1985 Ski-Doo Formula MX 470 Resurrection - Gettin' it Running Again

[@stevesavage8424]

You win youtuber joke of the year..with the cassette tape

[@jayr1757]

I love this new *Master Mechanic's Series* . You're really giving Discovery channel a run for their money.

[@NoelBarlau]

Oh man, I'm having flashbacks to spending hours as a 10 year old comparing the Ski-Doo lineup in their brochure.

[@crapalator]

For the year that sled is in mint shape.Evolutionary front suspension bud.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Ya, I'm looking forward to seeing how it rides and handles.

[@newhollandtm1400]

"Just because it's new, doesn't always make it better" Amen to that!

[@billglueck9705]

Great job bringing that barn find sled back to life! I've done the same with sleds, boats and cars. Something very satisfying about restoring something vintage that has good bones but doesn't look great and bringing it back to life! Well done! Love you're style.

[@joeohara2429]

This is my favorite channel... Just letting you know

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Thanks man, I appreciate that!

[@briannorton1301]

I had one of those sleds ate belts and plugs like crazy no matter what you did to fix. Had to have double spares. Good luck!

[@twintipguru]

FINALLY. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Best snowmobile channel on KZbin.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Haha, appreciate it, thanks for watching!

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

I’ve always loved this genre of skidoo

[@jeffnicks2128]

nice sled! use to ride one back in the 80s

[@toocheaptosmoke]

I want to get a few miles on the trails in with it to see how the suspension does.

[@douglashoran2973]

Had one back in the day was great reallyskidoo for the time

[@Hockeyfan9884]

You are awesome, thanks dude, sure do like your videos. I had a Formula SP, 440 rotary valve. gosh ,after awhile being so proud of my snowmobile, i sank it. Back now in 2021, I returned to my Triple Thunder Cat 900.

[@jsnyara]

That cassette tape joke is GOLD!! haha

[@joshfellows9601]

My dad has the same sled and has had it since 1990

[@chadscott2499]

That was my first sled memories brother

[@Hockeyfan9884]

YOU ARE THE BEST SNOWMOBILE MECHANIC ON YOU TUBE.

[@Ameritude]

Love your vids when I'm working on my sleds in the shop. So good

[@toocheaptosmoke]

haha, nice!

[@Military-Museum-LP]

A machine so nice looking with so much damage, crazy!

[@jimgourgoutis]

I remember reading about these in Snowmobile Magazine.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yup, that's where I found some of the info about them too.

[@projectstruggle7594]

An damn! The centurion is probably my favorite sleds ever..also that burn out in the last vid was👌👌

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Haha, yeah, the old centurion ended up getting some run time after all!

[@alexlacroix9515]

My uncle bought this sled in 86 and I grew up ripping around our ice traps. In 96 I bought it and rebuilt the engine I was 16 then won my first trophy at a 1000 radar run. Beat a 500 by 1 mile an hour. Lucky my friend's 84 Phazer had a can and couldn't run in stock class he beat me by 6mph. Went to cats from there.

[@kilabeez0]

Best content ever. Love your channel keep up the good work!!

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Thanks man!

[@justinstearns9723]

The Blizzard MX was still in production for 83/84. Doubt many were sold by then though. 83s looked just like the 82s, but the 84s were black like the 9700s. I actually have an 81 Moto Ski Grand Prix Special MX, which became the Sonic MX for 82. I’ve seen some others around on the internet, but supposedly not many of them were built. They didn’t even show up in the 81 advertisements.

[@xnotx2]

Niiiiice. That hood is friggin mint!

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yeah, it came out surprisingly nice!

[@bluenozer8746]

That's the engine that I have in my '75 Elan , bullet proof engine

[@Hockeyfan9884]

I love your video and very informative videos on snowmobiles. Please send more video , THANK YOU .

[@GearheadRob319]

the formula mx was 2nd in line for top of the line for ski doo. they were actually fairly fast snowmobile back in the day. ive owned a ton of ski doos along with others to. but i always come back to ski doo. good sleds. also, thank you for saving her. check your carb boots, that piston melt down look like a air leak.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yup. Checked them and they seemed good, pretty sure it was a plugged carb jet that took it out. Got to ride it a bit this winter, fun sled.

