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    #1

    Free Snowmobile Project

    Last fall my neighbor gave me his old snowmobile, a 1983 Yamaha Excel III 340. He said it last ran 6 years ago, but I think it was longer. He had it in the garage for years, not sure why he ever put it outside, but he said when he went to start it the next year, the battery froze and he didn’t want to mess with it anymore so it just sat.

    I am pretty much done resurrecting it besides some small things, I will go through what I did to it to get it to where it is now.

    Part of the fun was digging it out. It was buried behind other junk, I ended up dragging it through the woods out to the road. I took my 147 out and moved some fallen trees and made a trail. Here is a couple pictures of how I found it, and dragging it out.
    85BC3EBB-EFD9-4190-AB16-B307F54CDE43.jpeg B7360EC4-F2A9-4520-AD32-9EB37B216A3E.jpeg 58F09BB0-7A68-441F-977C-C98C4DBB7869.jpeg 2643D6DC-1CE8-47F0-B7E0-E85F82ED4987.jpeg 5CEF487F-29F3-4C77-98C0-D1EDDDBFEE88.jpeg 9478804D-C7B9-4821-A841-C6CCC8AE8F7A.jpeg 792D33FE-BD85-4829-A15D-E9B316E30F94.jpeg
    -Nick
    125, 126, 147, 129, 149 x 2, 1450, 1320, 2135, 2 129’s for parts/project
    3 42” Blades, 4 42” Triangle Decks, 2 44A Decks, 38” LT Deck, 42” Stone Rake, #4 Cart
    Tags: None
    • Likes 1
    #2
    Here’s a few more pictures after I got it home. Some initial observations, the motor is locked up, the belly pan is rotted pretty bad, the seat is destroyed, the track looks good though. The odometer is showing 2314 miles.
    3C56DA67-E1F5-4FBB-8B24-87D5305B2A1A.jpeg 8DB6E656-122C-4D31-80FF-56E64D44E39E.jpeg 62C2186D-1C01-48FB-8E2C-FC42B978F746.jpeg 2D0B7412-6DBD-4C99-967F-58A42C79D38A.jpeg AAAE6DCD-BAD0-49F7-B511-594E6C749E87.jpeg 07405834-20E1-4650-8849-DCCBB56EA222.jpeg 15F8C9CE-2DC0-4CF5-9E0A-9FD989D9E99D.jpeg 68193022-46B7-4C7D-9B2B-B76FEF2FFF27.jpeg 6F5068F4-27D8-4744-B0F0-EE20EF5A3765.jpeg D73D01EE-9111-4BFB-A7C8-813EACFD6386.jpeg
    -Nick
    125, 126, 147, 129, 149 x 2, 1450, 1320, 2135, 2 129’s for parts/project
    3 42” Blades, 4 42” Triangle Decks, 2 44A Decks, 38” LT Deck, 42” Stone Rake, #4 Cart
    • Likes 1

    Comment

      #3
      I got it in the garage and started taking it apart. I pulled the heads off and poured some oil down the cylinders and let it sit. The left side was free, the right was stuck, it freed up after a few days of soaking. I rinsed the fuel tank out and cleaned the carburetor. I put it back together and it would run on starting fluid, but wasn’t getting enough fuel to stay running. I took the carb back off and cleaned it again, then it ran pretty good after that.
      51D5D30F-C392-4CD6-9EF1-5A2FF7C89732.jpeg 10BF6FBD-F1F1-43D9-9D44-8F1BD56C663F.jpeg 195069BB-17A2-417E-A34E-D1AD575A7B51.jpeg 8FB023EA-ABBA-457E-A759-6E8B6A3D51AE.jpeg
      After a quick pressure washing:
      F9247B46-EEDB-46B3-BDD6-918BFFBB47D3.jpeg
      -Nick
      125, 126, 147, 129, 149 x 2, 1450, 1320, 2135, 2 129’s for parts/project
      3 42” Blades, 4 42” Triangle Decks, 2 44A Decks, 38” LT Deck, 42” Stone Rake, #4 Cart
      • Likes 2

