Viking Vagabond User manual

SNOWMOBILES
OPERATORS MANUAL

FULL SEASON
WARRANTY
VIKING SNOWMOBILES, INC. warrants each new VIKING for a complete snowmobile season against
structural defects in materials and workmanship; providing the machine was
properly maintained and used
under normal conditions.
In the case
of a purchase made within 60 days prior to the end of a season, considered to be April 30th,
of any year, the warranty will apply from date of purchase until January 1st of the following year.
The Manufacturer's obligation under this warranty is limited to the repair or replacement of defective
parts
by an authorized VIKING dealer, proven to be defective in either material or workmanship.
This
warranty is not valid if the VIKING snowmobile has been subjected to misuse, improper
maintenance, negligence, accident, immersion
under water, altered, rented, used for racing, repaired by
unauthorized persons or with parts not designed for VIKINGS, or used on surface other than snow or ice.
Further, this warranty docs not apply to VANQUISHER models of VIKING snowmobiles as they are
specifically
intended for racing purposes.
This
warranty does not apply to engine, carburetor, torque converters or drive tracks. They arc subject to
warranty of their own manufacturer. Drive belts, windshields, ski skags and brake and throttle cables
are
not covered by warranty.
This
warranty is expressly in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied including all other
obligations and liabilities on the part of VIKING SNOWMOBILES, INC. And VIKING SNOWMOBILES,
INC. neither assumes nor authorizes any other person to assume for it any responsibility in connection with
VIKING machines.
VIKING SNOWMOBILES, INCORPORATED
TWIN VALLEY, MINNESOTA 56584

pr~G
SNOWMOBI L ES
INDEX
Recommended Pre-Operating Tips
Operating
Controls
Starting Procedure
Fuel Mixture
Break-In Period
Carburetor Adjustment
Lubrication
'Maintenance . . . .
Operation and Care of Two Cycle Engines
Summer Storage
Engine and Chassis Specifications
Records . . . . . . . . .
Page
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
. 8-10
11-14
.15
.16
.17

RECOMMENDED PRE-OPERATIN G T IPS
CHECK THE FOLLOWING ITEMS EACH TIME BEFORE STARTING YOUR VIKING
I. Check throttle and brake controls to be certain
they operate freely. Brake should not be too tight
but must have proper adjustment to insure good
braking action.
2. Rock the machine to make certain track is not
frozen to the ground.
3. Check fuel supply. Always fill fuel tank before
making
any trip and carry enough spare fuel for
extended trips.
4. Check the steering mechanism to be certain skis
turn freely.
5. After starting engine, turn machine on side and
accelerate slowly to make certain track turns
freely.
2.
6. Always carry a ·spare drive belt and extra spark
plugs as well as tools
to facilitate changing. These
items should be regarded as
important as a spare
tire in an automobile.

OPERATING CONTROLS
1.
FINGER TIP BRAKE CONTROL
2.
FINGER TIP THROTTLE CONTROL
3. OFF / ON/START SWITCH
4. PRIMER BUTTON
5. CHOKE CONTROL
6. HI-LOW LIGHT SWITCH
Operates only when ignition is on.
7. SPEEDOMETER
8.
TACHOMETER
(Optional)
9. STARTING CABLE
10.
TOOL AND GLOVE COMPARTMENT
3.

r
STARTING PROCEDURE
1. Check Pre-Operating tips on page 1.
2. Turn ignition key to "ON" position.
3. Push primer
button until pressure is felt, then push
one more time.
4. Pull out choke.
5. (Manual Start Machines) Pull starter rope slowly
until
it engages and compression is felt, then pull
hard. CAUTION: Avoid
pu ll ing rope to its limit or
dropping
rope from an extended position. When
engine starts, push in choke slowly.
4.
6. (Electric Start Machines) Turn ignition key to
"START" position. As soon as engine starts, allow
key to
return to "ON" position. Push in choke
slowly.
7. When starting cold engine, let the unit idle a few
minutes before starting
out.
NOTE: Choking may not be necessary to start warm
engine.

FUEL MIXTURE
1. Always use a good grade of gasoline, free of water
and dirt.
2. Use a good grade of 2 cycle air cooled engine oil
which is specially blended for snowmobile use.
Common outboard motor oil will break down
under excessive heat. Whenever possible, have
gasoline
and oil at room temperatures when
m1xmg.
3. *Recommended oil-fuel mixture ratio:
FUEL
20 Parts
OIL
I Part
*Check engine manufacturer's recommendation.
5.
4. Do not mix gas and oil in the machine tank. Using
a clean container, fill to about Y2 with gas, then add
the full amount of oil and mix thoroughly, then fill
with gas and re-mix.
5. When filling
machine with pre-mixed supply, shake
can to re-mix before filling. Gas and oil mixture
may have a tendency to separate while setting.
CAUTION
Excessive oil will cause carbonization of pistons ,
spark plugs, ports, and exhaust systems. Too
little oil may cause piston seizure, overheating,
and rod and bearing failure.

