Alpha needs AIR in the pow!
- Thread starter skiutahcabin
- Start date
This is a great thread. I have sealed and re sealed my entire hood and intake system. Sled is a 19’ 165 bone stock including the can . For me the alpha is not rideable in deep snow like we have in revy right now. If you do mostly climbing and side hill moves it’s much less of an issue. I like to drop big downhill lines into must make turn outs and the very first downhill carve that dumps snow over the hood chokes off the intakes and the sled instantly bogs out. As other riders have said it’s not practical to constantly wipe the intakes off in this type of terrain/riding. I literally have to clear them after every single down hill carve or the sled will not run. Sometimes even after clearing the intakes if I had to lawnmower along for a few turns before it was safe to stop and wipe them off the sled still will not clear up right away. I do not believe that this is from snow ingestion and is 100% from not enough air. Beyond frustrating....the deep days we wait for all year roll around and I can’t drop into my favorite terrain because this sled simply cannot breath in really deep snow unless all you do is point it uphill.
well, it's not called the DEscender chassis.
Just always go uphill and never go down one. The way AC intended.
apparently
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I dont have bog issues when conditions look like niners video because snow wasn't piling on the intakes. In my experience, the bog only happened one day when fresh deep snow conditions were perfect. I was tree riding, sidehilling at slower speeds feathering the throttle to WOT to maintain momentum and control. My body became a shovel funneling snow onto the intakes. One slight hesitation from a bog and I was stuck deep (same with another rider's 2018 w/ stock can). I'm not trying to bash cause I love my sled, just looking for solutions to prevent issues next time i have the opportunity to ride the "snow of the season". This NOT a snow ingestion or Can issue, the sled gets starved for air when snow is deep enough to PILE on and under the stock intakes.
I agree with ur statement of the video niner posted. That is not "deep over the bars snow" it is deep and what most of us dream of and hope for. That snow is not what u "deep snow" riders have a problem with. "Deep snow" is relative to each persons perspective. His video is perfect deep snow for me and Arctic cats.
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Here is a solution that has worked for me. I’ve put these on all my PCs, before the sleds ever hit the snow. Have never experienced a bog issue because the intakes were plugged until this last 4 day trip. Specially day 1 & 2 right after a 2 foot dump. I have not put these on my Alpha yet. Just wanted to test it out and see if the frog skinz really helped. I believe they do. Tearing the hood apart as soon as I can. Not saying this is right but it is a solution. These come with the speedwerx stag kits. It says 12-17 but will work in the ascender hoods too.
FYI - my hood is sealed with a defender, not a snow ingestion issue.
FYI - my hood is sealed with a defender, not a snow ingestion issue.
Here is a picture of me stuck on the flat. Was not watching closely and went to take off with the intakes covered in snow. Sled bogged bad and I just sunk. I have a video I will up load to YouTube later today of it bogging because the sled had no air.
The picture was taken after I swiped a lot of the snow off. You couldn’t see the gauge, snow was damn near level with top of bar bag.
The picture was taken after I swiped a lot of the snow off. You couldn’t see the gauge, snow was damn near level with top of bar bag.
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Theres a hood piece that goes over his vent location therefore there remails a bit of a gap even in the snow pictured. No it is not 100% fix but every bit helps. I have done similar with great results. The final option would be to add a SLP powdervalve that sucks hot air from underhood in a last ditch effort to keep running but those valves are a joke if you put them where they are supposed to go which is basically where his speedwerx frogskinz are except the SLP valves are raised so they catch ice buildup.
I agree with you that a large chunk of these people would be surprised how much the defender helps though. I ended up needing both defender and more air to solve my issues.
Exactly where I’m at. I have the Defender, now I need more air.
Spot on, the hood wings creates a gap that keeps the frogs skinz from being completely cover.
Yes at times it may pull in some hotter air from the engine bay but it’s better the complete bog.
I had the same idea- turbo tube from throttle bodies, they have the sensor bung on there already, and then some tubing to a snorkel air intake out the hood! Be done with this clamshell ****box heavy ass hood. I emailed justin@silberturbos asking about purchasing just the throttlebody part of turbo tubing from them and haven’t heard back. I should give them a shout. I’ve heard of a few top ends burning down from snow. I’m running the mountain fit prefilter now- after a scare at 600 miles On the sled with bog and running like crap in super deep powder snow.
UPDATE: So the suffocation issue I had was 3 parts.
1. I added a D&D breather. this SOLVED powder getting into the intake.
2. The dealer had rebuilt my front end and left off the hardware, so I was ingesting a LOT.
3. Even after fixing both of that if it was super deep there was a lack of places for the sled to breathe, so I added some breather ports that would give more surface area to the intake, solving or greatly improving intake when it's over the hood deep.
1. I added a D&D breather. this SOLVED powder getting into the intake.
2. The dealer had rebuilt my front end and left off the hardware, so I was ingesting a LOT.
3. Even after fixing both of that if it was super deep there was a lack of places for the sled to breathe, so I added some breather ports that would give more surface area to the intake, solving or greatly improving intake when it's over the hood deep.
I sealed up my airbox below then found one day driving dow. Highway with some snow/hail flurries that I had 1/4 my upper intake area full of snow and hail! Wtf!
Well up top where your screens are there are huge air gaps in there too, nobody really talks about it, just the lowr section. I siliconed it up and it's good now. But that said I wish I had drilled some holes and got some stick on screens for the lower airbox, and I likely still will. Air will take path of least resistance so even if it did pull some under hood air, most of It will be outside external air until a restriction starts.
Well up top where your screens are there are huge air gaps in there too, nobody really talks about it, just the lowr section. I siliconed it up and it's good now. But that said I wish I had drilled some holes and got some stick on screens for the lower airbox, and I likely still will. Air will take path of least resistance so even if it did pull some under hood air, most of It will be outside external air until a restriction starts.
Urs must be an 18?
They have huge gaping holes up top.
Lots of pics of this subject. 19's don't have this issue as they redesigned the upper intake filters.
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Nope mines a 19 alpha.*perhaps* they shifted when I had the intake apart then during re-assembly? They are sealed up now though.
Can u post pics?
I would like to see the area of concern.
Maybe i have missed it...[emoji3061]
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Ya I had the same problem. Sealed my hood...still sucking snow. Upper intake was the problem. i discovered it the same way. Snow blew in there on the highway. That was on a 20
Only picture of the area but you will see how it all "seals" poorly if you take a good look. Decent way was basically just getting silicone in there with screens in place and sealed it up, half of it had a little bit of a sealing channel and the other rhalf just butted up against that upper screen plastic which isn't good.
Thanks @Octanee.
Truth is, where i live and the wet heavy snow i ride in, that crappy seal on the 19 is most likely sufficient. U should see the 18's, u can literally stick ur finger inside the gap.
Now that i know this is an issue, i will have to seal it. Peeps that ride inland dry snow should absolutely seal asap.
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Truth is, where i live and the wet heavy snow i ride in, that crappy seal on the 19 is most likely sufficient. U should see the 18's, u can literally stick ur finger inside the gap.
Now that i know this is an issue, i will have to seal it. Peeps that ride inland dry snow should absolutely seal asap.
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