Joined the yamacat winder crew today

[stgdz]

Finally cut the check and picked up a 2019 Thundercat with about 1.5k on the clock. Was going to wait till the spring like I always do for sled purchases but a deer hit on my other sled forced my hand. Plus I have no idea how long this parts shortage is going to last for.



Thank you turboflash for letting me talk to you for about and hour before the purchase. I went over this thing and couldn't find much wrong with it, hell it even smells new. It did come with some bikeman parts, a high velocity muffler, primary weights with magnets, torsional secondary, and 4/bar studs. When driving it around on the lake it was cutting out more than a few times, never threw a code or flashed red. Pulled the mod muffler off and put the stocker back and no more issues, it doesn't have a tune but bikeman says its ok, uhhuh. It had some warranty work done on it and the water pump was completely replaced.

Anyways I think I'm going to keep it stock for awhile and do the following to it. This is the exact sled I wanted, it has good headroom in the power department, it sticks to the trail, and since its heavy it will give my arms a workout.

-Install the DMC bushing and bronze shift forks, I also ordered the studs for the turbo hot side.
-Locite red the
-riv nut the panels, I did this on my kids 4000RR but that Iact looks like its in the way for some of the holes. I may rivnut all of them and put a push phin on the ones behind the iact.
-Pull the driveshaft saver from the 4000 and put it on this one
-rollover delete
-Adding a return line on the fuel line
-Possibly adding that stingray tri-progressive front track shock

So a couple of questions
1)this is my first four stroke and the women love it because its quiet and no 2 stroke perfume is present. The previous owner said the way plugs are fouled is to turn it on from dead colt, take it off the trailer and kill it. If I start it I will let it get to about 150 and then turn it off. Can I turn it on and off at will when it is up to temp or do I have to let it run for a little bit? I'm lacking knowledge on how to prevent plug fouling and how it actually happens.
2)can the hyfax be removed with the track on, the window looks really tight and I don't know if I can get it out.
3)how does the iact work? there is the button on the left controls that is a toggle and I can toggle the bottom menus. If I push it in I can get to the iact but it is tempermental. Say I'm approaching a rough section and I'm on medium, how do I get it to quickly switch to hard?

 

[rtx moose]

1)Next to impossible to foul a plug I don't care what anyone says on here
2)tracks are the same as a 2 stroke so yes you can pull them thru!!!!
3)use the button!!

 

[DennyTuna]

Definitely remove the PM and stick with the stock muffler.

18 Thundercat is missing @ WOT

So this is my buddies sled, new for this season he installed the Bikeman trail muffler and clutch kit. Now it's missing bad when WOT. He thinks it's hitting the rev limit and I say it's a lean condition from the PM. It did throw a code once, boost leak (p1236)...I think that was the code#. Just...

ty4stroke.com

Read this thread, it will tell you all you need to know about the Bikeman muffler.

 

[74Nitro]

The owner was entirely correct about plug fouling. However, I've found the Winder to be slightly better than Yamaha models in the past.
Plugs are fouled by starting the sled consecutively about 5-7(varies) times for very short run times(anywhere from 10 seconds to 3 minutes or so.
Usually letting the sled run up to hot temps will prevent this from happening, but I've seen examples of this not working.
Sometimes the sled just needs to be driven for a minute or two, or run on a stand with some heavy throttle squeezes.
Basically the plugs need to get some good heat into them.

 

[SledFreak]

exactly. Let the sled get to 170. Sleds that have fouled plugs are from people/dealers starting and running for 20 secs and shutting them down. Once you start it, you are committed to running it.

 

[Turboflash]

Once it's warmed up, you can start and stop it all you want.

 

[Confused]

Once you start it, you are committed to running it.

I live by this motto. I've yet to foul a plug during the season but fouled the plugs in the SW at the beginning of this year as I was getting ready to do my annual maintenance. Plugs were getting replaced anyway that day.

 

[stgdz]

Anyone know what size the button head Allen's are on the turbo blanket. There are three of them. I'm missing two.

Also adding the following to the sled

Scratchers

StraightLine Performance Long Ice Scratchers - 185-102 Snowmobile - Dennis Kirk

Find the StraightLine Performance Long Ice Scratchers - 185-102 at Dennis Kirk. Shop our complete selection of Snowmobile parts and accessories including the StraightLine Performance Long Ice Scratchers - 185-102.

www.denniskirk.com

Belt

Ultimax Belts by Timken Ultimax XS Drive Belt - XS829 Snowmobile - Dennis Kirk

Find the Ultimax Belts by Timken Ultimax XS Drive Belt - XS829 at Dennis Kirk. Shop our complete selection of Snowmobile parts and accessories including the Ultimax Belts by Timken Ultimax XS Drive Belt - XS829.

www.denniskirk.com

Big trunk.