      Comment

        #4
        I rode one of those once and it sure was a rough ride. Are you getting enough snow to use it?
        Tim - It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
        Indiana, PA
        Check out my Youtube channel -
        https://www.youtube.com/user/xOLDS45512x

        Comment

        • IHCubCadet147
          #4.1
          IHCubCadet147 commented
          12-23-2020, 11:45 AM
          Editing a comment
          Yea, they don’t ride very good, I imagine the new ones are much better. I rebuilt the suspension and it helped a little, but it’s still rough. I had it out twice, a few weeks ago we had a few inches. Not really enough, but I really wanted to try it out since I only got to ride it once last year. Last week we had 15 inches, I rode it for about two hours and it ran great, I went to take it out Sunday for a ride and it wouldn’t stay running. Seems like it’s running out of gas, I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet, hopefully its something simple. Watch for another update sometime between now and the weekend.
        #5
        How about a pic with it out in the snow.

        Do you still have close to the 15" still around?
        Vic
        Beulah, Michigan

        Comment

          #6
          Originally posted by Redblower View Post
          How about a pic with it out in the snow.

          Do you still have close to the 15" still around?
          We had most of the snow until yesterday. It rained all day now it’s pretty much all gone. Hopefully we get more soon.

          I don’t have any good pictures of it out in the snow since I haven’t got to ride it in the daylight yet, but I will post some when I get them. This will have to do for now.
          A3C0724F-219F-4743-BFA9-85BDBEF80F6D.jpeg
          -Nick
          125, 126, 147, 129, 149 x 2, 1450, 1320, 2135, 2 129’s for parts/project
          3 42” Blades, 4 42” Triangle Decks, 2 44A Decks, 38” LT Deck, 42” Stone Rake, #4 Cart
          • Likes 2

          Comment

            #7
            I've only rode a snowmobile a few times. People here used to have them. In the last 20/25 years our snowfall has really tapered off. Not as many people have them now since you have to travel to ride them.

            Now that I'm older, it looks a lot more cold and wet than it looks like fun, lol.

            Good work bringing it back to life!!
            ~Jonathan
            Oblong, Illinois

            Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's obsolete!

            I've got a lot of Cubs in the barn....but I have more implements/attachments!
            • Likes 1

            Comment

            • IHCubCadet147
              #7.1
              IHCubCadet147 commented
              12-27-2020, 12:09 PM
              Editing a comment
              We don’t seem to get as much snow here either, which is part of the reason my dad sold his last one. Last year we had enough snow to ride three times, and each time it was gone in a few days. I only got out one time before something broke.
            #8
            Awesome Nick, looks like you done her proud, I love the hand painted numbers, lots of sleds up here, there is usually a vintage show and race about 6 miles from the house but not sure if they will have it this year.

            Enjoy!
            Vic
            Beulah, Michigan
            • Likes 1

            Comment

              #9
              Now that I know it runs, it’s time to start making it look nice. I polished the dirt and oxidation off the hood and found the original paint is nearly perfect. It could use a little more work on the top where the tarp was laying, but the rest is good. The windshield also cleaned up nice. There is a small crack in the bottom right corner, but the rest is fine. The bumper has some pitting, but most of it polished up nice. I still have to do the footrests and get a cover for the seat.
              64362142-C56B-4E2A-B2E2-5DAB3B20E7BF.jpeg 93A0CBE6-EA00-4380-BD84-BB3A68B04965.jpeg 4E50DCC8-87E0-4CE6-9F7A-E4B401420356.jpeg EBB77C50-581F-4DF2-BB48-9992D012E43D.jpeg EC029164-FDDA-484E-8D62-078B92B8F88F.jpeg CB3DD963-56B8-4591-9DAD-3E7BF51F2ACF.jpeg 432FD085-D4B8-4F59-BE3A-DF15BE3495FB.jpeg 134E5DED-F020-43FC-830D-0B2C16BA9F6F.jpeg 0722980D-4A5B-4F2D-90B8-10C79AE8C5B9.jpeg
              -Nick
              125, 126, 147, 129, 149 x 2, 1450, 1320, 2135, 2 129’s for parts/project
              3 42” Blades, 4 42” Triangle Decks, 2 44A Decks, 38” LT Deck, 42” Stone Rake, #4 Cart
              • Likes 1

