Minnesota State Mankato's Maverick Motor Sports Team again will participate in the Clean Snowmobile Challenge Monday through Saturday, March 13-18, in Houghton, Mich.
This marks the seventh year in which the College of Automotive Engineering & Technology team will take part in the national competition. The contest, started in 1999 by the Society of Automotive Engineers, challenges engineering students to re-engineer existing snowmobiles for improved emissions and noise while maintaining or improving performance. The alterations also must be practical and cost-effective.
Most stock snowmobiles are powered by two-stroke, carbureted engines that are often criticized for being noisy and polluting.
In past years the Maverick Motor Sports Team has used strategies such as direct injection and E-85 gasoline to reduce emissions. This year the team is using a 2005 Firecat snowmobile, a 500cc non-APV engine converted to semi-direct injection, an extended exhaust system with a two-way catalyst and air pump, and a new engine management system to control fuel and ignition timing.
Last year the team placed seventh in the competition. In 2001 and 2002 it placed sixth.
Eight students are members of the team, advised by Automotive Engineering & Technology faculty member Bruce Jones.
More information about the team is at http://cset.mnsu.edu/aet/profassociationsandclubs/csc/ More information about the Challenge is at http://students.sae.org/competitions/snow
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