what will a pipe do to a sled - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

centreno3 · 09-04-2009, 02:07 AM

i have a 1998 550 arctic cat cougar and i want to put a after market pipe on it,will a pipe make the engine run to hot or hurt it?

**RJ Gleason** · 09-04-2009, 06:25 AM

You will likely have to rejet the carbs to go with the new pipe. The manufacturer will have their recommended settings to start with.
Then you will need to adjust the clutching to match the new power band to get the most from any increase in performance.

**smallengineguy** · 09-04-2009, 06:39 AM

Is that a fan cooled sled? A pipe will make little if any difference on that motor. CLutch kits are the most bang for the buck.

**BC_Dan** · 09-04-2009, 09:29 AM

The Cougar has a 550 liquid, same block as the 580 ZR/EXT engine. It's a piston ported engine (no exhaust valves). You may see some benefit with more power adding aftermarket pipes, and you will definitely see a weight loss; the stock stuff is pretty heavy. Like RJ said, you will have to rejet and reclutch if you go to aftermarket stuff; rejet to keep from burning too lean, reclutch to keep you in the power band.

**kccats** · 09-06-2009, 09:26 AM

If you could find a pipe set off of a ZR580 they would work! And if you needed too a set of 580 jugs would bolt on too!

centreno3 · 09-06-2009, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC_Dan

The Cougar has a 550 liquid, same block as the 580 ZR/EXT engine. It's a piston ported engine (no exhaust valves). You may see some benefit with more power adding aftermarket pipes, and you will definitely see a weight loss; the stock stuff is pretty heavy. Like RJ said, you will have to rejet and reclutch if you go to aftermarket stuff; rejet to keep from burning too lean, reclutch to keep you in the power band.

hey do u know how much power my sled would have stock?

**BC_Dan** · 09-07-2009, 12:04 PM

I know the ZR 580's were about 90 stock, so you should be in the neighborhood of 75 with a non-exhaust valve 550. The newer 550's with the valves are about 80 HP.

centreno3 · 09-07-2009, 01:50 PM

ive been looking everywhere online for a store that has a pipe for my sled ,do any of u know any places online

razor_burn · 12-08-2009, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by centreno3

hey do u know how much power my sled would have stock?

80 hp