I own a 98 mach 1 and i beleive they have power valves or some sort of exhaust valves. I was just wondering if u had to clean them every year or not?? I know this would mean takin off teh pipes and if so how hard of a job is it??
Thanx
Full Version: Power Valves/ Exhaust Valves???
If your sled has the R.A.V.E. valves or any power valves for that matter, you shouldn't need to take off the pipe to clean them. They should be right on top of the pipe. Unless I do not know of some other sort of power valves that S.D. had. I saw a 97 formula 600 with power vlaves and they are right on top of the pipe, where they should be expected.
Read this.
R.A.V.E. Maintenance
By Mark Austin
Is your Ski Doo running a bit sluggish? Is that buddy you beat earlier in the season giving you a taste of your own medicine and you can't figure out why?
When was the last time you cleaned your RAVE valves? What's a RAVE valve you say? Boy…you really do need help!
Your RAVE valves (R.A.V.E. stands for Rotax Automatic Variable Exhaust) are those big bulging black caps with the red screw in the center, mounted to the front of the cylinders just above the exhaust ports on many Ski-doo models.
What they do in short, is modify the size of the exhaust port to boost responsiveness and power at the low-and mid-rpm ranges.
Taking apart your R.A.V.E. valves is not a big deal and should be done at least every 1000 miles (I prefer every 500 miles).
Once you get the hang of it, you'll find that this takes very little time. By doing it often you will also find that it will not only keep your sled running at its peek, but also aids in the cleaning the next time.
Below are simple step-by-step instructions for the removal and cleaning of RAVE valves.
R.A.V.E. Valve Maintenance:
Remove RAVE caps (via outside clips), being careful not to lose the coil spring inside the cap. DO NOT TURN THE RED SCREW ON THE CAP.
Slide Ty-Wrap from rubber bellows. (Sometimes this can be re-used if done carefully but replacement is probably the best bet. Ski Doo makes a re-usable spring that will take the place of the Ty-Wrap and can be ordered from your dealer.)
Slide rubber bellows back and unscrew the plastic disk. There is no need to remove the bellows completely from the RAVE housing.
Next remove the two Allen head bolts (previously blocked by the Disk) using a 5mm Allen wrench and take the cast RAVE housing off, being careful not to tear the gasket. (You will need to replace the gasket during reassembly if you do.)
Slide the RAVE valve out. This may be difficult if poor maintenance to the valves have preceded. Soaking with kerosene or carb cleaner can help loosen the grunge. I have seen some RAVE valves stuck badly enough that they had to be pried out. Be careful not to loose the rubber "O" ring on the shaft.
Clean the RAVE valve, bellows, housing and all other parts. Mineral spirits or kerosene will help remove any oil/sludge that may have built up. The use of soft wire wheel to remove carbon deposits on the Valve itself will speed things up and make life a lot easier. Don't forget to clean the RAVE slot on the cylinder. Some spray carb cleaner and a screwdriver with a rag over the blade will get the job done.
Reassemble in reverse order. The RAVE valves are marked "TOP" So it's fairly "goof proof" reinstalling them.
Some tips on maintaining R.A.V.E. Valves:
Using a good synthetic oil will cut you RAVE maintenance in half.
Drilling a 7/8 hole in the top of you RAVE caps will allow you to inspect the valves easily and won't hurt the operation of the unit. You can observe the operation of the valves if your sled is on a warm-up stand or you can simply reach in with your finger or screwdriver and move the valves manually to confirm they are not stuck.
Before starting disassembly, I like to mark the position of the RAVE adjusting screws with a permanent marker in relation to the slot on the RAVE caps. That way if the screws are accidentally turned, you can easily put them back to their proper position.
Conclusion
With regular maintenance and a bit of practice, you can complete this task in about 20 minutes. Once done, your power should be improved and you should have no problem spanking your buddies' sleds again in those ever so common grudge matches.
R.A.V.E. Maintenance
By Mark Austin
Is your Ski Doo running a bit sluggish? Is that buddy you beat earlier in the season giving you a taste of your own medicine and you can't figure out why?
