BOMBARDIER ski-doo elan 250 1981 User manual

model
V.I.N.
purchase date _
warranty
expiry date
To be completed by dealer at time of sale
DEALER IMPRINT AREA
MOTO-SKI
FUTURA
SPIRIT
NUVIK
MIRAGE
SUPER SONIC
ULTRA SONIC
Text by:
Technical Publication
After Sales Service Department
Bombardier l.irnitee
Valcourt, Quebec
Canada, JOE2LO
The T,",lIr".,,~~ are trademarks of Bom-
bardier
BOMBARDIER EVEREST
SKI-DOO CITATION
ALPINE OLYMPIQUE
BLIZZARD
TNT
CARRY-BOOSE
ELAN
ELITE
GRAND PRIX SPECIAL

..11
boggie
..... .13
INDEX
THE 1981ULIMITED WARRANTY" . , .. .0 ••• 2
FOREWORD 0 0 ••••• 0 ••••••••• 0....................... .4
SAFETY IN MAINTENANCE .. 0 • 0 •• • ••••• 0 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 5
CONTROLS/INSTRUMENTS
Throttle lever, brake ignition/light switch, headlamp dimmer switch,
emergency
cut-out switch, manual starter handle, primer, tether
cut-out
switch. .. . ,... ,.... , , . . .. 0 ••• 6
BREAK-IN PERIOD
Break-in, inspection, inspection checklist 0. . . . . . 08
FUEL MIXING
Recommended recommended oil, fuel mixture ratio, fuel mixing pro-
cedure . . . . . . . . . . .
.. 0 •••••••••••••••• 0. 0 ••••• 0 •••••••••••••••••••• •10
PRE-START CHECK
Check points .
STARTING PROCEDURE
Starting procedure, emergency starting .. 0 0 ••• 0 ••••••• 0 •••• 0 ••••••••••• •12
LUBRICATION
Frequency, console removal, pulley guard removal, drive belt
wheel suspension, steering mechanism, chaincase oil, drive pulley
MAINTENANCE
Maintenance chart, spark plug, suspension, track, track tension and alignment,
carburetor, drive belt, mechanism, steering adjustment, engine
head nuts, engine
mount nuts, muffler attachment, general inspection, bulb re-
o ••••••••• '0' ., ••••• , •••••••••• 16
STORAGE
Track, suspension, ski assembly, controls, chaincase, drive pulley, fuel tank, car-
buretor, cylinder lubrication, chassis, inspection
..... 0 ••• 0 0 •• 020
PRE-SEASON PREPARATION
Pre-season preparation, chart, 0 0 ••• 0 • • • •••• 0 0 • • • • • • 0 023
TROUBLE SHOOTING .0 0 • • • • • • • • • • • 0 ••••••••• , • • • • o. .24
TOOLS
.. o. ••• • •• 0 ••• 0 0 , ••• , • 0 •• , ••••••••••••••••• 26
SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . .
o. • 0 0 •• •• 0 0 • • 0 • •• •27
WIRING DIAGRAM .... 0 ••• 0 • •• .,. ., •••••• 0 •• 0 • • • • • • • • • •• •••••• 28
SI
METRIC INFORMATION GUIDE 0 0 ••• 0 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 29
OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS .. . . . 0
••• 0 0 ••• 0 0 ••• 0 •• •• • ••• •30
LISTING OF AREA DISTRIBUTORS.. . 0
•••••••••• 0 • • • • • • 32
HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR SNOWMOBILE .0 •••••••••• 0 0 •• 0 •••••••••• •33
CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR OWNERSHIP .. . . 0 ••••••••••••••• , ••••••• 35

LIMITED WARRANTY 1981 SKI-DOO® SNOWMOBILES
1-PERIOD
BOMBARDIER Lirnitee as manufacturer, warrants FROM THE DATE OF FIRST
CONSUMER SALES, every
1981 Ski-Doo® snowmobile, sold as NEW AND UN-
USED, by an authorized Ski-Doo dealer,
for periods of:
• 12 months
for ELAN® , CIT ATION*, EVEREST®, ELlTE®, ALPINE®
models.
• 90 consecutive days
for BLiZZARD® 5500, 7500, 9500 models subject to the
following:
1. If delivery is made after the 31st day of March of a given year and before the 1st
day of December of the same year, the above 90 day warranty will start on De-
cember 1st.
2. If delivery is made
on/or after the 2nd day of January of a given year but before
the 31st day of March of the same year, all the unused portion of the 90 day pe-
riod will be carried over to the next winter and start again on the 1st day of
December of the sameyear.
2- WHAT BOMBARDIER WILL DO
BOMBARDIER will repair and/or replace, at its option, components defective in
material
and/or workmanship (under normal use and service,) with a genuine
BOMBARDIER component
without charge for parts or labour, at any authorized
Ski-Doodealer duringsaid warranty period.
3-CONDITION TO HAVE WARRANTY WORK PERFORMED
Present to the servicing dealer, the hard copy of the BOMBARDIER Customer Re-
gistration card received by the customer
from the selling dealer at time of pur-
chase.
4-WARRANTY TRANSFER
This warranty istransferable to subsequent ownertsl for remainder of warranty pe-
riod from original date of sale.
5-EXCLUSIONS - ARE NOT WARRANTED
• Normal wear on all items such as, but not limited to:
- drive belts
slider shoes
spark plugs
- breaker points
runners on skis
• A sulphated battery.
•Replacement parts
and/or accessories which are not genuine Bombardier parts
and/ or accessories.
• Damage resulting from installation of parts other than genuine BOMBARDIER
parts.
• Damage caused by failure to provide proper maintenance as detailed in the
Operator Manual. The labour, parts and lubricants costs of all maintenance ser-
vices, including tune-upsand adjustmentswill be charged to the owner.
2

