Snowmobile Repair: Drive Chain, crank shaft, exhaust ports

Question
Hi,

I have a 1995 Arctic Cat Pantera.  It has about 7000 miles on it.  I took apart the Drive Gear box to take a look.  The chain adjuster seems to be extended quite a bit forward.  I cannot find any specs in the service manual on when to change the chain.  Do you have any suggestions.

Also my engine substained quite a bit of damage at the end of the season.  I am shopping for a used one.  The local scrap dealer has 2 but no info on how many miles are on them.  Any suggestions on what to look for in purchasing one that I cannot start.

Thanks

Vijay  

Answer
Hello Vijay,

   Allthough there is no specific time to change the chains, I would reccomend replacing it at 10000 miles. Just be sure to use good cain case fluid like Klotz. As far as the engines are concerned, it is hard and frustrating to know if an engine is in decent running condition. Here are a few things to check. One would be the compression, if you could hook up a tester and give the shaft or clutch a hard spin, there should be over 120 PSI on both cylinders. Next, look at the shaft end where the clutch is. If there is excesive oil here, it's a good sign the crank seals are on the way out. Also, turn the shaft slowly and listen closely to the engine for any sounds of bearings rolling that sound odd. Another thing to check is looking through the intake and exhaust ports, while turning the crank shaft. While doing this, look at the pistons. They should not have a scored or scratched look in any way. I hope this helps you. Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck with the sled! --Arcticatman