Where is a New-B to start? - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

tipper · 11-29-2012, 09:54 AM

Just purchased '81 Skidoo Everest 500...first sled since I was a youngster back in about '76. Have moved to acreage in Alberta, and am buying a couple of old machines to have on hand for my kids and families when they visit during winter in Central Alberta!. First machine, the Everest, has broken electric start, and will start and run with manual pull start - however it is a very difficult start, especially with my arthritic shoulders!

Any suggestions from anyone on where to start, perhaps with some basic and simple maintenance to make starting easier?

Thanks to all for having me in this forum!

tipper · 11-29-2012, 09:58 AM

PS. Not terribly mechanically inclined...can work the minute details of the golf swing, however I am quite challenged by other things mechanical!

**RJ Gleason** · 11-29-2012, 10:06 AM

First thing to do would be to ensure that the starter motor is good.
You can test by connecting directly to a good battery or booster charger and seeing if it spins up and the bendix functions as it should.
Then start back testing the rest of the system.
Most likely you will end up needing a new battery for the sled and maybe repair/replace some wires,

tipper · 11-29-2012, 10:15 AM

Thank you for the starting point. Great to see such an unexpected fast first response!

davidnnoah · 11-29-2012, 11:28 AM

Any time you approach a new task, do a thorough google seach. You'll find most maintenance tasks on a snowmobile have been posted on youtube.

tipper · 11-29-2012, 01:20 PM

Again...thanks!

**RJ Gleason** · 11-29-2012, 03:12 PM

Also, read through the How to stickys in the Tech section of this site.

tipper · 11-30-2012, 10:37 AM

So like I said in original posts, I am a complete newbie to snowmobiles (so I'm a "Snoobie", I guess!), and after reading some scattered posts throughout this wonderful site, I learned I was most likely flooding my engine with the primer even before I got to pulling on the manual starter! Anyway, after teaching myself the proper way to prime a cold engine, the sled now starts rather easily on first or second pull.

Anyway, new question... I have been reading on this site and elsewhere on interweb about Sea Foam additive. This old girl is burning oil pretty good (expected for a $700 machine) and there's a lot of blue smoke for the first minute or so after starting.

Would adding the Sea Foam help clean things up, or is generally thought to be a bad idea?

Thanks again, in advance!

Polaris650freak · 11-30-2012, 10:56 AM

It's a 2 stroke that's oil injected. It's going to smoke and excess smoke means the oil pump could be too rich. Sea foam won't do anything.

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**BC_Dan** · 11-30-2012, 11:12 AM

Like P650f said.

Seafoam is a great additive to keep carbs clean once they are clean. I use a half can in each sled I own first tank of the season. I wouldn't be too concerned with the smoke unless it's really bad when the engine is warm and running, and you are fouling plugs. Then it may be something to tinker with.

A bit too much oil is way better than not enough!

Polaris650freak · 11-30-2012, 11:25 AM

^oils cheaper than a motor!!

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tipper · 11-30-2012, 11:29 AM

Great...thanks for all the welcome advice. Good to know that the smoke isn't something to get knotted up about. I seems to go away almost completely once the machine is warm and has been running for a couple of minutes. Seems to be perfectly suited for what I need here on "the ranch". Will be picking up the Polaris tomorrow...hope I'm as lucky with that one! Thanks to all. This seems to be a great community and I'm learning more than I thought I might!

**BC_Dan** · 11-30-2012, 03:11 PM

When I start my sleds in the summer, with 5 of 'em running, it smokes so much I can't see the house across the street

(I have GREAT neighbors!)

tipper · 12-06-2012, 04:34 PM

So as I feared at some point, my son in law took the Everest today to the farthest corner of our 160 acres, where it promptly sputtered and went to sleep. Looking at it, there appears to be a leak in the fuel line where it exits the gas tank (right near the top of the fuel gauge tube). All information I have seen regarding towing a sled says to remove the drive belt first. Any suggestions out there on best way to remove the belt from this old girl made in 1981. I gave it about a half hour of unguided effort in the field, but to now avail. Have not been able to come across any instructions online.

Thanks in advance,

**RJ Gleason** · 12-06-2012, 04:51 PM

To remove the belt, just grab on and pull up to gain some slack. Then slip it off over the secondary.

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tipper · 12-06-2012, 04:58 PM

sorry...but pull on the BELT and not the secondary?? I did find some removal instructions that say "Open driven pulley by twisting and pushing the sliding half. Hold in open position then slip slackened belt over top edge of pulley."

Your instructions sound much easier!

Polaris650freak · 12-06-2012, 08:06 PM

Hold the brakes and pull up on belt right before secondary clutch. This should open the secondary clutch from the belt being pulled up wards.

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WWTSE670 · 12-06-2012, 10:57 PM

Also it can help to rotate the two halves of the secondary away from each other and pull up on the belt at the same time.

UncleFluffy · 12-13-2012, 03:15 AM

tipper....whereabouts are you in AB? I'm out in Calgary and have a 80 Everest 464 L/C Electro and I've been trying to find someone with some farmland to take my toy out and stretch her legs....hope you get yours back in running order