Would you go back to a carbed mountain sled???

[machinest660]

So after sitting in the combine for a few hundred hours this fall my brain started getting some crazy ideas for a new sled build. How many of you guys would consider running a carbed carls cycle 660 or 685? I never ran a carbed sled in the mountains for more than a day so i don't really know are they that big of a pain? The reason I was thinking carbs would be for the simplicity and the weight savings over the efi. I know there was some temps flow and holzman jet kits but i never had anything to do with any of them, so feel free to educate me lol. I know carls does the 660CFI. What do you experienced carb guys think? thanks

 

[garlic bear]

The carbed machines were ok but they were never really pull the rope and ride like the efi ones are.The air is always different in the mountain so for good performance you had to usally jet even in the same area.
I dont think I would go back to jetting...dont miss it

 

[machinest660]

The carbed machines were ok but they were never really pull the rope and ride like the efi ones are.The air is always different in the mountain so for good performance you had to usally jet even in the same area.
I dont think I would go back to jetting...dont miss it

so say for a area like revy where you unload at 1700' and ride up to 7000' was it required to change jets on the way up?down or just chop the throttle on the way up/down to avoid a lean turndown?

 

[flying frenchman]

Sure is nice to have clean hands with EFI.
It's no stress.

 

[Dartos]

The first time you find yourself upside down at 9,000 feet, flip it back over and then pull 53 times to get it started you'll cuss that carb.

As far as jetting, as said before Holtzman makes some good products. I like the ATACC best. It covers a 6,000-8,000 altitude change.

 

[AKtoad]

No and hell no.

 

[Jaynelson]

Nope. Like said - flip the sled and then pull the rope until your arm falls off to restart - nope. Also the lighter throttle pull and faster response is nice. Not having to worry about jets helps too.

 

[Laundryboy]

I've spend plenty of hours messing around with mikunis. Still have two 550s with them. I definatly prefer injection.

 

[Vern]

Rode a carbed sled up until last February when I finally decided to retire the m7 from active duty. If they're tuned right they're not near as horrible as these guys make it sound. I ride from 5500ish-9000 ft and never mess with jetting and sled runs fine, up in the 9k+ elevations it did feel like it lost a little oomph but no worse than the efi sleds I ride with. If it ended up upside down, which happened regularly, just put the flipper to the bars and 3-4 pulls and she fired right up. Been the best pull and go sled I've ever owned, rode it for 8 years. I know its not a poo but pretty sure the principals are the same no matter what color the sled is.

 

[bobback]

Is it really going to save you that much weight?

Don't think it's going to make it more simple either for reasons already stated.

 

[TRS]

Would go back in a heart beat.

 

[GoBigParts]

No, Like being able to be upside down with out flooding out.

 

[Angermangement890]

I have both sleds, I like the simplicity of the carb set up, the weight savings and the ability to cheaply adjust the fuel curve. The 2 pull start on the CFI is nice, and automatic altitude adjustment is great. The CFI is a more precise system than carbs it has a lot more moving parts and sensors to keep happy for proper operation. I can adjust the fuel curve on the CFI sled, it just cost me about $750 to be able to do it. (PCV, LCD screen & Autotune). I do worry about more component failures on the CFI (voltage reg, computer, tps, TMAP, etc) and the reason I worry is a component failure of any of those makes the sled very hard to get back to the truck under its own power.

Carbs for simplicity, reliability and fuel/oil in the crankcase

CFI for ease of use and easy starts and the ability to add/subtract fuel in precise zones (ie add 3% at 5500-5800 RPM)


Ill keep both, still feeling out the fuel injection and learning the ins/outs of the Polaris system. My carb sleds have an ATACC so I haven't changed jets in quite some time.

 

[Toolbag]

Weight savings? I seriously doubt there is any wieght savings. Carbs definetely weigh more than throttle bodies, injectors and sensors weigh almost nothing. Please show me the wieght savings if you are going to claim it exists.

I have run ATAAC on a carbed sled. Worked great on a stock Edge 800, didn't work for beans on a pipe/can, lightly modded version of the same sled. That said, I always would jet em and forget em, worked fine for over a decade.

I would NEVER go back though. The rollover issue is enough all by itself.

I watched the power on my buddies carbed 800 fall off pretty bad with altitude last year. He was hanging with the new sleds until we went above treeline then the old carbed sled just could't hang with the new stock 800s. Same tune he had been running since new. I suppose he could have taken 1/2 an hour to re-jet but the rest of us probably would have run rings around him laughing hysterically...

 

[machinest660]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I did some research last night and found some older posts that claim 30lbs loss with the oil injection and fuel injection. Of course this included all the lines, harness, fuel pump etc. I totally agree the upside down sled and starting thing would suck for sure. But on the other had it would sure simplify things in the engine compartment and for trouble shooting purposes should a problem show up. I know the premix thing would be a step back in time but i am already mixing race gas in my current pro so adding some oil wouldn't bother me any especially since I would know the motor is getting it where and when it needs it. Just some food for thought I haven't started building yet lol

 

[ecut]

yes

The simplicity and being able to work on them makes the carbs nice, no controlers, etc, but efi is nice for no maintenance

 

[Idcatman3]

I'd be willing to bet most of that claimed weight loss is due to the oil in the oil tank. less than 10 for all the hardware. On a 600+ lb system (you+sled+fuel) are you really going to notice 10 lb right out of the middle?

 

[BILTIT]

I ran my twin piped 03 RMK 800 with an ATACC in the mountains for a whole winter (5 trips to the mountains 6-8000') and numerous runs around home 1800-2200'. Never rejetted once and it ran flawless.

Biggest issue is the rollover deal which isnt bad, just flipper to the bar and 3 pulls as said above.

I too worry about all the sensors with fuel injection but havent had any problems yet.

I have 3 carbed sleds at home and they all run great except one (2000 440 xc sp), damn choke gives me the fits all the time .

 

[Reg2view]

Wasn't mentioned, but doo's DPM worked damn fine, best of all the OEM 's altitude and temp enleanment schemes. Stock or mod, they gave you lots of flexibility with mods for little coin if you knew how to jet flatsides. Liked the simplicity back then, still had a temp sensor, but it was very rugged. Very seldom would DPM fail if you maintained the sled, easy to test, easy to fix. If I had to go back, that's where I would head first.

Holtzman had the ATACC, Variflow (manual on the fly), Tempaflow (temp only), which worked with similar principle. Product got creamed by EFI, but he ended up doing ok with his NOS product. Another very bright innovator in the sled biz.

 

[BILTIT]

Yup, i have two ATACC's and one tempa-flow and they all work great. I have a few old vari-flows but have never used them, just replaced them with ATACC's.