              Comment

                #10
                We finally got enough snow to take it out for a test drive. I got about 30 feet down the driveway and it started to bog down, then died. It wouldn’t restart, so I had to tow it back up to the garage. It wasn’t getting gas to the carb. I took the fuel pump apart, and it was plugged up with pine needles. I don’t know how they got there, I drained and rinsed the tank out, and there is a filter inside.
                I got a new fuel pump, lines, and a filter. I got it back together just in time for the next snow. I took it out and rode it around for about a half hour. It was running good. Stalled once, but started right back up. Some initial observations: the brakes don’t work, the rear suspension needs work, the electric start doesn’t work, and all of the lights burned out. Runs really good though.
                749BD1BA-F218-4815-A4DF-592B2E7C5EDA.jpeg
                -Nick
                125, 126, 147, 129, 149 x 2, 1450, 1320, 2135, 2 129’s for parts/project
                3 42” Blades, 4 42” Triangle Decks, 2 44A Decks, 38” LT Deck, 42” Stone Rake, #4 Cart
                • Likes 1

                Comment

                  #11
                  I took it out again the next day. It ran good for the half hour I had it out. Toward the end of the ride I noticed something wasn’t right in the steering. The handlebars were a little off center, and seemed a little loose. Eventually something let go and it would barely steer. After a quick look, I found it was the part where the column bolts onto the belly pan. It was rotted and broke off.
                  2CAF8227-50FE-4056-827B-14964FB6343E.jpeg

                  Toward the end of the video, you may notice the steering is off.
                  https://youtu.be/QIg4OVBdMoc

                  EB61764A-F5B6-4F11-94BB-CCDC45237410.jpeg 6982729A-DE75-4897-8FD1-912F667326E7.jpeg
                  -Nick
                  125, 126, 147, 129, 149 x 2, 1450, 1320, 2135, 2 129’s for parts/project
                  3 42” Blades, 4 42” Triangle Decks, 2 44A Decks, 38” LT Deck, 42” Stone Rake, #4 Cart

                  Comment

                    #12
                    The plan is to patch it for now until I get a chance to fix it right. I pulled the motor out so I can access it from the top. Then I made some patches and riveted them in. I cut them out of a hood from a Suzuki Grand Vitara, so now I have Suzuki sheet metal on my Yamaha. The belly pan is rotted much worse than I originally thought. It will need to be replaced or patched properly eventually, but this should hold until I decide what I’m going to do.
                    AC8B9050-EB62-469E-9A58-25E5330C2195.jpeg 29842DB9-8C0D-4CF7-A69D-6BB5F0CEA405.jpeg 44A90920-4C3E-407E-8469-39DA21423956.jpeg
                    -Nick
                    125, 126, 147, 129, 149 x 2, 1450, 1320, 2135, 2 129’s for parts/project
                    3 42” Blades, 4 42” Triangle Decks, 2 44A Decks, 38” LT Deck, 42” Stone Rake, #4 Cart
                    • Likes 2

                    Comment

                      #13
                      Looks rotted really bad! But I think your patch looks good. Like you said, should hold it for a good while.
                      ~Jonathan
                      Oblong, Illinois

                      Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's obsolete!

                      I've got a lot of Cubs in the barn....but I have more implements/attachments!

                      Comment

                        #14
                        Looks like a fun project! Too bad I live in South GA!! Prob never have the need to own one! For now I will just have to live vicariously thru you!!
                        • Likes 2

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