Arctic Cat Large Tunnel Trail Pack Bag - 2012-2022 ZR XF M

Arctic Cat Large Tunnel Trail Pack Storage Bag - 2012-2022 ZR XF M - 8639-030

www.countrycat.com

Ive always had good luck with ultimax xs belts.
Does anyone have any interior.pics of the trunk? Does it have hold downs in it? There is a larger bag on country cat but it's kinda ugly.
Scratchers I've done a bit of research on and lots of options. Can I run these backwards? I was going to slit a rubber hose and then safety wire it to the rail so that it wouldn't destroy it.

 

[stgdz]

So is this normal after a ride or during a ride?
It started pop pop pop on the trail when it got to that temp and it took me but to cool it down in some puffy snow.

It seemed to run between 175-185 most of the time on the trail. Got it home and it steadily climbed up to that, I started it and stopped it a few times to cycle the coolant and got it down to 190 but then climbed back up and stabilized at this.

 

[Simplespeed]

The reason why it climbs is the coolant will circulate around the Turbo after the motor stops which is very hot and you can see it raise the temperature and if you listen close you can hear it as this happens…. I believe this is why you can shut down the motor anytime and no worries about very hot turbo….

 

[sailor joe]

thanks for the info on fowling plugs, I had no clue this happens so I will let the sled come up to temp once started.
STGDZ, if you don't have a pair of scratchers you might want to put them on, it helped my sled from overheating tremendously...it's a sinking feeling when the engine starts to act up on the trail. Joe

 

[jonlafon1]

So is this normal after a ride or during a ride?
It started pop pop pop on the trail when it got to that temp and it took me but to cool it down in some puffy snow.

It seemed to run between 175-185 most of the time on the trail. Got it home and it steadily climbed up to that, I started it and stopped it a few times to cycle the coolant and got it down to 190 but then climbed back up and stabilized at this.

The pop pop noise you are hearing is the sled going into limp mode.. It goes into this mode when coolant temps get to around 210. You need scratchers on the early morning cold hard pack trails. The sled should run 168-172 when properly cooled and optimal operating temps.

 

[74Nitro]

thanks for the info on fowling plugs, I had no clue this happens so I will let the sled come up to temp once started.
STGDZ, if you don't have a pair of scratchers you might want to put them on, it helped my sled from overheating tremendously...it's a sinking feeling when the engine starts to act up on the trail. Joe

You don't HAVE to let it come up to temp every single time.

 

[stgdz]

Yeah it makes a bunch of gurgling sounds when it shuts down and thinking back the owner told me the following

The dealer replaced the water pump

The sled seems to retain and hold a lot of heat and hates going slow, kinda a problem when I ride with my kids. Could I have an air bubble though? I may try to bleed it. I'm used to the temp as my outlaw 540 runs at about 195 in the summer and sometimes crosses into the 200 range but will start puking coolant around 230 off the rad cap. Cycling the coolant by starting the motor and running it for a bit would cool it down but had to shut it down after about 30 seconds.

The water level is just above the cold line when it was hot and just about at the cold line when cold.

 

[jonlafon1]

Could have a few air bubbles, or the coolant is not 50/50/ . No reason you cant ride with the kids, if and when its operating like it should be.. You don't want to be running into the 185+ range to often with it.. It should not be hanging around those temps.. Get some scratchers and use them any time your running warmer 185+.. You really should be trying to stay around 168-172. These things don't like to be idled AFTER you have reached operating temps.. Keep moving and drop scratchers or just sliding off the edge slightly on the trail getting some looser powder drops them quick also. If your waiting for other riders(at stop sign) your better off shutting it down then letting it idle more then 30 seconds to a minute.. For some reason my 2017 was sensitive and i even flushed and refilled coolant but it remained the same slightly sensitive sled especially on hard pack early mornings.. 2022 is not sensitive? Not sure why but this one runs 168 always even on hard pack it seems to stay a lot cooler then the 2017.. Both LTX and both same stud pattern and amount of studs. Almost seems like the thermostat on the 2022 is a few degrees cooler then the 2017..