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3/1/03 - Major Malfunction
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:37 PM
Today I installed my spare fuel pump (which I had apart and checked) to see if it would make any difference with my flooding. The sled started up on the first pull since I had the fuel shut off all night. I rode over to the little lake I ride on a lot and turned it off and waited 10 minutes to see if it would flood. It sure did. I actually had to change the plugs this time because it wouldn't even pop. I got it going and it seemed fine, so I went decided to keep riding. I went out on Shagawa, and then Little Long, and then Bass Lake. The trail to bass was very rutted and slow, but my engine never quit (I expected it to die). There was one spot where I had to get off the sled and walk it down because it was an icy hill and I started to spin out on the way down. I rode across Bass Lake and all the way to the end of Low Lake. I was having a lot of fun, but it was pretty snowy and the visibility was awful. On the way back, I had to go up that icy hill. Sled Zeppelin was having no part of it. I made it 3/4 of the way up, and then the track started spinning. The smell of burning track and belt just about made me cry. I let it slide back down and tried going on the other side. 3/4 and it coudn't go any further, but this time I was able to drag it up. Even through all this violence, the engine never died. About 2 miles from home, and while running at about 60 mph, the engine quit. It would NOT start again. It wouldn't even pop. I tried to call my wife and the phone was dead. Excellent. It was getting dark and we were having a blinding blizzard. I tried changing plugs, WOT pulling, putting the plugs in the hole and pulling, etc., and nothing. It just would not pop, even after 300 pulls. This has never happened before. I was about to walk home, when 8 extremely nice people came by. They stopped and tried to help me get it running and then offered to tow me home. I glady accepted. He towed me off the lake, and then let me ride his sled while he rode mine since he wasn't familiar with Ely (they were visiting). This is the first time I've ever ridden a sled other than mine. I was too annoyed and embarrased to even get the make, but it was brand new, and huge. I actually like my sled better! The new sled was all smooth and the steering was very easy and so on, but it just didn't have the coolness of my sled. Riding my old Deere is more natural. You feel closer to the machine. You feel every bump. I like that better. Anyway, these people couldn't have been nicer. As soon as we pulled into my alley, two of them jumped off their sleds and dragged mine up into the yard. There are nice people in the world!

2/28/03 - Flooding
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:37 PM
First of all, my Liquifire is now named "Sled Zeppelin."
Seconedly, I'm still flooding bad. Every time I go to start it after it's been sitting a couple of days (and the tank is pretty full) it won't start and gas pours out of the exhaust manifold. It usually takes 100-150 WOT pulls before it'll go. I'm told that it's either the needle valve in the carb letting gas in constantly, or the fuel pump is letting gas in the crankcase. I've determined it's not the pulse line because I pinched it off with a vise grip and it still flooded. I've also taken apart the carbs and checked the valve and it seems to be okay. I can't blow air in with the bowl full. The floats are floating, but it doesn't seem like they're strong enough to push the lever up, but like I said, air can't get through. I adjusted the lever to let less gas in, and it's still flooding. This is getting really annoying.

2/17/03 - More Mud Creek/Vermilion Riding
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:37 PM
Today I drove back out to our land and went for a ride. As has been happening lately, it started very hard the first time. It wouldn't pop at all, so I choked it and pulled a few times. Still nothing. I looked under the hood and, as usual, saw a bunch of gas dripping out of the exhaust manifold. About 40 pulls with the throttle wide open and it began to pop. Another 15 pulls and it got started. Both days, it ran weak for about 30 seconds (almost like it was on one cylinder) and then would finally clear its throat and roar. Sometimes when I shut it off and start it again, it goes right away. Other times it acts like it's flooded. What really concerns me though, is that today and the other day when I rode out there, it died while riding it. It only happened once each day, and both times it happened on a trail at relatively low speed. The first day it started right back up. Today it took 20 pulls or so with the throttle wide open. Once it starts again, it works fine. I noticed today that the grill on the front (the part that holds the headlight) has broken off of the hood. Most of the tabs are gone. Luckily the one on my parts sled is fine, so I'll be swapping them. Check out the movies page for a new movie of me riding on Lake Vermilion.

