a few basic questions

[esterelbanshee]

I just got my first Banshee and have a few questions. I just want an opinion or two to set me straight on a few things. I live in Canada and love to ride in the snow and ice in winter. My machine is totally stock. I've installed 230 main jets to compensate for cold weather which should be good down to -30 celsius. Every now and then i get a pop from the exhaust. Is this because the machine is running a little rich with 230 jets? I've been using REDLINE 2 stroke racing synthetic at 50:1 mixed with 94 octane and a splash of Tactrol octane boost. Any opinions on REDLINE? It smells really good. I've been using it for years in my Jetskis with no issues. I was messing around one night and reversed the rear wheels to increase the rear track width. Is this going to cause handling problems in summer? Right now it only goes sideways due to winter so i cant tell if the handling is gonna be screwy when i get traction in spring. I ride mostly wooded trails and open sandpits in summer so the increased width in the rear would seem to be a good thing but maybe i'm wrong. Right now im still running the original Dunlop tires and am considering getting a pair of 4snow for the rear but i think they're gonna spin on the frozen lake just as much as the Dunlops do. Do they get traction on ice? I doubt it but everyone around here is telling me to get them. Thanks for any help in advance.

[jmoore]

Sounds like you are still a bit lean still on that jetting. I just got some 4snows and have run them on a local lake. They work good in the snow but are worthless on bare ice.

[Building my First]

It might have something to do with that octane booster. 94 octane is more than plenty for a stock engine.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Building my First

[midlifecrisis]

Be super careful in the cold for sure, I just bought a shee from a guy in Guelph, who had been running it back and forth to his buddys down the street, and he didnt know that there was a leak in the seal under the boost bottle, and ended up melting one of the pistons on the exhaust side from it being too lean.

 

Right here in Durham, by Lake Ontario, every couple of weekends, there are a bunch of local guys who take the shees down to Lake Ontario and rip around on the ice. They all swear by studding your older tires, now thats ice traction!

 

The guys on this site have helped me figure out causes and soultions , and I take everything they say as lore!

 

Are you in southern Ontario? Were building a track this summer if so?

[Pasi S.]

I think that you are way too lean. My Banshee was stock last winter and when the temperature went down to -15*C I have to put 240 mains and use the lid with snorkel. Stock pilot, 1 turn out and needle in center. If you ride even below that -15*C I think it wise to use even bigger mains, 250 or something like that.

 

-Pasi S.

[madjimmax]

If your mixing your gas at 50:1 your asking for trouble. I personally mix at 32:1 and there are some guys on here that mix at 40:1 but I wouldnt go no thinner then that on the oil. 50:1 is for sure not enough oil

[esterelbanshee]

If your mixing your gas at 50:1 your asking for trouble. I personally mix at 32:1 and there are some guys on here that mix at 40:1 but I wouldnt go no thinner then that on the oil. 50:1 is for sure not enough oil

Supposedly the Redline can be mixed at 100:1 . All the local quad shops say that 32:1 is way too much oil unless you use cheap oil. They all swear by a ratio of 50:1 for the better oils. I've been mixing 50:1 in my Jetskis for many years without issues. My 92' CR 125 has been using the same as well. Is there anyone who has had failures due to this ratio? Redline is supposed to be very good oil.