So the college man is home for the holiday, wants to use the snowmachine with his friends for a hut trip. Time to pay some sled dues! I can change the oil in our Nissan Versa mileage mobile in about an hour — but sometimes that messy project is an hour that just can’t be found so it goes to the quicklube. Sadly, no quicklube exists for snowmobiles, and an oil change at our Yamaha stealership is, well, not exactly a steal for the person writing the check.
It looks high tech and it it is. Block out a half a day for an oil change.
We think the Nytro looks kind of space-age cool without the cowling. Problem is, that space-age cool means doing an oil change is a three hour project that involves everything from complete removal of body panels, to reaching and turning things that are obviously designed for gnomes, not humans. First, removing all the body panels involves those little plastic rivets that you often see on automobiles. During removal you always break at least one, so add a trip to the auto parts store to your time budget. Next, remember to remove a total of three threaded plugs (vent at top of engine, crank case drain, and oil reservoir drain), and drain oil into your disposal system. The engine vent plug is the PITA, I’d publish a photo, but then I’d have to spend a day or two taking the sled apart to be able to see it. I couldn’t believe Louie was able to get that plug in and out blind. Perhaps he should switch from his Industrial Design program to being a brain surgeon?
Changing snowmobile oil, Nytro, in the Wildsnow garage workshop.
Oh, and don’t forget the oil filter (don’t ask me how I know.)
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I think I will take mine to the shop. Good to see Louie is back.
I’d take it to the shop. It’s an amazing hassle. We changed our hi-fax as well, and that was also a chore though it probably was worth doing ourselves to save the money.
just curious as to which huts a snowmobile friendly
A lot of huts can be snowmobile accessed to a degree if you simply park outside the special use permit envelope and don’t invade the hut with a bunch of sledneck party action and 2-stroke stink. No harm, no foul. In our case, we’re usually accessing a private cabin the details of which I care not to go into in deference to the owner’s privacy. Over at http://www.hutski.com I tried to be honest and clear about this issue instead of obfuscating it. That’s pissed some folks off, but clarity and honesty seem better than a bunch of muddled info…
sounds like changing the oil on my old Dakar. drain from one place, drain from another, drain oil yet another…. “german engineering”
W-T-F? A weed-wacker along side your many boots? You trim your own lawn? Don’t let my wife in on that.
Hmmm, I did got out and weed whack a couple of times last summer, mainly to try out the new tool, it’s a cordless with a BIG battery. Works pretty well. Thinking of using it to test durability of pant cuff ski protectors.
I want a photo tour of Lou’s shop. I’m picturing something like a ski version of Norm Abrahms (New Yankee Workshop).
Cory, it’s nicely organized but pretty funky as the 100-year-old barn/garage has never been really renovated, just patched up now and then. It has character but is expensive to heat and I always wonder if the mildew spoors are giving me hallucinations. Nonetheless, a video tour would be pretty amusing. I’ll see what I can do.
Ahhhhhh I just changed the oil in my nytro, took me about 4 hours. Most of the time spent on it was them plastic rivets, I broke like six of ’em. Pain in the ass! I would have taken it to the dealer but I live in the north and it’s $1,200 to send it down by plane, so I think its worth doing my self. LOL
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