• Vehicles used for racing purposes.
• All optional accessories installed on the vehicle.
(The normal warranty policy
for parts and accessories, if any, applies).
• Damage resulting from accident, fire or other casualty, misuse, abuse or ne-
glect.
• Damage resulting from modification to the snowmobile
not approved in writing
by BOMBARDIER.
• Losses incurred by the snowmobile owner other than parts and labour,
suchas, but
not limited to, transportation, towing, telephone calls,taxis, or
any other incidental or consequential damages.
Some states or provinces do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or
consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply.
6-EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES
This warranty gives you specific rights, and you may also have other legal
rights which may vary from state to state, or province to province. Where ap-
plicable this warranty is expressly in lieu of all other expressed or implied
warranties
of BOMBARDIER, its distributors and the selling dealer, including
any warranty of merchantability of fitness for any particular purpose; other-
wise the implied warranty is limited to the duration of this warranty.
However, some states or provinces do
not allow limitations on how long an
implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation may not apply.
Neither the distributor, the selling dealer, nor any other person has been
authorized to
make any affirmation, representation or warranty other than
those contained in this warranty, and if made, such affirmation, representa-
tion or warranty shall not be enforceable against BOMBARDIER or any other
person.
7· CONSUMER ASSISTANCE
If a servicing problem or other difficulty occurs, we suggest the following:
1. Try to resolve the problem at the dealership
with the Service Manager or
Owner.
2. If this fails, contact your area distributor listed in the Operator Manual.
3. Then if your grievance still remains unsolved, you may write to us:
BOMBARDIER L1MITEE
Customer Relations
Recreational Product Division
Valcourt, Quebec, Canada, JOE 2LO
BOMBARDIER LIMITEE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY ITS WARRAN-
TY POLICY
AT ANY TIME, BEING UNDERSTOOD THAT SUCH MODIFICA-
TION WILL NOT ALTER THE WARRANTY CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO
VEHICLES SOLD WHILE THE ABOVE
WARRANTY IS IN EFFECT.
October 1979
Bombardier Limitee
Valcourt, Quebec, Canada, JOE 2LO
®"Trademarks of Bombardier Limltee
3

FOREWORD
The operator manual and the Snow-
mobile Safety handbook have been
prepared to acquaint the owner Ioper-
ator of a new snowmobile
with the var-
ious vehicle controls, maintenance and
safe instructions. Each is in-
dispensable the proper use of the
product, and should be kept
with the
vehicle at all times.
Should you have any questions per-
taining to the warranty and its applica-
tion, please consult the
"Often Asked
Question" section of this manual, or
your selling dealer.
4
This manual uses the following sym-
bols.
A WARNING: Identifies and in-
Tstruction which, if not followed,
could cause personal injury.
... CAUTION: Denotes an instruc-
.... tion which, if not followed, could
severely damage vehicle components.
ONOTE: Indicates supplementary
information needed to fully
com-
an instruction.
Although the mere reading of such in-
formation does
not eliminate the haz-
ard, your understanding of the infor-
mation will promote its correct use.

SAFETY IN MAINTENANCE
Observe the following
precautions:
• Throttle mechanism should be
checked for free movement before
starting engine.
• Engine should be running only when
pulley guard is secured in place.
• Never run engine
without drive belt
installed. Running an unloaded en-
can prove to be dangerous.
• Never run the engine when the track
is raised
off the grou nd.
• It can be dangerous to run
with the cab removed.
• Gasoline is flammable and explosive
under certain conditions. Always
manipulate in a well ventilated area.
Do not smoke or allow open flames
or sparks in the vicinity. If gasoline
fumes are noticed while driving; the
cause should be determined and
corrected
without delay.
•Maintain your vehicle in top mecha-
nical condition at all times.
• Your snowmobile is
not designed to
be driven or operated on black
top;
bare earth, or other abrasive sur-
faces. On such surfaces abnormal
and excessive wear of critical parts
is inevitable.
•Installation of other than standard
equipment, including ski-spreaders,
bumpers, pack racks, etc.. could
SA\/AnAI\I affect the stability and safe-
ty of your vehicle. Avoid adding on
accessories that alter the basic vehi-
cle configuration.
• The snowmobile engine can be
stooced by activating the emergen-
cy
cut-out switch, tether switch or
by turning
off the key.
•Whenever the vehicle is parked out-
doors. overnight or
for a long
period, it is suggested to protect it
against the inclemency of the
weather
with asnowmobile cover.
• Do
not lubricate throttle and/or
brake cables and housings.
• Please read and understand all warn-
ings and cautions in this manual and
on the vehicle.
THIS MANUAL SHOULD REMAIN WITH THE VEHICLE AT THE
TIME OF RESALE.
5