2/14/03 - Finally!
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:36 PM
I finally drove my sled from my backyard in town out to our land in the woods. I crossed Shagawa Lake to Little Long Lake, then across a short land trail to Burntside. From Burntside I crossed a longer land trail to get to Mud Lake. I crossed Mud Creek Road and followed the creek to our land. I went out on Vermilion and then up the logging roads into our land. I got to ride through deep powder for the first time ever. What a blast! There were lots of animal tracks everywhere. I need a windshield because my hands and chin got mighty cold. There was only one small mishap. While riding on one of the trails, my engine died. I didn't hit a bump or anything - it just died. It started right up after that and didn't act up again. I stopped and started it about 15 times today. Half the time it started on the first pull, 1/4 of the time it started on the third or fourth, and the other 1/4 took 7 or more pulls with the throttle wide open. Weird. Also, it was still idling high (around 3500) about 90% of the time.

2/9/03 - Winter Fun On Shagawa
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:36 PM
My buddy Garrett came up this weekend and we took the Liquifire out on Shagawa Lake. I tied a sled to the back of the snowmobile and hauled him and his girlfried and my wife Emily around the lake. A splendid time was had by all. Check out the movies page to see Garrett fall on his face.

2/3/03 - No Power
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:35 PM
I planned on riding out to my land tomorrow so I decided to take her out near my house for a few miles to make sure everything was a go. After about 3 miles, I tried to go up a little hill that I'd gone up a million times before and I couldn't make it up. I had no power and couldn't rev above about 4,700 rpms. I managed to ride home very slowly. After asking some friends, people on jdsleds.com, and the local snowmobile shop, I got advice ranging from bad belt to a fried drive shaft to running on one cylinder. Both cylinders were firing, and I checked all my idler wheels, carb sync, etc. I jiggled the fuel lines going to the carbs and that took care of the problem. I guess I had some ice in the line. Good news: no more oil leak.



1/31/03 - Re-lubed
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:35 PM
Today I drained and replaced my gear case oil. It had plenty of oil, but it was filthy. I also replaced my chain case cover with the one from my parts sled since I couldn't get the fill hole plug out of the one installed in my running sled. I also took off my carbs, checked the oil pump, and readjusted them. I started it up and it idled for about 2 minutes and then died. I noticed that I left the fill plug out of the gear case. I have no idea if that had anything to do with it, but it was badly flooded and I gave up for the day. I also replaced my exhaust gaskets since I was leaking a large amount of oil all over the engine.



1/19/03 - Oops, No Oil
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:34 PM
I finally checked my chain case for oil today. Good thing too. Bone dry. I hope I didn't do any damage. I'm also going to drain and refill my gear case oil. Next I'm going try to reattach a little piece of windshield to try to keep my right hand warm. I've got a shard of it left on the left side nothing on the right. My left hand stays warm and my right one freezes. Just that little bit of windshield makes that much of a difference! Anyone have a windshield they'd like to get rid of cheap?

12/20/02 - Snowmobiling Sure Is Fun
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:34 PM
I've been riding a few miles at a time for the past few days. Man, what a blast! Luckily, two of the major area trails start about 1/4 mile from my house, so it's easy to get to a place to ride, even without a trailer. I'm hooked.

12/15/02 - You Seriously Have Those In Stock?
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:33 PM
I called all around to see if anyone had wear bars for an '80 Liquifire. Everyone could order them, but none had them in stock. I didn't want to wait. My wife urged me to call the little shop in town, and I really didn't think they'd have them. Sure enough, they did. I guess someone had ordered them years before and never picked them up, so he's had them the whole time, sitting around collecting dust. The old wear bars were almost totally gone, so it took some doing to get the remaining studs off. There was nothing to grab on to, so I cut a notch in each one with a hacksaw so I could stick a screwdriver in there to hold it. They still woudn't budge. I got out my blowtorch and heated the nuts until they'd finally turn, and I eventually got them off. I put the new carbides on, and now I can turn!



