1990-1998 Arctic Cat Snowmobiles Repair Manual, Page 69Get this manual
TROUBLESHOOTING Piston Seizure Piston seizure or galling is the transfer of metal from the piston to the cylinder boreFriction and the heat causes piston seizureSome causes may be pistons with incorrect bore clearances, piston rings with an improper end gap or compression leakOther causes are incorrect type of oil, lack of oil or an incorrectly operating oil injection pumpA spark plug with wrong heat range, incorrect ignition timing or overheating may result in piston seizureA noticeable reduction of speed may be your first sign of seizure, while immediate stoppage indicates full lockupA top end rattle is often an early sign of seizureWhen diagnosing piston seizure, the pistons themselves can be used to troubleshoot and determine the failure causeHigh cy linder temperatures normally cause seizure above the piston rings while seizure below the piston rings is usually caused by lack of proper lubricationSee Figures 19 and 20 for examples of piston seizureEngine Noises