[@MidnightPolaris800]

Hilarious as usual man. Loved the tape part and the seat conditioner part 😂🤣 and that sled is actually in really good shape.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Thanks man, yeah it came around pretty good. Pretty sure a lot of those original steel skis have rotted away by now.

[@Military-Museum-LP]

I consider you an expert in vintage snowmobiling. My first sled experience was with an Allied. I think made in Minnesota. Then Polaris mustang. Then a Wildcat. It was the top in my opinion. Have we had a tour of your fleet? Thanks for your videos!! My favorite of all time was a Yamaha with oil injection. Quite. Smooth.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Not sure about expert, just try to learn a bit about stuff when you find it. Doing a tour of the entire fleet would be quite the endeavor, there's stuff scattered all over, haha.

[@ToyotaPete]

👍 Cheers from Canada. excellent job on that sled man

[@spottyjack614]

I love the comment about the Bombardier snoflap on the Polaris driving people crazy...I. can totally see that ..hahahHa.. great vid..and what a great find and great old school sled...👍👍🏁🏁🐝🐝🐝🔥🔥❄❄

[@toocheaptosmoke]

haha, yup!

[@brokeboymotorsports5674]

I don’t understand how you don’t have more subs .maybe people just haven’t found you yet

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Haha, I swear the youtube algorithm just doesn't like me!

[@davecarey7452]

Seen that kind of piston on a Yamaha. My cousin called it the Yammi Smelter.

[@jessekuchinski1172]

"We'll just let it ride for now, and come back and fix it later when it's full of snow" I'm dying lol

[@oldsledpurgatory3595]

Cool, Man! Can't beat free. I have what's left of a 1986 Formula SP. Liquid cooled 470, leaf springs, and dual outboard shock rear skid. Great on groomed trails but hang on tight when you get in the rough stuff. Also have an '85 Safari with the same rear skid; basically the same chassis with a 377 and no tunnel coolers. And both my '89 Mercury Grand Marquis and '04 Chevy Express 3500 have functioning factory tape decks.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Keep the tape decks going! haha

[@mnmarlin6074]

Love your boots! Hope you paid your favorite price for them.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

You know it! haha

[@dskofich]

my 1st ifs sled

[@davedemo8229]

That’s a hole lotta piston. Looks like a Yamaha piston transfer port. Best part you didn’t wait till next winter. Isn’t 85 kinda new for you? Now all we need is some freakin snow!!

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yeah man!

[@carmichaelmoritz8662]

you can tell you're used to holding a beer in one hand and working with the other lol.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

haha

[@carmichaelmoritz8662]

@@toocheaptosmoke just saying you're holding the camera in one hand and you're doing a really good job with the other. I could never do that due to the fact I need both hands-free to do a job. :))

[@bobg3034]

I Love those Rotax rotary engines!

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Heck yeah!

[@carmichaelmoritz8662]

I like your channel name toocheaptosmoke . I was going to say maybe too smart to smoke but then I seen a beer in your hand. lol. :))

[@101octane6]

Neat old sled 👍, ive got a 91 formula plus and it rides like a tub but they're solid sleds.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Right on!

[@pinittowinit8481]

When the recoil doesn't catch jerk it forwards and down it always works on my sled a d my buddies sled

[@reddirtrider6190]

Love the intro

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Thanks!

[@AdamYoung-fk7im]

Those damn car warranty people have a time machine!

[@BorisJonsson]

look´s like a 1986 by the decals, anyway.. nice sled, had a 1985 my self when it was new..

[@stevenwithanS]

I thought the cylinder would be NFG with a piston that bad. Holy crap. I've seen pistons with a hole in the top before. Not on the side.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yeah, I wasn't expecting to find that in there, haha.

[@curtiswheeler9042]

i remember brand new 1979 blizzard 7500 plus all you had to do is put something on the emergence kill switch unplug the key switch pull and off you go! definetly buy insurance for those.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yup, a lot of those sleds could be started by just unplugging the key and kill switch.

[@Dsdcain]

"Gotta make things worse, before you make things better." *toocheaptosmoke 2021.* and beer does help. 😎 Words to live by. I also kind of want to know how do you find such great "Barn Fresh" stuff? Also, too bad it's a snow sled. At first startup it'd make a fantastic mosquito control device. Stay safe as you can out there man. 😎👍

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Haha, thanks man. You never know, sometimes stuff just finds you, good to get lucky occasionally!