When was the last time you cleaned your RAVE valves? What's a RAVE valve you say? Boy…you really do need help!
Your RAVE valves (R.A.V.E. stands for Rotax Automatic Variable Exhaust) are those big bulging black caps with the red screw in the center, mounted to the front of the cylinders just above the exhaust ports on many Ski-doo models.
What they do in short, is modify the size of the exhaust port to boost responsiveness and power at the low-and mid-rpm ranges.
Taking apart your R.A.V.E. valves is not a big deal and should be done at least every 1000 miles (I prefer every 500 miles).
Once you get the hang of it, you'll find that this takes very little time. By doing it often you will also find that it will not only keep your sled running at its peek, but also aids in the cleaning the next time.
Below are simple step-by-step instructions for the removal and cleaning of RAVE valves.
R.A.V.E. Valve Maintenance:
Remove RAVE caps (via outside clips), being careful not to lose the coil spring inside the cap. DO NOT TURN THE RED SCREW ON THE CAP.
Slide Ty-Wrap from rubber bellows. (Sometimes this can be re-used if done carefully but replacement is probably the best bet. Ski Doo makes a re-usable spring that will take the place of the Ty-Wrap and can be ordered from your dealer.)
Slide rubber bellows back and unscrew the plastic disk. There is no need to remove the bellows completely from the RAVE housing.
Next remove the two Allen head bolts (previously blocked by the Disk) using a 5mm Allen wrench and take the cast RAVE housing off, being careful not to tear the gasket. (You will need to replace the gasket during reassembly if you do.)
Slide the RAVE valve out. This may be difficult if poor maintenance to the valves have preceded. Soaking with kerosene or carb cleaner can help loosen the grunge. I have seen some RAVE valves stuck badly enough that they had to be pried out. Be careful not to loose the rubber "O" ring on the shaft.
Clean the RAVE valve, bellows, housing and all other parts. Mineral spirits or kerosene will help remove any oil/sludge that may have built up. The use of soft wire wheel to remove carbon deposits on the Valve itself will speed things up and make life a lot easier. Don't forget to clean the RAVE slot on the cylinder. Some spray carb cleaner and a screwdriver with a rag over the blade will get the job done.
Reassemble in reverse order. The RAVE valves are marked "TOP" So it's fairly "goof proof" reinstalling them.
Some tips on maintaining R.A.V.E. Valves:
Using a good synthetic oil will cut you RAVE maintenance in half.
Drilling a 7/8 hole in the top of you RAVE caps will allow you to inspect the valves easily and won't hurt the operation of the unit. You can observe the operation of the valves if your sled is on a warm-up stand or you can simply reach in with your finger or screwdriver and move the valves manually to confirm they are not stuck.
Before starting disassembly, I like to mark the position of the RAVE adjusting screws with a permanent marker in relation to the slot on the RAVE caps. That way if the screws are accidentally turned, you can easily put them back to their proper position.
Conclusion
With regular maintenance and a bit of practice, you can complete this task in about 20 minutes. Once done, your power should be improved and you should have no problem spanking your buddies' sleds again in those ever so common grudge matches.
http://www.off-road.com/snowmobile/info/ho.../rave/rave.html
I clean my 1997 Mach 1's RAVE valves out every year. With good synthetic oils, you probably can do them every 2-3 years, but it's very quick and easy.
I clean my 1997 Mach 1's RAVE valves out every year. With good synthetic oils, you probably can do them every 2-3 years, but it's very quick and easy.
2-3 years? hahahahahhah nice joke. dude, even with sysntheitc oils you need to clean them atleast once a year.....it might not take as much effort with good oils, but they need to be cleaned......i woud hate to see what your sled looks like underneath the hood......
Original Poster rode 1000 km's last year, so if he continues to ride only that much, he probably can go 2-3 years between cleanings, but yearly is probably not a bad idea (I never said that I clean mine every 2-3 years, especially since I ride about 2k miles per year...) I think a pretty good interval is every year or every 1000 miles. Will vary, depending on your sled's gas/oil mix ratio and the type of oil that you use.
