I bought a 98 ZL 440 for my wife two years ago. I cleaned the carbs, it ran great last year.

Before summer I ran the carbs empty, filled the tank and added Stabil.

We finally got enough snow here to run sleds, So I pulled them out today. The Zl 440 ran around the yard once.
Where it warmed up in front of the garage I noticed it leaked gas. Gas with oil as it was colored.(So the oil pump is working)
One run around and it just bogged out in our front ditch. It would idle all day long, but If I gave it throttle it would just barely rev to 3000 RPM and then just bog out.
Not enough to get the clutch to grab. I had to pull it home with a tow rope.

Added brand new BR9ES plugs, moved about 100 ft and it started all over.
Seems to be flooding out.
What now?

Shit gas, clean carbs and jets again.

Rebuild fuel pump


new fuel lines and impulse line


compression test


check and clean chokes


drain crank case


check the coils for cracks as that can lead to moisture in them





 

You check dem points, hrrrmph?

Check all of the fuel lines. They can harden and crack over time. We just had to replace all of the lines on my brother's 02 Polaris this last week. Even the pick up line in the tank failed and had to be replaced.

Thanks guys i'll giver it a better look over tomorrow. As it was stuck in the ditch snow idling I couldn't see any leaks from gas lines from above, but now that I have it in the garage I will check again tomorrow. Maybe pull the carbs again for a clean.

I should add that when I pulled it out onto level ground it drove itself right into the garage about 75 yards I didn't really get on it, but it seemed to run alight under less load than coming uphill out of the ditch.

On the bottom of your carbs there is a fuel line with a metal plug, those are the water traps.  These are horseshit and crack.  Any dealer around you should have the updated traps without the plug.

When you clean your carbs hold them upside down and blow air into the fuel inlet.  They shouldn't let any air through.  If they do replace the needle valves.  Actually, it's a 1998 so replace them anyways.

I dont know crap about snow machines.  But I do know HP and this came up in my facebook feed the other day from a friend.

That is awesome! I am assuming it's a hill climber.

full on nitromethane ....they crashed it shortly after getting it running..thing was scary fast, but  dangerous....

Hoooollllllleeeeeeeee shiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttttt!
That could be fun!!!

Thanks I will check those out as well.