[@scotteisener2958]

A 670 would livin that thing up i would think

[@toocheaptosmoke]

For sure! A 670 is good for livening up almost anything, haha.

[@freegirlnow333]

i like your humor,, maguires seat restorer,,,,uses motor oil

[@mikespooner63]

Last I checked ATF was used on seats lol

[@martyfield694]

That sled brings back memories but not of the good kind. My buddy had an 87 MX that he went through the ice on in a blizzard. Found him 3 days later. Feb. 26 will be 20 years, RIP Gerry. Sorry for being a downer

[@toocheaptosmoke]

That's a bummer. Good reminder to always try and be safe out there though.

[@thatalaskaguy]

I always liked those sleds. Never owned a running one but I always thought they’d be fun on a hard groomed trail railing around the corners. I also had a 5500 MX and it did suck. It was in no way, shape or form comparable to an Indy of the same vintage.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yup, the indy was a huge leap forward in ride quality.

[@stevenbaker9327]

Pretty decent sled....NOW!

[@chadscott2499]

I always had problems with that big brass wheel that rotates to both carbs to let gas in

[@snowking55]

She cleaned up well. Did you find any other debris in the bottom end? Seems to run pretty good, just need to get it out and run her for awhile to clean it out good. But that takes that miraculous white stuff that they're getting in Texas, go figure.

[@toocheaptosmoke]

No, must have already worked it's way through. Never have snow when you need it, haha.

[@2strokeunlimited2.06]

You're videos are awesome

[@toocheaptosmoke]

haha, thanks man!

[@crazymisada]

I have the same skidoo and doesn't make any fire on both spark plugs .. Where should I start to look at? thanks. I like your vids

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Would start by making sure the kill switch circuit isn't shorted out, or have a bad switch or key. Next up look for loose connections or grounds from the CDI

[@coloradosprings7147]

Can u do a video on the suspension?

[@toocheaptosmoke]

If we get some snow, can maybe do some ride and close up footage.

[@coloradosprings7147]

@@toocheaptosmoke just bought a 89 mx 470 up here in Ontario Canada still know snow here either 8

[@freegirlnow333]

ah your right it is atf

[@rhinoengler]

Hey I just got one of these and I know nothing about it..I believe it is 2 stroke but appears it has oil pump. So what would my gas ratio be?

[@toocheaptosmoke]

There should be two oil tanks, one for the rotary valve lube, and one for the injection oil. The oil injection usually averages out to 40:1 to 50:1

[@jtothefx]

Extended warranty mix, I died

[@franciskelley2248]

How do you get by without splitting the case and getting the detonated piston out of the crankcase ?

[@toocheaptosmoke]

All the fragments seemed to have exited through the exhaust. I'm not taking this sled on 100+ mile trips, so not too worried about it.

[@carmichaelmoritz8662]

when you pulled the fuel stick out of the tank it looked like you know what being pulled out of damaged goods

[@swollenproperty8682]

I got one of these and the oil lines fell apart I can’t a diagram I could use some help

[@toocheaptosmoke]

There's a website called vintagesnow.com that has a bunch of shop manuals, it's a great reference.

[@hog1450]

Mint!

[@1inaMelon]

Hey, what size is the track? And are there any other sleds I could take a track off for my 85 mx470 or could I swap a 90s mx track into it

[@toocheaptosmoke]

It's a shorter 114" w/ 1.97 pitch track, can use 15" or 16.5" wide versions. There were blizzards and citations that used a similar track, a newer 121" track would need suspension and track driver mods.

[@waynebrown5428]

Cool

[@enticer3408]

Should do a video on that old Polaris in the start

[@toocheaptosmoke]

I actually did, but it's just another started and unfinished project, and I already have too many videos on those, haha.

[@davekimbler2308]

That’s about the nicest sled I’ve ever seen - for FREE ! Do you have old Johnson or Evinrude sleds from the 70’s ? I’d like to see some of them running !

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Haha, I think I owe the guy a case of beer. Got a '72 Evinrude bobcat ss I had running a few years ago, there's a vid of it.

