Snowmobile Repair: Compression, plug holes, blue marble

Question
Hi Arcticatman,

I have a 1995 Arctic Cat Pantera with a 580 LC engine.  What should the cylinder compression read.  It does not say in the Service Manual.

Also do you have any tips on adjusting the injection oil pump.  This is not in the service manual as well.  Right now with the throttle at idle the cable is loose at the pump.  I assume this is the lowest setting.  I am getting a lot of blue smoke.

Thanks

Vijay


Answer
Hello Vijay,

  Thoes service manuals don't show some of the things they should. For the PSI reading on your gauge, it should be 120 for a medium, or normal. Some sleds will have up to 150 max PSI. Getting a reading of 95-100 would be getting ready for new rings. If you check it, ( be sure to check it cold ) and the readings are low, there is a surefire way to check for ring wear. Take a tablespoon of 2 cycle oil, and poor it right in the plug holes. Then, crank it over. The readings should go up a little. If they go up 15 PSI or so, then you need new rings. Now for the oil injection. Alot of sleds that are getting older are better off, using oil like Amsoil or Blue-marble, as they won't smoke hardly at all. If you think there is more to it, like it's getting to much oil, then there is one way to check the oil injection pump on the Cats. There is a plate like part that moves up and down with the cable ( called the arm ). On the arm, is a very hard to see, small mark. With the throttle all the way open, it is supposed to line up with the other mark on the pump. You can loosen it, and move it, so that it lines up exactly. That's all you can really do. Good luck with the sled, let me know if I can answer any other questions you might have! --Arcticatman