Snowmobile Repair: artic cat el tiger 1979, artic cat, grease gun

Question
when the back end is jacked up the track spins when giving the throttle. but when its siting on dry ground the clutches engage but the sled does not move at all. like as somthing binding . thank you.

Answer
Hello Mano,

   Sorry I wasn't able to get back to you sooner. There are two possibilities with your sled. One would be that it has lost power, and can't turn the track when there is load, OR, it has something binding, as you mentioned. I would start with check to make sure the brake is not sticking at all, or that the brake lock is not applied. After that, It would be wise to take the grease gun, and grease all of the track fittings. Then, put the sled on it's stand, and try to turn the track by hand, there should be resistance, but with a good pull, you should be able to turn it a few times. If it does not turn, your bearings may need replacement. The most probable problem I think, is that it's time for a new belt, they should be replaced every year. www.denniskirk.com has belts for very reasonable prices. If it's not a problem with binding, but the engine, then here are a few ideas. Replace the spark plugs with new NGK BR9ES gapped at 0.020 in. Also, make sure you have clean carbs, it's really important to make sure your inlet needles are clean when a sled has sat. I hope this helps you out. I've put up a website recently, http://www.freewebs.com/thesledzone/ . Hope you like it! Let me know if I can answer any other questions you mighty have! Good luck with the Cat! --Arcticatman