400 restoration project

These posts document restoration experiences of our members
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Barrie2777
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Joined:Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:17 pm
Location:Arundel Quebec
Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Tue Mar 01, 2016 6:31 pm

Found this on my shelf. It completes the engine exterior parts.
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252 cyl head.JPG
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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Tue Mar 01, 2016 7:03 pm

The following photos and description are curtacy of Peter. This is a simple puller that anyone could make.

in these photos it is just for demo purposes. after i have cylinder removed and crankcase bolts out i use this puller with 4 bolts screwed into the pto accessory mount. they are all tightened in to the exact same depth. thats so when i start to
pull case apart it puts equal
pressure on all 4 points so its a nice even pull to separate it off the bearing. but before doing that i put a bit of pressure on it then take my heat gun and i go all around it heating up the bearing housing. usually when it is hot enough it should make a slight pop from the pressure of the puller then i proceed quickly to pull it off bearing thus separating the case halfs
once i have that side off to get fan housing side off the mag side bearing, what i do is i put the flywheel nut back on the shaft but i run it down so it is flush with the shaft then i heat bearing housing up significantly and when i think its right temp i support crankshaft and piston and everything in one hand so it cant rattle around i then simply tap end of crankshaft with nut against piece of 2'x4' on the bench and that half of case falls off bearing. if it doesnt come off easily, apply more heat
i use a heat gun not an open flame torch
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sep engine halves.JPG
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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sat Mar 05, 2016 5:52 pm

I have sent the crankshaft out to be rebuilt so I am advancing slowly with the assembly.
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400 with black detailing.JPG
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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sat Mar 12, 2016 12:12 pm

I have installed a new jackshaft housing and new bearings. The old jackshaft was in perfect condition. The splines for the 9 tooth sprocket were in excellent condition. These splines are really your biggest concern when evaluating the condition of the jackshaft. The sprocket should fit tight with no play in rotation. Constant movement would eventually result in stripped splines.

The second photo shows the brake drum which is found only on the model 200 and 400. This part was later replaced by HUS-SKI welding a band on the outside of the fixed sheave. This fixed sheave has no band. If you run a model 400 without the brake drum you must replace it with a 1/4" spacer to compensate for the missing drum. This spacer will align your clutches. This photo shows a 1/2" dia washer against the chain case cover but in fact there is not enough room between the brake drum edge and the bolt head if this washer is installed.
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jackshaft.JPG
jackshaft.JPG (27.81KiB)Viewed 4326 times
brake drum.JPG
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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sat Mar 12, 2016 3:06 pm

One thing I forgot to do before painting was to mask off the threads for the secondary clutch adjustment. The threads are so fine there is no room for paint. I painstakingly scratched the paint out of the threads until the adjustment nut spun on freely. The adjustment nut must thread on easily so that when you are compressing the spring, your job is much easier. It is then also easy to adjust the operating tension.
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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sat Mar 12, 2016 5:30 pm

With the secondary assembled, there is no room for paint on the locking nut either. To assemble the spring and movable sheave, I place the fixed sheave on a blanket on the floor. Put some grease on the end of the spring which goes in the adjusting cup. Before attempting to compress the spring and screw on the adjusting cup, I determine where the threads of the post will grab the adjusting cup then lift it straight up, put the spring in place and replace the adjusting cup, this time compressing the spring with my weight. Itshould only be a 1/4 turn before the cup is caught but continue to tighten without releasing until a full turn has been completed. On secondarys with aluminum adjusting cups, this "threading on" procedure must be exact otherwise you will strip or cross thread those delicate, fine aluminum threads.
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400 secondary.JPG
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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sun Mar 20, 2016 7:51 pm

I jumped to finishing some skiis for this machine. Three coats on top and bottom of SPAR Varnish. I always use gloss because I believe the originals were coated with gloss and secondly because gloss is the most durable.
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skiis.JPG
steam bent maple reproduction skiis
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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Mon Mar 21, 2016 8:52 pm

The brake assembly must be put on before the secondary clutch is slide into place because the long actuating rod will not pass the sheaves if the secondary is on, then tighten the chain and lock it in position with the jam nut. Install the chain case cover and you shouldn't have to open it again for many, many years. The adjusting nut on the secondary adjusts how much tension is on the spring. The more the tension the harder it is for the sheaves to separate. The harder they are to separate, the more rpm the engine needs to separate the sheaves. I have the adjusting nut even with the end of the post. For normal driving this works good for me but if you are pulling a heavy load, it would be better to screw in the adjusting nut to increase the engine rpm for starting. This adjusting nut is metal and has a set screw to jam its threads against those of the post. The aluminum adjusting cup does not.
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brake assembly.JPG
brake assembly.JPG (29.11KiB)Viewed 4297 times
400 front view.JPG
400 front view.JPG (30.55KiB)Viewed 4297 times
Last edited by Barrie2777 on Sat Mar 26, 2016 8:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Thu Mar 24, 2016 7:44 pm

The first photo shows how straight the decking is on this 400. This is how it was...no straightening done. The second photo shows the reinforcing that was installed on this machine and early 200-A's and 200's which contributed to the straight decking. Later models did not have this and the 444 never had this reinforcing.
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straight decking.JPG
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deck support.JPG
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Barrie2777
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Re: 400 restoration project

Post by Barrie2777 » Sat Mar 26, 2016 1:03 pm

These tracks came off a machine of unknown origin. I keep old tracks for the ice cleats. Removing the ice cleats is easily done with an axe and a hammer. Split the cleat down the center along the line of the rivets by hitting the axe with the hammer. Then knock the wood away and cut the old rivets with bolt cutters. These particular tracks came off a machine which had very little use as seen by the 1'8" of wear into the cleat. Unfortunately it was left outside and the rubber had rotted away. The motor would have been like new!! The last two photos show the original attachment method for the 200, 200-A and 400 models. Three rivets with two stove bolts holding the ice cleat.
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old tracks.JPG
old tracks.JPG (31.07KiB)Viewed 4261 times
old icecleats.JPG
old icecleats.JPG (37.66KiB)Viewed 4261 times
old fasteners.JPG
old fasteners.JPG (33.32KiB)Viewed 4261 times

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