The University of Maine team is in its third year of modifying a 2007 Yamaha Phazer snowmobile for the Clean Snowmobile Challenge (CSC) competition. In the first year, the team added the popular MegaSquirt ECU to the sled in a piggyback configuration to reduce emissions. The addition of the MegaSquirt required the addition of new intake air and coolant temperature sensors, an oxygen sensor and the modification of the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor. A universal catalytic converter was also added for reduced emissions. The team was unable to find a solution to an engine speed discrepancy between the MegaSquirt ECU and the stock ECU, so the snowmobile did not compete in competition.

In the second year, the team was divided into three groups. The ECU group removed the stock ECU completely and modified the wiring harness to allow for MegaSquirt’s complete control. The expected add-on board for MegaSquirt which allowed for coil-on-plug ignition was delayed, so the team implemented a trigger wheel and the Ford EDIS ignition system, which allowed MegaSquirt’s single ignition input to power both coils in a wasted-spark configuration. The gauge cluster was also redesigned to allow for MegaSquirt, including the addition of a Hercules EBX PC board, solid state hard drive and VarTech heated LCD monitor, which displayed eight gages through the Megatune tuning software used with MegaSquirt. The noise, vibration and harshness group added sound-deadening material inside the muffler, created the required clutch cover, and redesigned the cowlings to cover the new clutch cover and provide additional noise reduction. The fuel group redesigned the fuel system, including the addition of an E85 compatible fuel pump and filter, an aftermarket fuel pressure regulator and a flex-fuel sensor. The gas tank was also redesigned to allow for the use of ethanol, including increasing the capacity of the tank and adding an ethanol-safe layer on the inside of the tank. The team took the snowmobile to competition, but unfortunate circumstances led to the team’s poor finish.

This year’s team must overcome the challenges of the two previous years. The addition of the Ford EDIS ignition, which limits engine speed to 9000 rpm, cripples the max power and speed of the sled. The gas tank remains incompatible with ethanol, and must be either repaired or redesigned. The cowlings are heavy and unwieldy, adding unnecessary weight to the sled and limiting maximum acceleration. The 2008-2009 team contains seven members and is divided into two groups, multi-fuel engine control and noise, vibration and harshness.

Crosby Laboratroy Room 105

University of Maine

Orono, Maine, 04469