the kawasaki ta 44b and 440aa motors

[outlaw7s]

Just a heads up. So u dont make rhe same mistake i have:bonk: .lol I recently bought a trail fire 440 it's an 81. with a bad motor. did a little bit of research on the Kawasaki intruders ta 440 B motor found a motor with329 miles.not doing good enuf research after completely going through the kawasaki ta440b motor with rings gaskets polish port polish pistons new seals and gaskets only to find it will not fit in my trail fire it came out of a 78 the bolt pattern on the bottom of the case is wider the intake manifold angle is going down instead of up and the header to fit the exhaust is totally different. so now I have a really really nice low mile 329 miles ta 440 B motor I glass beaded it tore it down new seals gaskets completely clean . new rings ported and polished intake and exhaust ports glass beaded the whole thing checked the end play and run out. polished the domes of the pistions, weighed them ,drilled them to match weight ballance. i wana just recoupe what i bpught the motor for so going to go to classifieds. The outlaw7s Scott

[lwb140]

im no authority on the fire series sleds but I wander if sportfire motor mounts and accessories would bolt that motor into you sled im sure others will chime in here but I think its possible . I put an intruder motor in an 80 sportfire a while back and it bolted right in .I might have a sportfire parts sled still ,I kinda forget . wade

[JDSnopro]

As Iwb140 says. The Intruder engine is the same as the Sportfire. Same bottom as Liquifire but FC. Also a better engine if you want some horsepower. I have a pretty wild ported Trailfire 440 myself. It brakes 68 hp but it feels like lottery every time I go out for a ride. If I were you I would try to get the parts for fitting the engine you have.

[ljm]

An Intruder engine is not the same as a Sportfire. A 440 Drifter engine is the same as a Sportfire.

Intruder engines are a fan cooled version of a Liquifire/Invader engine. As JDsnopro said it is the same bottom end as a Liquifrire with the gearcase and oil injection pump. Intruders are dual carbs.

A Sportfire mounting plate will mount the Intruder engine in a Trailfire, but the offset wouldn't be right

Lloyd

[Matt]

An Intruder engine is not the same as a Sportfire. A 440 Drifter engine is the same as a Sportfire.

Intruder engines are a fan cooled version of a Liquifire/Invader engine. As JDsnopro said it is the same bottom end as a Liquifrire with the gearcase and oil injection pump. Intruders are dual carbs.

A Sportfire mounting plate will mount the Intruder engine in a Trailfire, but the offset wouldn't be right

Lloyd

Will it? I didn't think it would because the Intruder engines mounts up like a Liquifire engine.

[69camaro]

Matt's right. The Intruder motor mounts like the Liquifire. However the insides are the same as a Sportfire. The other big difference is even though the Sportfire and Intruder cylinders are the same inside you cannot put deal carbs on a Sportfire cylinder. You can put dual carbs on a Sportfire with Intruder cylinders. I've always thought John Deere missed the boat not having dual carbs on a Sportfire. It would have made a bigger stepping stone between the Trailfire and Sportfire..Not that a Trailfire is slow by any means but a Sportfire does pack some punch to it even with only one carb.

[ljm]

Yes they mount like Liquifire. But I think they have threaded mounting holes in the bottom.
I have an Intruder engine apart right now. i will check when I get back out to the shop

[JoeRainville]

Hi Guys,

The Intruder, Invader, 440 Drifter, Sportfire and Liquifire use different versions of the "T-7" motor family (all use the same base gasket, same bore and stroke, center distance, etc). The dual carb 440 Intruder does use a jackshaft driven oil pump like the Liquifire and Invader. You might need to clearance the chassis for the wider bottom end if using one on the Trail/Sportfire chassis. The single carb Drifter version is very simular to the Sportfire version, as niether has the jackshaft, as noted in an above post.

