John Deere Snowmobile Specs

John Deere began manufacturing snowmobiles in 1972. The new line was supposed to transition the company from farming and gardening tools and machines into the world of winter recreational sports. The company continued to manufacture snowmobiles until 1984 when the company sold the line.

  1. Engine

    • John Deere used the Kawasaki Fireburst engine on all six snowmobile models manufactured between 1980 and 1984. The engine was a two-stroke, two-cylinder liquid cooled chrome engine. Late model John Deere snowmobiles average 55 to 65 horsepower, depending on the model, while earlier snowmobile models only averaged 25 to 45 horsepower. Engine sizes ranged from 292 cubic centimeters on earlier models to 436 cc on later models.

    Fuel and Cooling System

    • Fuel capacity varies according to year, make and model and ranges from 5 to 8.5 gallons. Oil capacity ranges from one pint to 3.5 pints. The fuel system used a fuel pump, oil pump and carburetor. The liquid cooling system was a pressurized system with a pump and had a capacity of 1 to 3 quarts. Pre-1980 models were fan cooled.

    Electrical and Powertrain

    • The powertrain on all models used a two-sheave variable transmission. The lighting coil capacity on all models was 100 to 160 watts. Pre-1976 snowmobiles used band brakes and modern sleds used disc brakes. The spark plug gap ranged from .015 to .025 inches.

    Suspension and Chassis

    • All models have a track width of 15 to 15.5 inches. The weight varied from 365 to 415 lbs. Overall length of the sleds varied from 102 to 108 inches over the same 12-year span.