CONTROLS IINSTRUMENTS
AJ Throttle Control Lever
B) Brake Control Lever
CJ Ignition / Light Switch
D) Head/amp
Dimmer Switch
EJ Emergencv Cut-Out Switch
FJ Decompressor
GJ Manual Starter Handle
HJ Primer
I) Tether Cut-Out
Switch
A) Throttle Control Lever
Located on the right side of the
handlebar. When compressed, it con-
trols the engine speed and the engage-
ment of the transmission. When re-
leased, engine speed returns auto-
matically to idle.
B) Brake Control Lever
Located on the left side of the handle-
bar. When compressed, the brake is
applied. When released, it automatical-
ly returns to its original position. Brak-
ing effect is proportionate to the pres-
sure applied on the lever.
6
C) Ignition ILight Switch
OFF
,.,.ON
Key operated, 2position switch. To
start the engine, first turn the key
clockwise to ON position. To stop the
engine, turn the key counter-clockwise
to 0 FF position.
The lights are automatically ON when-
ever the engine is running.
D) Headlamp Dimmer Switch
Located on left side of handlebar, flick
switch to high or
low beam.

E) Emergency Cut-Out Switch
A 3 position switch located on the right
side of the handlebar. To stop the en-
gine in an emergency
,flick the lever to
either upper or lower
"OFF" position.
To start engine, lever must be in mid-
dle
"ON" position.
The driver of this vehicle should
familiarize himself with the function of
this device by using it several times on
the first outing, thereby being mentally
prepared for emergency situations re-
quiring its use.
.... WARNING: If the switch has
~ been used in an emergency situa-
tion the source of malfunction should
be determined and corrected before re-
starting the engine.
f) Decompressor
Two position (OFF / ON), push-pull
knob. To engage, pull the decompres-
sor knob fully out.
.. CAUTION: The decompressor'
• provides easier starting by redu-
cing engine compression. However,
leaving the decompressor engaged
while running will damage yourengine.
Always disengage after the engine has
started.
0) Manual Starter Handle
Auto rewind type located on the right
hand side of vehicle. To engage
mechanism, pull handle.
H) Primer
Apush-pull button. Pull and push but-
ton (2-3 times) to activate primer. The
primer should always be used for cold
engine starts.
After engine is warm
however, it is not necessary to
use. pri-
mer when starting.
I) Tether Cut-Out Switch
Attach tether cord to wrist or other
convenient location then snap tether
cut-out cap over receptacle before
starting engine.
If emergency engine
"shut-off" is re-
quired completely pull cap from safety
switch and engine power will automati-
cally shut
"off'.
ONOTE: The cap must be installed
on the safety switch at all times in
order to operate the vehicle.
.... WARNING: If the switch is used
~ in an emergency situation the
source of malfunction should be de-
termined and corrected before restart-
ing engine.
Hood Opening
Unlock latches on both sides where the
hood meets the frame.
ONOTE: Always lift the hood gently
up until stopped by the restrain-
ing rope.
.... WARNING: It is dangerous to run
~ engine with hood opened, off or
unfastened. Personal injury could re-
sult.
ToolBox
Located under the hood. To gain ac-
cess, tilt the hood. Ideal location for
spare plugs, belt, rope, etc.
Fuel Gauge
The tank is translucent and fuel level
can be checked by opening hood and
glancing at tank.
.... WARNING: Never use a lit match
~ or open flame to check fuel level.
7

BREAK-IN PERIOD
With Bombardier-Rotax snowmobile
engines, abreak-in period is required
before
funning the vehicle at full throt-
tle. Engine manufacturer recomme-
dation is 10 to 15 hours. Dur-
ing
this period, aricher mixture is
needed (i.e. 40 parts
of gas for 1 part of
50/1
Bombardier oill. Maximum throt-
tle should not exceed 3/4, however,
brief full acceleration and speed varia-
tions contribute to a good break-in.
Continued wide open throttle accelera-
tions,
prolonged cruising speeds. and
lugging are detrimental durinq the
break-in period.
ONOTE: A
new drive belt
abreak-in period of 15-25 km (10-
15 miles)
8
10 Hour Inspection
As with any precision piece of mecha-
ical equipment, we suggest that after
the first 10 hours of or 30
days
after the purchase. whichever
comes that your vehicle be check-
ed by your This inspection will
give you
the opportunity to discuss the
unanswered questions you may have
encountered during the first hours of
operation. Remember that it is easier
to remedy at this
time than ~o allow .the
snowmobile to until apossible
failure occurs.
The 10 hour inspection is at the ex-
pense of the vehicle owner.