I am going to go ahead and bring this thread back to life the best that i can.

I first ran across this pilot on eBay and decided that i would watch it. Never really had intentions of winning it because i figured the price would climb well beyond my budget since i would also have to pay for shipping clear across the country (Alabama to Washington). As it neared the end it hadn't gotten bid up way out of control so i decided to place my bid, and i won it at my max bid. One more bid and i would have been out. $657. The description didn't know much about it and the only pictures that were there were the 2 attached below. The seller was selling it to help clear out an estate.


After i won the auction and began making arrangements for shipping the seller contacted me saying that the pilot was in much worse shape than he though. These were the pictures i received. he told me that if i did not want it after these pictures that he would understand. It really was not anything i did not expect, it had been sitting out where it was for 10 years or more.




After weeks of dicking around with the shipping company, and having it not arrive on the date that was agreed upon it finally arrived. These pictures are of it fresh off of the shipping truck. Still filled with leaves from Alabama!


It only took me about 10 minutes before i started tearing into it haha! First i had to get the fenders off of it to make it easier to pressure wash. The side panels were a B**** to get off but finally with my impact gun they came off. This is after its first bath in 10+ Years! And i had to add a family photo of the pilot with its older siblings haha



So the tear down began, and it did not take me long at all to have a stripped pilot. My initial plans were to use the factory Engine, but when it had a twisted crank my plans changed. I began looking for a good organ donor. I ran across a 1998 Skidoo Summit X 670 that had the crank bearing let go and twisted the crank. The only reason that i purchased it was because it was the entire sled cheap enough that i could part it out and have money ahead plus free Rotax 670HO parts.. a win win!

Now that i had the Engine that i was going to use, it was time to start figuring out an Engine mount. I ran into a delema when it came to mounting positions. Do i mount the Engine high and retain the use of the stock slide mikuni carburetors? Several people here recommended that i use SeaDoo downdraft carburetors because they take up much less room and would alow my Engine to sit down lower in the frame - witch i really liked.

Much Better Position



meanwhile....... I had been working on sandblasting every part that would fit into my sandblaster, pretty much everything except the frame, seat pan, and skid plate. Here are some of the results of my handywork. I'm hoping to have a pilot that looks new, sort of a sleeper. The untrained eye wouldn't know that it hauled ass! I also replaced all of the bearings and seals in the rear axle carrier and front hubs.


Here are a couple of special parts that i acquired. The first is a disk brake kit. Should help stop this beast! the second is my rear DC shock brackets! should help tame the beast's ride!



And that is all that i have for now.

Currently i am working on fabricating the Engine mounts, hope to have them at least tack welded together this weekend. I am also trying to save up for the YODA front suspension kit. If i am going to go rear with fox shocks, why not do the front as well! Sorry for the long post, just trying to re-introduce the thread, and get people caught up on the project that hadn't seen the beginning. You cant just jump into the middle of a build!

How long ago was that on EBay???

ummmm shoot i think it was late August 2011

Your my hero! I thought I stole my rotted out 350 for $450. I would've carried it across the country on my back for that price! Great deal! It looks like it's coming along real nice. Look forward to seeing more.

haha thanks. I paid $800 for my Odyssey that had begun a 570 Yamaha exctier conversion. It was a bit rough but had the sled Engine with it. I think it was a good deal for the pilot, but i also paid $690 to get it here.

I like seeing these sled Engine conversions. Is there anything special you did to the 350 tranny? From someone with experience how do they hold up? Thanks

The only thing i did to the FL350 tranny was clean the outside of it up, bolt it into the frame, and poured in some fresh oil. The tranny seems to be holding up just fine. The exciter has about 85 HP if i recall correct. This is my main rider until the pilot is done and i ride the hell out of it. Every single person and sees it just cannot believe how well it works. Its been almost exactly a year since i finished it and it still runs awesome.

That's good to hear. You have any YouTube video's of it? If so what's your handle? Thanks

my channel is here http://www.youtube.com/user/nitrosport5/videos there is one video of me running it, not the greatest. Was taken on my cell phone and i didnt stay close to the camera.. lol. still gives you an idea!

Looks real nice. I think I'm sold on a sled Engine in my second Ody when the time comes.

Got my Engine mount tacked together today. Will finish welding it and adding in a few braces for any side to side movement it may have tonight or tomarrow. I think it turned out pretty damn good. Im happy with it

I like those carbs on there. I wish I had known about them when I did mine, would have saved alot of greif positioning the Engine.
keep at it.

Dave, did you run an electric starter on your conversion? For me a starter is a must, but the damn solenoid is right in the way of where i would like to run my exhaust. When i first got it i was like "Oh i can just cut the solenoid off and use the pilot one and save some space" but the solenoid on this starter has a fork that pops the gear into place. be nice if it didnt stick straight out, but maybe angled down a little bit or somthing. Thanks for the kind words!