Since the Trail and Sport share a chassis, and a muffer, adapting the Intruder motor "should" be do-able with some Sportfire parts, like the motor plate, exhaust Y pipe, etc, but I have never checked the fit. As Duane stated, the Intruder is basically like a FC Liquifire jug, as the carb mount is part of the casting. I don't know of the exhaust port angle is the same from the single carb to the dual carb 440 Fans, but a quick visual inspection should verify that.

I am also not sure about the carb clearance on Sport/Trail chassis for the dual set up. The Trail/Sport muffer is tunned for a 40-42 hp motor, and I think the Intruder is north of 50 hp so a Liquifire muffer "might" be worth testing out.

I hope this helps,
-Joe

[ljm]

I checked

Intruder engine will bolt to a Sportfire mounting plate.

The end of the crankshaft will be 1-1.5 inches farther left than the Sportfire motor. I could check that too if anyone would like.

Liquifire muffler, Liquifire air box, Intruder engine and carbs, Trailfire chassis. Hmm that would be some sleeper

Lloyd

[JDSnopro]

When I sayd the same engine I ment the bottom. One or two carbs, oil injection or not....... Just ment that the SF, Intruder, LF and Invader use the same bottom. TF, Spitfire, Drifter use the smaller engine. Perhaps some Arctics also use the smaller bottom, but that I dont know anything about.

[ljm]

440 Drifters use the same motor as a Sportfire.

At least my 80 440 Drifter that I got new and my 2 Sportfire's have the same motor.

[JoeRainville]

JDsnopro and guys,

You basically have it down. Kawi made 3 generations of two cylinder snowmobile engines, starting with Arctic Cat for 1971. The "T1" was first out of the gate, used in nearly all Cats from 71-72 in fan and hi-po F/A versions, from the Panthers to the triple EXT's. This is the type of motor that powers the Black Spitfires and all Trailfire 340 and 440's. Kawi also used a 340cc "T-1" based motor in their 340cc Drifter and Drifter F/A models.

The "T-7" based motors came out in 73 in the Cat El Tigre and racing EXT models. Cat used it through the 75 season in many sleds and even based their 74-75 Sno Pro motors on the T-7. Kawi used T-7 based motors in the 440 Intruders, the liquid cooled 340 and 440 cc Invaders, the 1980 LTD 4/6, and the 440 Drifters. Deere used "T-7" based motors in the Sportfire as a single carb fan, and of course in the 440 Liquifire from 80-84 in both cases.

The last Kawi is called the "Square Block" and was used in the LC 440 LTD in 81-82, and the 530cc Interceptor of 82. Deere never used that version. The 82-84 Sprintfire is a unique little beast. All Kawi motors have chrome bores, except the Sprintfire. The crank is mostly T-1 parts, but with a single bearing in the center to allow for a narrower, more compact engine.

The T-7 based motors have several variations as you guys are noticing. The 80-84 Sporty and the 79-81 Drifter 440 use single carb, non-jackshaft version that "should" share a lot of parts. The Intruder, Invader and Liquifire use the jackshaft bottom end that is wider than the other version. Since all T-7's used a common base gasket, cylinder center distance, bore and stroke, etc, the easiest way to get a dual carbed Sportfire is probably to use Intruder jugs on the Sporty / Drifter bottom end. But, there is a weakness on Intruder jugs: the intake port splitter tends to crack, so check out you doner motors.

Also note that Deere and Cat T-7 cranks are different and don't exacty interchange. The Deere/Kawi sled version has larger main bearings, and dynamic, non-contact center seals. Not sure, but "I think" the rod end is smaller on the Cat's but can't swear to it. And of course Kawi/Deere changed the motor designation from the easy to remember "T-1" and 'T-7" to "TA-440B" and such designation, but they all have roots back to the 71-75 Cat era.

I hope this is useful,
-Joe

[JDSnopro]

Very nice written and thanks for new knowledge. I didnt know that the Drifter 440 was based of the T-7. Always thought they were built in 340/440 T-1 versions like the TF. Didnt know anything about the Arctics eighter, just had a minor clue.
Cheers