I use Klotz snowmobile techniplate in my sled, and only get a slight oily residue on the valves, just slide them out and wipe w/ rag and re-install. I keep my sled very clean under the hood. Usually clean it out every few rides or so w/ compressed air, scrub brush, and WD-40. I can post pics of under the hood of my sled if you really want...
By the way, on a 1998 Mach 1, you might have to take the pipes apart to clean the RAVE valves, those are the center dump pipes that go up and over the engine. It just depends on if there's enough room for you to get to the RAVE valves w/ those pipes in the way. It's also a pretty good idea to take your pipes off every year to put a nice fresh bead of silicone at all the exhaust joints anyways.
I use Klotz snowmobile techniplate in my sled, and only get a slight oily residue on the valves, just slide them out and wipe w/ rag and re-install. I keep my sled very clean under the hood. Usually clean it out every few rides or so w/ compressed air, scrub brush, and WD-40. I can post pics of under the hood of my sled if you really want...
By the way, on a 1998 Mach 1, you might have to take the pipes apart to clean the RAVE valves, those are the center dump pipes that go up and over the engine. It just depends on if there's enough room for you to get to the RAVE valves w/ those pipes in the way. It's also a pretty good idea to take your pipes off every year to put a nice fresh bead of silicone at all the exhaust joints anyways.
yah i have to take the pipes off. All the other sleds i own have diffreent exhaust hook ups..
Do i need a special tool to take of the exhaust springs??
Do i need a special tool to take of the exhaust springs??
Nah, you can just use a good set of pliers. Becareful and watch your knuckles!! 
yah i know i had one hit me last year on my old sled..
hert like a b@#$@
hert like a b@#$@
A good pair of Vise Grips work good for me. Lock them down and pull. Just make sure to lock them down hard enough.
I cut a slot in a flat blade screw driver to hook the spring(like a sideways "L"), also cutting a notch in the tip to put them back on. I've also seen people bend screwdrivers for this purpose.
just updating it so it doesnt go away
:beer2:
:beer2:
Just cleaned my RAVE valves based on this thread.............20 minutes is BS. It would take that long if you didn't have to put that damn little retention spring around the plastic and rubber bellows. WHAT A PAIN IN THE &^%*! :banghead: Is there a special tool to open the spring.
Finally had to carefully chock the valve open with a soft blunt instrument and only then was I able to get leverage on the spring to get it over the plastic and bellows without peeling down the bellows. I would hate to have to do this outside in the middle of winter.
When I post topics I try to add tips to get people through the difficult parts, can anyone make this part of valve cleaning easier? Thanks.
Started her up and she's purring like a .............oh crap that doesn't work anymore I've got a Skidoo now...........she's buzzing like a bee??... naah that doesn't sound right either...........she's running great!................
Thanks for the help. :beer2:
YO!
Finally had to carefully chock the valve open with a soft blunt instrument and only then was I able to get leverage on the spring to get it over the plastic and bellows without peeling down the bellows. I would hate to have to do this outside in the middle of winter.
When I post topics I try to add tips to get people through the difficult parts, can anyone make this part of valve cleaning easier? Thanks.
Started her up and she's purring like a .............oh crap that doesn't work anymore I've got a Skidoo now...........she's buzzing like a bee??... naah that doesn't sound right either...........she's running great!................
Thanks for the help. :beer2:
YO!
I took my RAVE valves out to check them when I did the mods on my engine.
4500 miles, and they looked good, no binding whatsoever. I can guarantee they were never cleaned before. Using a good quality synthetic oil, and frequently running wide open, will keep them clean for a long time.
4500 miles, and they looked good, no binding whatsoever. I can guarantee they were never cleaned before. Using a good quality synthetic oil, and frequently running wide open, will keep them clean for a long time.
How did you get the springs back around the bellows? Was a pain in the A@%$$ for me.
:beerchug: great posts guys!!!!!!!!!
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