BREAK-IN PROCEDURE
YOUR NEW VIKING IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE YEARS OF SNOWMOBILE PLEASURE.
AN IMPROPER BREAK-IN PERIOD CAN SHORTEN THAT LIFE.
I. Allow engine
to warm-up a minute or two before accelerating into motion.
2. Do not operate engine at prolonged full throttle. For the first 20 hours
(approximately)
Y2 to %throttle is recommended.
3. The carburetor has been set slightly rich for the break-in period. If you feel some
adjustment is necessary, consult your dealer to check this for you.
6.

CARBURETOR
ADJUSTMENT
7.
Your carburetor has had approximate settings made
on it at the factory, however, altitude and
temperature differences may necessitate changes.
Your dealer should have made these adjustments
in
his pre-delivery service of your machine.
No. I
is the idle mixture screw. Approximately 1 Y2
turns open is the recommended initial setting. Poor
acceleration may indicate improper setting.
No. 2 is the high speed mixture screw. Recommended
initial setting
is from I ~ to I Y1 turns open. Too lean
setting will lead
to engine over-heating and possible
failure.
Too rich a setting will cause excess exhaust
smoke, "four-cycling" and plug fouling.
Just at the
point of eliminating the "four-cycling" effect at full
throttle is the correct setting. Only under full
operating load can tests
of setting be made.
No. 3
is the idle speed setting. This should be
adjusted after the idle mixture screw
is set to a speed
below clutch engagement. Spring loaded
adjustment
screw is on the opposite side of carburetor.
CAUTION
Do not adjust any part of carburetor while
engine is running.
Note:
If in doubt about any setting, contact your
dealer.

LUBRICATION
I. OIL BATH CHAIN CASE
During every month of operation, remove lower chain case cover. If necessary, fill with
type "A" automatic transmission fluid to the top of the chain as it is wrapped around
the bottom of the sprocket.
2. DRIVEN CLUTCH PULLEY
Every 40 hours of operation, remove belt (see maintenance section), open pulley and
apply a
thin coat of low temperature grease on shaft. Rotate movable face and apply a
small
amount of grease to ramp bushings.
3. STEERING POST
Ocassionaly, a small amount of light oil may be placed in the upper and lower steering
post bearings.
CAUTION:
Do not oil brake or throttle cables, as they will stiffen in cold temperatures.
8.

MAINTENANCE
9.
CHANGING CLUTCH BELT (Removal)
Apply pressure on brake handle, grasp moveable face
of driven pulley and rotate backwards. Then grasp
belt (A) with
both hands and pull upwards until
driven pulley (B) spreads allowing enough slack
to
roll belt off drive clutch (C). Then roll belt off upper
side of driven pulley and rotate pulley until belt is
free.
INSTALLATION
Place belt around drive clutch, spread driven pulley in
same
manner as above, then roll belt unto driven
pulley.
CLUTCH ALIGNMENT
Your clutches have been pre-set at the factory for
alignment, however,
if you experience pre-mature
belt failure
or tendency for belt to turn over, consult
your dealer to have clutch alignment checked.

MAINTENANCE (CONTINUED)
10.
BRAKE ADJUSTMENT
The brake cable is adjusted at the factory so that
when brake handle is released, caliper lever (A)
contacts stop pin. To adjust the brake shoes, tighten
nut (B). CAUTION: Do not over tighten, always leave
about % inch free travel on the brake handle. Check
that clutch turns freely between shoes.
TRACK TENSION AND ALIGNMENT
Track tension should be determined by measuring the
distance from
the front bogie axle center to the
bottom of upper track in tunnel. If bogie axle is in
lower setting, this dimension should be 4 7
/8". If
bogie axle is in upper setting, dimension should be 3
3/4" 0
If adjustment is required, loosen nuts (A) on both
sides of machine. Tighten or loosen bolts (B) to
provide proper track tension.
Raise rear
of machine, start engine and run track. If
track is not centered in tunnel, adjust tension bracket
on either side to compensate. Re-tighten nuts (A).