12/5/02 - Now You're Talkin
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:33 PM
She moves! After spending a few days trying to figure out if it was an engine problem or a clutch problem that was causing her to bog and stall when trying to take off, I decided to put on a new belt based on some tips I'd gotten from folks online that Liqs are very sensitive to belt wear. I didn't think the belt could be causing it. I could take off maybe 20% of the time, and the other 80% of the time, it would stall. When trying to change the belt, I realized that my secondary clutch was frozen. I got it free and put on the new belt. After a little break-in period with the track off the ground, I hopped on. She took off like a champ! I guess the belt and the frozen clutch were the culpret. Now, while my sled can move forward, I can't turn. I checked the bottoms of the skis and the wear bars are completely worn off. The front it still there, but the rest is totally gone.

12/3/02 - Your Lips Are Flappin, But Nothins Comin Out
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:32 PM
I trailered the sled out to our land today because I decided I was going to store it out there. Keep in mind I've never actually ridden it. All I know is that the engine runs. I dragged it off the trailer, fired her up, got on, and squeezed the throttle. Nothing. No matter what I tried, I just couldn't get it to go. It turns out I have a Kawasaki Invader clutch on there and it engages at about 3900 rpms, instead of the 4500 the Liq prefers. Soon after engagement, the engine would stall, and the sled wouldn't move. I somehow dragged the sled back up on the trailer and went home.

12/1/02 - Call In The Experts
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:32 PM
Since I know very little about engines, I decided to haul my sled to my parents' house in IL for our Thanksgiving visit. My Dad, Grandpa, and Cousin are all a whole lot more knowledgeable about engines than I am. The first thing we did was take the carbs off and give them a good cleaning. All jets were good and everything seemed fine. We reattached them and went to starter fluid to kick-start the process. My cousin Shawn sprayed the fluid right into the cylinder and we gave her a pull, not having any idea what would happen. What happened was a flaming ball of death shot out of the exhaust (the muffler was off - I forgot it at home). After a few more small fires, the engine would run for longer and longer with each shot of starter fluid, and it started sucking gas. FInally, it came back to life for real. Hearing it really fire off for the first time with the muffler off was one of the greatest moments of my life. :) I got her back home, again with no disasters (but a whole lot of road grime), only to find someone stole my parts sled out of the backyard. They left my kevlar canoe and boat, and my neighbor's sleds and canoes, and took my junky old parts sled.

11/22/02 - Some Progress
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:31 PM
Since my last update, I've fixed the recoil and gotten spark. The recoil is still flakey, but it's working for the time being. Some of the parts are significantly worn. I couldn't get spark for the longest time, though my lights would go on when I'd pull. I don't really know exatly what I did (I'm doing these early diary entries from memory after the fact) to get spark, but I spent many hours wiggling wires, unplugging and plugging, etc. The one thing I can think that made the difference was the brown ground wire near the recoil starter. It was almost broken off. I removed it's connector and attached it directly to the frame. The engine turns over, and I've got compression (though how much is unknown), but it still won't start.

10/5/02 - Dragged Them Home
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:31 PM
I hauled both sleds back from Superior with no disasters. Now they're sitting in the back yard. Nothing sits idle next to my shed like a Deere! Luckily the weather is warm right now and I have some time before the snow falls to get her running. The first thing that needs doing is the recoil starter.



10/3/02 - Bought Sleds!
Friday, September 10, 2004, 10:30 PM
Today I bought 2 1980 John Deere Liquifires. One runs (or can run) and the other is for parts and the engine is in pieces. Both have around 1600 miles on them. Also included were an extra hood and seat.




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