In 2003 the University of Maine Team started to work on a sled based on a 2003 4-stroke Arctic Cat.  This project focuses on the improvements to this sled in the noise vibration and harshness area.  Initial benchmarking of the performance of our sled will be required, along with testing of the effect of a range of standard and new modifications.  Exhaust modifications will not necessarily be emphasized, instead the drive train, mechanical noise, induction and other noise sources will be most likely to be the source of significant gains in noise reduction.

This is perhaps the most important part of the 2006 Clean Snowmobile effort.  In the past a test method othjer than the SAE J192 has been used.  This test was poorly designed and not repeatable.  For the first time the test will be done in a way that we can prepare properly for the competition  A good showing on this event should allow us to be in the running for a win at the competition.

Design build and test, as a team, a quieter 4-stroke sled.  A basic computer model of several of the key noise paths based on literature in the area and previous year's efforts will be used to design sound attenuation strategies.  Evaluation of the exhaust noise to determine if that is a significant factor in the overall noise from the snowmobile and determining a method for reducing track noise in particular the use of low noise components on the idlers and slides.  An engineering evaluation of the effect of the induction system on the overall sound level produced by the snowmobile should also be included.