[@davekimbler2308]

@@toocheaptosmoke I have watched that one before but was wondering if you had a good fuel tank for the 1970 Evinrude e2000 ? It sits in front of the seat .

[@toocheaptosmoke]

@@davekimbler2308 I have what's left of a '69 skeeter, but its tank is long rotted out.

[@davekimbler2308]

@@toocheaptosmoke no problem ! It was worth a shot ! I’m just going to have to get the rust out of this one ! Thanks anyways

[@1Also]

Is it true you’re secretly rebuilding a snowmobile to giveaway when you hit a certain milestone number of subscribers?🇨🇦👍❄️

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Hmmmmm...... First I've heard of that, haha.

[@1Also]

@@jamesmoran3266 Moran ... you used your Real Name🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@1Also]

@@jamesmoran3266 yes you did

[@shawncordeiroTerraceBC]

looks like single piped 9500 blizzard

[@martinleavitt6094]

Looks like an '86..hood side decals,tip off..

[@Hockeyfan9884]

when it was - 40 below, and colder than that, my gasoline did not get up to the .250 Elan . Question for YOU, give me an answer mr. man

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Diaphragm pumper carbs at super low temps may have trouble flexing and moving fuel.

[@Hockeyfan9884]

@@toocheaptosmoke Thank you very kindly for the infor indeed. Cheers.

[@mykelgreene911]

86 i had the same sled and the bearings are junk on the crank..

[@toocheaptosmoke]

These have those plastic/phenolic bearing cages, they don't like too much heat or any contaminants.

[@BigBeavrSlayer]

Mint ya know!?

[@toocheaptosmoke]

I know!

[@81moldy6]

Ouch

[@grandpasussie7122]

What boots are those

[@chevyfan82]

Nice!👍

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Thanks! 👍

[@ryanmartin1536]

please sos man. i just got the exact same sled, for free as well. i have no spark and incredible spark, where do i find a trouble shoot?

[@toocheaptosmoke]

You mean one side has spark and the other has none? Aside from any broken wires or shorts in the plug wires, coil would be next place I'd look.

[@ryanmartin1536]

@@toocheaptosmoke lol man i meant no spark and incredible compression lmaoo. still cannot diagnose the spark

[@brandonhoffman1875]

Have you ever been to B&D Rec. sales?

[@toocheaptosmoke]

I have not.

[@brandonhoffman1875]

@@toocheaptosmoke it was an old Ski doo dealer in harlansburg PA. He used to have a ton of old skidoo parts and a Mint 9500 blizzard sitting under a sheet in front of the parts counter.

[@martinblouin3639]

damn! how many skidoo's you got? i buy one if you live near the border!

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Not sure, would have to take a count someday, haha.

[@Hockeyfan9884]

tree fiddy, coulda gottin 2 ac's fur dat buy.

[@banana_beard8871]

you know

[@will7its]

Free with no ignition switch.....hmmmm

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Haha

[@alexlacroix9515]

Great power plant but heavy sled

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yup, when those rotary valves are running right they're hard to beat.

[@Studio_Earth]

#youknow

[@toocheaptosmoke]

You know it!

[@northernredneck4433]

👌👌👌 MIIIIINNNNNNTTTT

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Haha

[@96Duelfuel]

But what brand of beer 🍺

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Whatever is on sale! But, Straub on this one, haha.

[@SgtProstar]

funny dude

[@Hockeyfan9884]

tillotson carbs were not greatest in their day.

[@stevenbaker9327]

Your radically off carb sync is what burned up that piston!

[@stevenbaker9327]

Don't like the sound of those crank bearings!

[@charliecapissisit6661]

Hi sell me your Mx

[@brennensbuildsmoore5537]

You think that mx 5500 is heavy😂, ever picked up a ski Doo stratos, big, heavy, ugly

[@toocheaptosmoke]

The MX 5500 came out first so you could get your back conditioned for future heavy lifting, lol

[@jeffalleshouse9783]

Yr vids make workin.on.sleds fun ,thank you!!!

[@vtwinaddicted5852]

Just sold a formula plus of the 86 variety...

[@vtwinaddicted5852]

Straub amber????

[@toocheaptosmoke]

Yup!