MAINTENANCE (CONTINUED)
DRIVE CHAIN TENSION
Drive chain should have approximately l/ 8"
deflection mid-way between sprockets in chain case.
If adjustment is necessary, loosen the four nuts
around the upper input shaft eccentric. Rotate
eccentric until the l /8" deflection is attained. If
shaft position is back of center, rotate eccentric
forward.
If shaft position is ahead of center, rotate
backward. Check brake for proper alignment on
brake drum and retighten the four nuts.
II.
SKI ALIGNMENT
For proper alignment, skis should be parallel. This
can be checked
by measuring the front and rear span
between skis. If adjustment is necessary, remove the
bolts attaching the tie rods to the steering arms.
Loosen
jam nut and screw tie rod end to proved
proper alignment. Tighten jam nuts and replace bolts.
NOTE: When adjusting ski alignment, make certain
both the skis and the handle bar are in a centered,
"straight forward" position.
Check skag wear
on skis periodically. Replace when
excessive wear is evident.

OPERATION AND CARE OF TWO CYCLE E NGINES
FIRST, GET ACQUAINTED
Understanding how a two-cycle engine operates helps
you understand why it needs the right diet of gasoline
and oil, why it needs the right spark plug and why
engine manufacturers tell you,
"Don't baby it." Much
of the information you want is in the pages that
follow, but you have some other "must" reading as
well -
the operators manual that comes with your
engine. Read it -and understand it -before you
start your engine.
A two cycle engine differs from the four-cycle in
your automobile or in your garden tractor.
*It uses a gasoline-oil
mixture for combustion and
lubrication,
not gasoline and oil separately as in
your automobile engine.
*It fires on every second
stroke of the piston.
Every down stroke
of the piston is a power stroke
12.
- a power stroke for every revolution of the
crankshaft.
When a piston in a two-cycle engine moves upward in
the cylinder (its first stroke), it draws a charge of fuel
into the crankcase below and at the same time
compresses the fuel in the combustion chamber above.
As the piston completes the up stroke, the spark plug
ignites
the compressed fuel and the burning fuel
expands and forces
the piston downward (second
stroke,
or power stroke). In this down stroke, the
piston not only provides power to turn the crankshaft
but also compresses the new charge of fuel in the
crankcase, then, as it continues downward, it clears
the transfer ports in the cylinder wall, releasing the
new charge
of fuel through the ports and up into the
combustion chamber where
the new charge displaces
the burned gasses, forcing them out through the
exhaust port.

That's a lot of action to take place in a fraction of a
second.
You can realize what is going on inside your
engine when you consider that at high speed - 6000
RMP, for example - the piston travels up and down
and all this action takes place I
00 times a second.
OIL- IT'S IMPORTANT
The oil you pre-mix with the gasoline is the only
lubrication your engine gets. Use a good oil, add it to
the gasoline in the ratio prescribed by the engine
manufacturer and mix the oil and gasoline
thoroughly.
Oil is vital to the life of your engine. Too little oil
means insufficient lubrication; it means
that you may
have
to buy a replacement engine in short order. Too
much oil means rapid fouling of spark plugs, rapid
build-up
of deposits in the combustion chamber, and
excessive
exhaust smoke.
13.
CARBURETOR ADJUSTMENT-
A
JOB FOR YOUR DEALER
The gasoline-oil mixture is the life blood of your
engine and the more carefully you handle it the
longer and more faithfully your engine will perform.
The mixture of gasoline and oil is fed to your engine
by
the carburetor. When the carburetor is properly
adjusted, it mixes
the fuel with the correct
proportion of air to make a volatile mixture which
serves as fuel
for combustion as well as lubricant and
coolant. Yes,
"coolant" is right- the mixture helps to
cool internal surfaces and to cool spark plug
electrodes.
When
the mixture is too "lean" - that is, too little fuel
and
too much air- the spark plug electrodes heat
rapidly until
they glow; in fact, they become so hot
that they pre-ignite the fuel. This pre-ignition may
cause serious
problems -piston burning for example,

or complete engine failure and an expensive repair
bill.
A lean mixture and the resultant overheating also
may cause
other major problems -such as piston
seizing and bearing failure -again, expensive repair
bills.
Adjusting 'the carburetor
is a job for your dealer.
Proper adjustment is critical, and he has the technical
information and know-how.
Fuel line restrictions, dirt or
other foreign material in
the carburetor, clogged fule filters, loose impulse
fittings and tubes also may cause fuel lean-out. Since
the fuel pump
is an integral part of the carburetor, its
ability
to supply fuel is regulated by the pulsing or
varying pressures in the crankcase.
If the pulse line -
the one coming
out of the engine crankcase and
connecting
to the carburetor - is loose, the pumping
capacity
is reduced and the result may be lean-out
14.
and additional related problems. The following are
indicators
of poor pump performance:
* Hard starting
* Loss of power
*Backfiring
*Erratic engine performance
SPARK PLUGS AND IGNITION
Now for the heartbeat of your engine - the ignition
system. The ignition system has a flywheel magneto
equipped with ignition points -
just like your
automobile. Points must be adjusted properly for
good engine performance, and this
too is a job for
your service dealer, who has the necessary
instruments, factory specifications, and know-how.
Spark plugs deliver
the spark that ignites the fuel-air
mixture to make
the engine run.