Sure as hell hope so! I want to take it to the dunes to eat all of the high dollar rzrs! haha

[quote="nitrosport_5] I want to take it to the dunes to eat all of the high dollar rzrs! haha[/quote]

Challenge them to a roost competition and I bet you'll do well.

The 670 I had was from an MXZ, so it did not have electric start when I got it, but I put electric start on, which was a challenge in itself finding the correct starter, brackets and ring gear as the 670 is kind of a bastard child. I'm not sure what starter I have as I picked though a box of them and found one that had the solenoid rotated further down than most.



I have seen on other sled swaps where they mounted the starter underneath the motor (( Internal Combustion Engine ? )) (enough already!!!) . Maybe mod your Engine mount bracket to incorporate the starter mount?

I shortened, and changed the angle of the stock y-pipe to get it tight to the starter and pointing down for seat clearance. Keep in mind though that my chassis is stretched so I may have a bit more room there. I was able to use an unmodified expansion chamber that I was told was from a 670 Summit. Exhaust pipe up and over, muffler across the back.

Thanks. It was quite a PITA to find a starter for this Engine but i managed to find one with a clutch and everything. The clutch was for a 583 and wouldn't fit, so i tapped the holes on my 670 clutch to bolt the ring gear on. seems to work fine. I will see if there is possibly a different way to mount my starter.

Finished removing the mounts for the stock radiator on the frame today. I have no need for them so i sliced them off to make room for whatever the hell else i feel the need to put there.

While working on my frame, i got to thinking about the smashed up rear of the frame. What would be the best way to go about replacing this piece? the one side should be fairly straight forward but the other side has a bunch of guards and stuff on it. Im also afraid that once i cut that frame bar the whole frame is going to stretch and bend and become not square.

Last night when ahead and ordered my temp gauge and an adjustable radiator fan thermal switch. tomarrow i am going to order the rebuilt crank for the 670, a gasket kit, and a new set of rings.

I also had a question on what people have done to mount the sled tach. part of me wants to keep the tach. I would love to mount it with somthing like http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-3202/ (i realize that isnt even close to being right size, but its what i orderd with my temp gauge. i think the tach from the skidoo may be an odd size. do i just measure it across from one side to the other where it would slide through the cup? im guessing i will have to do some custom fabrication for a mount.

I have a frame that needs that same type of repair and had no idea how to go about it. I would like to see how you do it, Then I will have number 2 ready to put back together.

David when i go to tackle it i will make sure and document the progress. I don't know how the hell these things get so smashed up. I would be pissed if someone was ramming into me. Im thinking my pilot had a rough life. that explains why it was sitting outside in the weeds. Luckly it met me and is being resurrected!

Will be keeping an I on this for sure. Mine I know was thrashed by the previous owner. From the looks of things
I think mine was rolled really good and landed on the back left corner.

That will be a white knuckle machine for sure cant wait to see it completed.

thanks hoser. Ive got a question maybe you can answer.

What bits am i going to want to burchase in order to port match my Seadoo intake to my Skidoo Engine? you can see in the picture below i kinda half-assed sharpied where the skidoo Engine had a larger intake port than the seadoo I could leave it but i feel that it would be much more efficient to make the ports on each part line up. Am i correct? ANd do you use a dremel for most of your port work? or an air grinder? Im not looking to change the porting on the Engine at all, just hoping to match the intake and case up just a little better.

This weekend i worked on getting some smaller things done. Engine mount is complete and installed, it looks good. figured out kinda what we want to do to mount the radiator, so i will get some tubing ordered for that. started thinking about how the exhaust is going to work... I really don't want to use the stock sled silencer, its a huge ugly square that weighs probably a ton, or two. Would a silencer like this be enough? www.motorcycle-superstore.com/4/22/258/ ... estor.aspx or would it be too restrictive? Is there somthing better out there?

I really don't want to use the stock sled silencer, its a huge ugly square that weighs probably a ton, or two. Would a silencer like this be enough? http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/4/ ... estor.aspx" .".. or would it be too restrictive? Is there somthing better out there?[/quote]

I think you are correct... do not use the sled bread box silencer.. way to big and heavy...
I tried the silencer you have in your link and it was too limiting and I had heat issues with WOT (Wide Open Throttle).. KingKX had the solution that I used... I took the fmf silencer case and gutted it... (using the case gives you the forest approv sticker/markings) you will have a forest compliant spark arrestor as far as anyone is concerened...
I then took an exhast pipe approx 18 inches long that would fit over the end of the sled stock expan chamber and drilled a million or two holes in it wrapped it with packing and slid it into the FMF case...
It looks stock does not restrict and pulls much better on the top... If you are going to be seeing regular high rpms you will need to let it breath...
I hope this helps you out...
I can post picks if needed
Regards G.O.

I don't see the pics with the miss matched porting can you post them?