1978 Arctic cat el tigre

[zachwrench]

I have a opportunity to pick up a 1978 el tigre it belongs to a co-workers neighbor and has been in his barn for about 20 years with a bad piston. I have a few pics he sent me when I told him I was interested in the sled. I already have a vintage sled a 1979 exciter 440 and have gone on a few vintage rides up north with friends. I don't ride as much as I use to since the kid was born and the wife doesn't ride at all anymore but that may change here soon if this machine is worth a engine rebuild. I'm going to pick it up next weekend it's still up in a loft in a barn there bringing it down this weekend. I'll post up the pics my co-worker sent me today.   

[Vintagesleds.com]

[zachwrench]

Here’s the pics

[Earl]

yes !

[Vics stuff]

 That is the 5000 series  free air that has the more desirable ported cylinders than the 80 and 81 5000 engines.
 Vic

[ski-doood]

Nice looking sled when cleaned up and put back on the snow. Very worthy of saving.

Good graphics that year in my opinion.

[zachwrench]

Here’s my new to me 1978 Arctic Cat El Tigre 5000 rescue/rebuild. My co- worker sends me a text if I’m interested in a sled his neighbor has in the attic of his pole barn. I replied maybe what’s he got he sends a few pics I said yup I’m interested and I can’t pass up a free sled.

Well a few months go by and this weekend they got it down and out of the barn. I went and picked it up yesterday I meet my co-worker and his neighbor at the barn it was in for the last 20 years . The owner Gary said it has a bad piston with a hole it in I didn’t bother to check it we just loaded it up and checked out his tractor project then I headed home. I think Gary had owned the sled since the early 90’s we kinda got side tracked talking about bikes the old guy has some good stories.

I hit the power washer on the way home and also rinsed it off again before pulling it in the garage. Bare with me on the pics I don’t post much. Here it is cleaned up today and I pulled the plugs both pistons looked ok but the mag side spark plug looked very lean.

I pulled the carbs and exhaust the air box was a mouse house and there was some metal fragments in the pipe. The mag side cylinder has low compression the piston looks bad on the exhaust side. I’ll get the jug off in the morning if I have time before work I’d also like to open the chain case up also. I’ve put a few parts on my eBay watch list that I’ll be ordering once I get further into the engine I ordered a clutch puller tonight should be here next week both clutch’s look like they should clean up.

[zachwrench]

I pulled the chain case cover off this morning not much oil in it but everything else appeared ok. I also pulled the head on the mag side cylinder it has a few pings in the dome I've seen worse also seen better. The mag side cylinder has some deep gouges so I'm looking for a used one on ebay I've msg a few that are listed but no response yet I still need to check my bore size but I'm assuming it's a std bore I will verify in the morning before work. I would like to have this sled ready for going to Fast Eddies and/or Ogemaw Hills vintage ride I have not been to either event I've been to the Long Riders Relic Ride at Jack Pine Lodge a few times not sure if a trip that far up state will happen this year. Here's a few more pics from yesterday and this mornings progress

[zachwrench]

mag side piston

[zachwrench]

Here's the sled as of now I need to run it up to the quarter wash one more time as for now it's out back in my shed.

[zachwrench]

Here's the cylinder pic btw not sure how to post more than one pic at a time.

[motorman45]

Hard to tell from the pic but looks like heavy scoring, or is that oil leaving the marks ?   

to post more pics click (more attachments) right below the choose file button. and first just size them to under 2000kb / 2mb, best to make them 1mb / ~1200 pixles on longest side, i find using windows Edit tool / selection ( not the edit with 3d paint ) when right clicking on a photo is easiest.

[zachwrench]

Hard to tell from the pic but looks like heavy scoring, or is that oil leaving the marks ?   

to post more pics click (more attachments) right below the choose file button. and first just size them to under 2000kb / 2mb, best to make them 1mb / ~1200 pixles on longest side, i find using windows Edit tool / selection ( not the edit with 3d paint ) when right clicking on a photo is easiest.

It has a gouge on the exhaust side I'll try to post a better pic. I think these are nikasil plated I would rather find a used cylinder than send this out for repair.

[sr88]

Probably chrome plating.

[zachwrench]

Probably chrome plating.

That's what the guy in midland said at the salvage yard I've read it was either crome or nik. I missed there call back but they have one I need to give them a call in the morning and see if they can hold it for me to pick up on saturday or maybe even monday. I'd really like to get the engine split before buying any parts but it does seem to be in decent shape rolling it over by hand. The clutch puller I ordered shows it's coming saturday USPS we shall see it is a busy time of the year for them.

[zachwrench]

This is over due for a update I took the engine apart and the rod on the mag side is junk bearing completely gone I also found that the nut for the mag had been put on with jb weld the threads on the crank are smoked the stator was also loose. This engine is in pretty rough shape the only parts salvageable is the stator, mag, coil, cdi, carbs, pto cylinder, and piston. I'm on the fence on what engine I could put in this or maybe just part it out not sure yet. I did get both clutches cleaned up , cleaned up both carbs , cleaned up the exhaust and took the chain case cover off to take a look in there all seamed good so I put the cover back on and put some atf in there and it hasn't leaked so I got that going for me.

Here's where I'm at as of now for picking a engine I have a few options really wanted a FA engine  but also considering FC engine which in reality would be more practical there is more LC engines on
FB market place in my area but I would rather get a 440 or 500 fan cooled cat engine or the original 500 free air cat engine I need to call the salvage yard up north to see what they have. I'll try to post some pics of the carbs they cleaned up really good.