Cutler Dragon 1000 questions

[Vorman]

I have been running a Cutler 1000 in my M6 chassis for 3 years and had a few observations/questions.

Great power - Running low comp. heads and twin pipes and 4 deg. timing key at 3-6,000 feet - 20% race fuel mix for deto prevention because we unload at 1000 feet. But, it seems to do barely better in the deep heavy powder than my buddy's 900 with 16" wide x 2.5" camo track. Starts trenching in a hurry and never gots on top of the light stuff. I run a 162 x 2.5 x 15". Very fast track poaching which makes it a great high marker but doesn't climb(not much more than than lesser powered sleds) that well in the deep and heavy. Clutching has been great for everything but really deep - it won't backshift enough.

Needs rest in between runs and boondocking - thinking the stock cooling system is inadequate? Seems to be a great spring sled but boondocking it and heavy powder makes it too warm in a hurry.
Might go with U-coolers? and/or mesh hood?

Starves for air with stock intake and stock intake really plugs with powder and chokes the machine out - best intake options for heavy powder that sticks to the hood?

Anyone know what kind of miles I should get on the blue printed bottom end prior to implosion? I have 3000 miles on the sled, and am re-doing the top end this summer. Did it at 1500 miles also. Thorough break-ins as per Cutler every time.

Thanks ahead of time for any comments, esp. from people who have been running these sleds at lower elevations where they really put out the power.

 

[diirtbag]

I run a cutler 1000 on a 900 ,mine has a 5" intake open to under the hood ,when I got it I was haveing cooling problems ,flushed system and replaced cap and thermostat and found the orings in the head were leaking so replaced those to ,as well as replaced clutch springs,I added high torque rollers on the secondary as well

 

[Mjunkie]

You're right about the inadequate cooling with the stock coolers. I put a crossfire rear heat exchanger on and that solved it. I have noticed that if you can keep your water temps in the 100-120's it will run stronger than when you get above that. I still get above the 120's in some conditions and after long hard pulls, but with the stock cooler I was having to stop in spring conditions (even with scratchers down) because I was getting up to 150 or above (which Dale says is the danger zone).

My crankcase has been blueprinted and I (luckily I guess) haven't ever had a crank issue, and I've had the motor since '06 and ride it very hard. This summer I'm going to pull it apart and check things out but don't expect to find anything since I've had it apart more than once already.

I've only got the 141 with an A20 but my sled ripps in the fluffy stuff. What track are you running?

 

[cobbycat]

my riding partner has an 05 m7 with the cutler 1000 and the cure for most of his problems was the diamond s mesh hood. once he got the hood on and got rid of all the heat, the thing started to work! he is also running a smaller rear cooler from CR racing and scratchers, and the temp gauge stays down. this motor does have a lean/hot spot in the mid range that you cannot dial out.....you just have to stay away from this rpm range (burp the throttle). since he did the hood, belts last a lot longer too.

I have been chasing this sled, with no luck, for about 3 years and it rips!!!

 

[Killerk]

M-junkies sled performs its best in the deep pow.
Diamond s hood, 4inch airhorn (i beleive) and 141 A-20... Absolute ripper!
7-10k
In the spring, or less than 6" of powder, ditch the hood and run a snorkel with some sort of screen over the inlet.

 

[KMOD]

I have been running a Cutler 1000 in my M6 chassis for 3 years and had a few observations/questions.

Great power - Running low comp. heads and twin pipes and 4 deg. timing key at 3-6,000 feet - 20% race fuel mix for deto prevention because we unload at 1000 feet. But, it seems to do barely better in the deep heavy powder than my buddy's 900 with 16" wide x 2.5" camo track. Starts trenching in a hurry and never gots on top of the light stuff. I run a 162 x 2.5 x 15". Very fast track poaching which makes it a great high marker but doesn't climb(not much more than than lesser powered sleds) that well in the deep and heavy. Clutching has been great for everything but really deep - it won't backshift enough.

Needs rest in between runs and boondocking - thinking the stock cooling system is inadequate? Seems to be a great spring sled but boondocking it and heavy powder makes it too warm in a hurry.
Might go with U-coolers? and/or mesh hood?

Starves for air with stock intake and stock intake really plugs with powder and chokes the machine out - best intake options for heavy powder that sticks to the hood?

Anyone know what kind of miles I should get on the blue printed bottom end prior to implosion? I have 3000 miles on the sled, and am re-doing the top end this summer. Did it at 1500 miles also. Thorough break-ins as per Cutler every time.

Thanks ahead of time for any comments, esp. from people who have been running these sleds at lower elevations where they really put out the power.

These motors really respond to air, get some good air to it and it will pull hard.
If you want to wake it up put some big throttle bodies on it, I heard that with the Cutler wide bore 58mm carbs this motor made 20 more HP.

 

[Vorman]

Anybody going as far as U-coolers on these

I am thinking if I am going to hold on to it another year, that is what I would like to do as that should fix it. I really think the slower heavy snow climbs make for more heat build up as the sled isn't getting rid of the underhood heat either because there isn't much flow through.

I am running EFI with Pure Logic box. Did have the Boondocker but wasn't smart enough to tune it. Need to get my fuel pressure down as I still load up on idling descents and then add some fuel in the mid range.

Fuel mileage is miserable anyway, would it be any worse if I ditched the valves? I think I get like 5 miles/gallon.

Running 162 x 2.5 camo. extreme track. Should be about the best heavy snow track around but I think it makes the sled work harder too because it is so big and heavy and hooks up really well. On a good day it is pulling 45-50 mph in the middle of a climb in the heavy stuff. I know thats not a ton, but I'd take that over the 60 you might get with a 141 or 50-55 with a 153". I used to have the 153" and felt it trenched badly so I extended everything out.

I think the real fix would be the mesh hood and maybe some Timbersled intakes. There isn't much inside that hasn't been partially melted, even with tape everywhere. Sled is going to be that much louder and more obnoxious is the problem. At least the melting plastic in the stock hood muffles it a little. Can the silencer be repacked on these and would it matter if I did?

So U-coolers, water wetter, and mesh hood. Sounds like no Boss seat for me. I just don't want to pour that kind of money into it and have the bottom end implode.

 

[Mjunkie]

Even with my Diamond S hood, I have a lot of heat tape, and had to make a thin metal shield where the pipe comes too close to the hood. It did make a big difference though. I use the Diamond S intake also and it breaths a ton better than the stock hood did.

Cutler did tell me when I bought it that like KMOD said the motor responds very well to increased air intake. I'm EFI also, but have done some mods to the stock air box. I put the larger air horn on, then I gutted the inside of the box. If you look inside it is divided into 3 compartments, so I cut out the dividers, then I put 5 flow-rites on the box, I never ran it with the box stock but I'm sure it breathes much better because of the mods I did to it.

As far as the track and track length goes, even though I'm only on a 141, I don't have trenching problems (mainly I think because of the A20). My sled stays on top and I'm almost always the himark on the hill, even in deep fluffy powder. I love my sled.