John Deere Liquifire - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

pwgsx · 01-31-2013, 09:47 AM

So I came accross a guy selling a JD Liquidfire 440- not sure of the year but im guessing 1978 ish, he says it runs and starts but needs a new top end in 1 cylinder. He also has a parts sled also a JD that is air cooled but it is in pretty bad shape missing parts. How hard are these to work on, find parts etc? Are the 2 interchangable as far as parts go? This is really just a project to work on when im bored as we hardly ever get snow here. Thinking I could sell it once its restored. Here is some pics.

**RJ Gleason** · 01-31-2013, 03:29 PM

Body parts may be interchangeable if the styles are the same.
Look at the manufacture date on the tunnel to determine model year.

edge800ves · 01-31-2013, 03:59 PM

My neighbor has ones of those liquifires, if you can get past the rough ride (crappy suspension) that is one fast 440 for a vintage sled!

pwgsx · 01-31-2013, 04:15 PM

dammm auto correct, I know its Liquifire and not liquidfire as in the title. aAnyways I am going to take a look on Sat. He said $150 for both, not sure if thats good or not but what the hell right?

Josh Kidner · 01-31-2013, 05:52 PM

Thats not bad. Engine parts are all different for liquid engines. You wpuld have over 150 in redo-ing the cylinder unless you can find someone with a liquid parting out.

pwgsx · 02-01-2013, 08:28 AM

is it true you cant bore the cylinder on those? I thought I read that somewhere....I also dont know what I would do with it after its fixed. We get maybe 1-2 days of winter weather here a year in TX. Probably hard to sell too!

Josh Kidner · 02-01-2013, 08:58 AM

You would have to bore both and replqce both pistons with correct size

pwgsx · 02-01-2013, 11:08 AM

Can they be bored due to the fact that they are chrome plated? I know the engine parts between the 2 are different but I was hoping to strip the air cooled sled for working body parts, not sure now if they would be interchangable.

**RJ Gleason** · 02-01-2013, 02:56 PM

They can be bored and replated.
US Chrome can do it, you just send the jug with a new piston and they will fit it properly.

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pwgsx · 02-04-2013, 09:25 AM

Well I got the sled , it has 787 miles on it, here is a pic but I dont know the year. I can start it from a fuel I.V. but it wont rev. I plan to tear the motor down and see what I find. Hoping maybe its just bad crank seals. Guages work, headlight does not. I need to find a brake lever and the throttle is cracked. Other than that its little stuff.

A few questions:

I plan to run premix- can I just yank that oil container out and cap the hose ? What is the mix 40:1? and what kind of oil is used? I have amsoil interceptor that I use on my jet skis and quads, would that work?

The fuel tank is shot- rubber grommet on bottom where fuel pick-up line goes in is missing. How are you fixing this or what can I use instead?

Thanks

TheFoxwasHere28 · 02-04-2013, 03:17 PM

That's gonna be an awesome restoration. Good luck man. Keep us posted!!

SIIaCanuck · 03-08-2013, 12:31 AM

Don't run it without the oil injection, pre-mix doesn't lube the centre bearing properly and the injection systems on these engines are very reliable.

I have a '80 model that's had the tank pulled and I'm putting it back in. Some guys run 100:1 pre-mix plus the injection to guard against the wear you get above the ports due to fuel washing the oil off the cylinder wall. I'm going to get mine Nicasil plated and stick with injection.

Old Man · 03-08-2013, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwgsx

but I dont know the year

MFG date of Sept 1980 will make it a 1981 model year.

JD8345RT · 03-14-2013, 02:02 AM

Awesome sled, I would love to own a Liquifire! One of the quickest and best-handling leafers of the early '80s. Good luck on the resto!

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