I nkow this ain't no ATV, but there are great people here, and sledders among them. I need help!!
My sled works like crap in the powder. Works great on trail, but once the pow flies all around, it makes its way to the carbs (blocked slides, ice everywhere...), and also the snow/ice blocks my air intake in 5 min, enough to make me loose 500rpm (and out of the powerband...I better head fast to a near trail!!).
For all you powder/mountain sledders, HOW THE HECK DO YOU KEEP AIR FLOWING?????

Thanks for ANY type of advice regarding powder snowmo. (I already have a shovel )

My sled's a stock '97 440 MXZx.

 

Zorro:


Sell your sled,buy back your horse and sword then you can make zzzzzzzzzzzz's in the snow so we know you've been there.

 

Zorro, check your intake. Is there a foam filter in it? My sled has a kind of foam filter that does wonders keeping the powder out. It is kind of like an oiled-foam filter you would put in an ATV only it is left dry. Apparently it was part of a 'powder package' my sled's previous owner had put on it. That and slightly wider than normal skis, along with a long track. I am still puzzled why they didn't go with the paddle style track, though. I guess they only went in powder occasionally.
Anyhoo, I think the trick is to stop the powder before it gets into the intake, where it can melt and ice everything up. Maybe you could try the foam thing, just cut it to fit in or over the end of the intake. Mine uses very open-celled foam, just enough to keep powder out to allow air to flow. Hope it helps.
PS my sled has a large intake 'horn' made just for the foam. Yours may not have it.

 

Is it possible to set up a snorkel arrangement like the guys who ride in mud do? You might have a first a banshee with a snorkel!

 

try taping off some of your intake vents on the hood..

 

rhubler: I can't find the finger icon
409LongRod: I rode a whole afternoon with a marvelous duct taped hood. The carb slides did not freeze that time. Slightly better, but still that intake trouble. (I will close them later the way they should be).
Farmr: I already have a double foam. A first big, thick one outside (he is the one to get clogged by snow/ice), and a smaller thinner on the airbox. The problem comes from the bigger one. Snow accumulates and I loose rpm (and eventually get stuck). I don't get snow all over until I turn. Could the rpm loss be caused by overheating? Should I buy a temp sensor that tells me the coolant temp (how much a stuff like that). I think about this because I'm wide open all the way...but on the other side, the heat exchanger gets plenty of snow...
You talked about a powder kit...what is that? (where can I get it!!!!)

Thanks guys...keep the input going!!!

 

Well, let me start out by saying I don't know a whole lot about sleds except for what the dealer told me. Mainly 2 reasons. I got the thing 4 years ago and this is the first year I got to drive the thing more than 50 or 60 miles before it either blew away or melted. Also, it has been dead-reliable and so I didn't get to take much apart.
The powder kit as the dealer explained it to me (for my model of sled anyway - Ski-Doo Safari - '94 )consists of this:
Air intake routed differently than normal - mine is up and back, just low enough so the hood doesn't restrict air flow into it, almost snorkeled there, you could say. It is also right beside the engine, at the back of the engine compartment. The air isn't as cool as it would be coming in from the front, but has NEVER been blocked by any snow since I had it, and this year I was plowing 2 feet of powder, with a top speed of about 25 MPH, throttle pegged. It was like a boat that just couldn't plane out.
The skis are a little wider than standard, which makes it a little harder to steer than my brother's sled, but floats somewhat better.
The track is longer - sometimes called the long track, or LT option. For continuous powder use, a paddle track is even available, with lugs over an inch deep. Mine has the long track, but not the paddle track. If I remember right, the dealer said it robs a lot of power if you don't need it.

If it is still freezing, I would think about snorkeling the intake up and back if it was practical. Maybe rig up some kind of quick-coupler gizmo so you could get air from the front when you aren't going in powder, for better performance.

Dennis Kirk sells temp guages, but my catalog is so out of date I hate to quote a price.
Good sledding.

 

Some sleds have a snorkle system on them, direct it away from the front of the sled. If yours doesnt, look into it.. You idealy want it as short as possible, just change the air intake to come from the back.