Spark plugs are carefully selected by the engine
manufacturer to give
top performance under most
conditions. The recommendations
of the engine
manufacturers should be followed carefully when
spark plugs are replaced. Always carry spare plugs
when touring with
your machine -and a wrench to
remove and install them.
Spark plug fouling, a common problem,
is of two
types primarily:
1. Carbon deposits. This build-up of deposits comes
from everyday running. After many hours
of
operation, you may find that the plug gap is
bridged by particles of carbon. If the bridge is
removed, the plug can be re-installed. If the
build-up
of carbon is excessive, it is best to replace
the plug with a new one.
2. Wet fouling. This usually occurs when the engine is
flooded during cold starting. Wet fouling can be
15.
cleared by removing
the plug and holding a match
or cigarette lighter
to the point section to burn off
excess fuel. Crank the engine over a few times with
the plug removed to clear excessive fuel, install
plugs, and start.
Both wet fouling and bridging may occur because of
prolonged idling. Avoid excessive idling at all times.
In stop-and-go operation, it is much easier
to stop and
re-start
your engine each time than to remove and
clean spark plugs
that have fouled.
CAUTION: Do not attempt to clean spark plugs
by sand blasting. Some sand could remain in the
plug and ruin an expensive engine very quickly.

SUMMER STORAGE
The following steps are recommended to prepare your VIKING for summer storage.
I. Thoroughly clean
off machine and engine of dirt,
oil, etc.
2. Hood and chassis can be cleaned and polished with
an automotive type cleaner wax.
3. Track and suspension should be cleaned with a
water hose, and allowed
to dry thoroughly.
4. Apply grease to rear suspension arms.
5. Apply light oil around steering post bushings and
spindle shafts, and all bare surfaces
of ski
assemblies.
16.
6. Siphon gas from fuel tank and run engine until it
stops. Remove spark plug
and apply small amount
of oil into spark plug hole. Turn engine over a few
times and replace plug.
7. On electric start equipped models, remove battery,
clean, charge and store in a cool dry place. It is
recommended that an inactive battery be
trickle-charged every
30 to 40 days.
8. Store machine in shed, off ground or cement on
wooden blocks or boards. If stored outside, cover
with tarpaulin, making sure windshield is
not
exposed to sunlight.

SPECIFICATIONS
CHASSIS
APPRO X.
LENGTH HEIGHT WIDTH TRACK TRACK
MODEL DRY.
WT.
W/ SKIS Less W.S.
O.A. FUEL CAP. CLUTCH BELT NO. WIDTH LENGHT
Vagabond 365 lbs. 107 in. 28 in.
32 in. 8 gal. *SV116
h~L\f
15 \6 in. 127 in.
Voyageur 365 lbs. 105 in. 28 in. 35 in. 8 gal.
41636 18 in. 114 in.
Vanquisher
370 lbs. 105 in. 28 in. 35 in. 5 gal.
41636 18 in. 114 in.
*All other engine models use No. 41636 Belt
ENGINE
NO. APPRO
X. DISP. IGN. TMG. BOSCH SPARK PLUG CARBURETOR
MFGR. MODEL CYL.
H.P.
CV.CM. BORE STROKE BTOC NORMAL HEAVY MFGR. MODEL
Kohler
340
2 24 338 2.44 in. 2.2 in. .90 W240-TI W280-TI WALBRO
WRI-1
Kohler 399
2 28
399 2.56 in. 2.36 in. .90 M240-TI M280-Tl WALBRO
WRI-1
Kohler 440
2 30
437 2.68 in. 2.36 in. .90 M240-TI M280-TI TILLOT- HR-79B
SON
'v/'2i!t!-T~
'IV.:>'ilo~r~
Sachs 440
2 35 438 2.65 in. 2.40 in. .0126* I WALBRO
WDI-1
Hirth 650
2 65 647 65.5mm
64mm
3.3-3.7 mm M240-TI M280-Tl WALBRO WDI-1
*Retarded VIKING SNOWMOBILES, INC. reserves the right to change specifications at any time without notice.

Use this space to keep a record of the Model and Serial numbers of your machine and engine.
MACHINE:
-------------------------------
Model No. Serial No. ----------
ENGINE: Make --------------------
Model No. Serial No. ----------
4fHK(HG
SNOWMOBILES