket just in case. LOL

OK TTC, The person who cleaned my carbs told me that folks are blowing up there motors due to the jets being partially clogged. He claims they lean out and fry the pistons. Could you comment of this ? Why use STA-BIL over dry gas ?

As i said, ethanol is a cleaner and ANY foreign matter in your tank will be pushed up through the whole system to create a clog point. Like your heart and ancient arteries. If you're having clog trouble, its best to empty your tank and clean it out as well as lines , float bowls, and install new filters. Remember if you fill your toys from gas cans the same goes for them. and its best if you use the spout with a screen in it.

DJ ...before we had the new gas i always had dry gas in my tank...i would take a half bottle and dump it in a full tank and every time i filled up would dump half bottle in there...especilly up north....years ago in NH before they got strict on gas stations ...sometimes you bought gas from some home owner selling gas in the middle of nowhere......it is just like wearing a condom ya want to be protected......lol and now i have been using stable with this new gas............

pickle ya have to use the blue stuff and big bucks too

I guess you have been doing something right, over 8k on your old sled with no issues.... wow... or is it just quality
craftsmanship.

From what I have read k100 is the way to go. Troy ac stocks it. I personally never put anything in my sled. I did when I had carbed sleds but once i went efi I've never had a need to. Never even frozen up on me.

OK Well I am having carb issues and I have asked cycle design to clean them, well it seems the combo of the new gas and stabilizers have f*%#^ed them up.. Not sure what the deal is but I will let you all know..this is a cluster f*#!&

Everyone should really learn how to do their own carbs. My gut feel is that the shops are using the ethanol mix as a reason to rack up business. I mean we've had ethanol in our fuel for years, but suddenly now it's a problem?

Customer: "I'm having trouble with my 2-stroke"

Shop: "Must be because of bad gas with this new ethanol, don't worry we'll take care of you! That'll be $300, Thank You, Come Again!

I don't do anything to my sleds, never have. No fogging, no nothing, just fresh gas every season. Do I worry? Yes,just ask pickle, but every time I clean my carbs, guess what? They're fine, I've never found anything remotely wrong. I think the only reason I still do it is because of the interweb horror stories about smoked 2 strokes.

That's my opinion.

Ive been finding that the fuel pumps are getting gummy,not the carbs.

How so, and how old are the machines? The only fuel pump I've ever had issues with was my 96 and I have no idea how that sled was treated before I bought it in 2004.

My Indys are all 440 and 500 fans,mid to late 90's.The mikuni pumps are gummy and smell a bit shellaky(nice word,huh).The kits are cheap enough,but Ive done 3,plus the tillitson on the valmont.I was also told the gas was bad for my bike if left to long.