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09 XP 154X 800r First ride the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I went out for a ride yesterday, not quite enought snow at base of the trail, the ski's were chattering a little bit on the small trail rocks. @ 4k in, the snow on the trail was deep enough and it was smooth sailing, erm, well sledding, at 2100M alt there was some nice powder, about 3.5 to 4 feet, but it took almost two hours to get 7Kms up the trail because of haveing to stop every 10 or so mins to cool off the clutches, they were way too hot to touch and i didnt' think this was a good thing, even with easy riding on the trail, and slightly varying the wick stick as I was told to do by my dealer.

I got up to a flat medow and could only play around in the pow (3-4ft) for about 5 - 10 mins before clutches were hot again, i was running on clicker 3 hitting about 7800rpm and dropping off to 7500 track speed about 45km/h while boondocking. while waiting for the clutches to and belt to cool once again, i noticed a cord freying out of the pto side of the belt, 30.1km on that belt, with and east breakin and being heat cycled about 12 or so times. Installed new belt and adjusted deflection. Not very happy at that point and sick of sitting there waiting for the clutches to cool, I decided to make a wide packed run about 200M long and "install" or should i say uninstall, a Clutch Super Vent Mod (aka removing side panel and clutch cover) not too sure if this was a good idea or not but no snow spray was getting near the clutchs and they were running cool to the touch, the belt was getting warm but still touchable. clicker #5 @ 2200M and the sled would pull 8100 and drop off to 8000-7900 at WOT, pull was fairly strong. I put on about 15 more Kms (45 km total) by doing 2 hard passes and then 2 easy passes and the a 2 min break, to let the heat to dissapate equally thoughout the tight new engine, and also to heat cycle the belt.

the sled started pulling a bit harder and rpm would reach 8300 for half a sec and drop down to 8200, for the rest of the pull, off the throtle and back on and it would do the same, the throttle was decently snappy but not impressively so.
at 60km's and 2.8hrs on the motor I decided to head back down. I had to work nightshift, or I woulda stayed out even longer, the chassis to me felt friggin awesome! it handled the bumps and jumps and mougles that were forming on my "highway" well, even at 110km/h, it was a blast!!! i removed my Clutch Super Vent Mod and headed for the truck
heading down the trail and getting to the rocky part the hr meter hit 3.0hrs and the sled sounded a little different and the throttle was much snappier, I dont know if it was because of the drop in elevation (only 400M different) or some breakin chip, but it seemed like a much happier engine. got to the truck and the clutches were unholdable, i thought they would be cool as it was mostly downhill and slow slow trail riding about 15-20km/h, but nope. but the belt still looked brandnew :)

Note:
Before riding the sled i dissasembled the primary and everything was freely moving, small bit of oil on the clutches, and in the bottom of the clutch compartment, i steam cleaned the primary and the scotch padded the clutch faces from the center outward. then stream cleaned again, small bit of oil on the secondary still so I used a bit of brake clean got her squeekie clean.

sled is bone stock except for quick clickers, running XPS blend, and premium fuel.

geared up rider weight is about 185-190lbs


The good: Awesome handleing chassis when the shock are set stiff. light and very easy to control, floats awesome even in the light pow, the sled looks killer awesome. fuel gauge good, hand and thumbwarmers good,

The bad: Lots of snow build up on the inside of the tunnel, having to stop every 10mins for 20 mins to let the clutches cool. old style belt adjuster. a 15G OTD is a lot to pay for something that blew a blet in 30kms even after stopping every 10 mins or so to let it cool. I'd hate to see what the clutch/belt heat would be like after a long hero climb or something like that. vent mod seems like an absolute must, BRP should make us a design a vent kit and give it to us for free as part of a recall, or let us send them the bill for the vent kits we have to buy aftermarket. (not to step on any of the guy's shoes that are making a living on making vent kits, but I've already spent 15G on this thing and it's not a even functional unit. :eek: But maybe I should feel lucky that brp included a steering device, or ski's, or even and engine when they sold me this sled and that i dont have to go buy those aftermarket as well!!! :confused: :mad: )

the ugly: first belt blown cords at 30.1kms (easy kms too)


sorry guy and gals if this post was too long or boring, just thought someone might want some of the real details, both good and bad.

Steve
 

Blu Du

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Feb 19, 2008
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thats nice. with all these posts i'am really looking forward to riding mine out west. i've only ridden mine on the lake with about 3" for 2 miles.
 
W

Wyoming T/A

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Sep 26, 2006
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if i was running stock i would gear the 154 sleds to 19/45---might only run 85 MPH give or take 5 but will get there in a hurry and be way easier on the belt--jmo:eek:
 

Blu Du

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Feb 19, 2008
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what i noticed with mine it was either in low gear or lugging the motor in high gear. it would run 7800-7900 then break loose and run 8300. the way it it was lugging in high gear i can see how the belt can get hot.
 
S
Jan 11, 2008
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Northern Alberta
Vents and gearing won't solve the belt heat problem. aligning the clutches will.

My 08 summit 154 blew 6 belts last year and one this year and now brp won't warrenty belts on 08 sleds with 377's. 7 belts to go 1300 km = $1225 in belts a year. some people have better luck than me I know but this is what happened to me. My clutches are within brp's alignment specs so the dealer would not do any thing for me, I talked to the brp warrenty guys several times spent several hours on hold over the last year nobody knows why my sled blows belts because according to the dealer and the 1-800 brp guys I'm the only one that has belt problems with the 377 belt! I heard thrugh a friend about a mecanic who machined his motor mount and moved his motor over 4mm and he hasn't had any problems since. I got him to do this to my sled he charged me $150 and I have 200 km on it since and my clutches run way cooler. After a long pull you could throw snow on the clutches on it would vaporize from being so hot now they are hot but you can almost put your hand on them after a long pull.

If you look down the belt from behind the secondary on my sled there was a noticible bend in the belt where it comes off the primary like it is turning a corner(because it is). now the belt comes straight off the primary toward the secondary. The brp mechanic told me that the engine pulls into alignment when under load when I asked him about this. I've been frustrated with this sled since I dropped $15000 on it last november just like you are. sadly I know only one mechanic that knows what to do to fix the problem and he dosn't work for brp. I can't wait to put some more miles on to see if this really fixes the problem because i really like the rest of the sled.
 
T

T Stoke

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Nov 28, 2007
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Bethlehem, PA
I'm suprised to hear all of the negative. I went and picked mine up monday and took it out and put about 30 miles on that day. I was VERY impressed! I had no problems with anything. My RPM's were around 8200 when I was getting on it. It is quick!! Sorry to hear all the problems but so far I'd give it a 9. I'm going out Saturday and will prob put on another 40 miles. Hopefully everything will continue to go good.
 
back to the dealer

Hey guys thanks for all the input, rode it again today, slightly better, top speed across a lake with 5" of pow was 105km/h and on the packed trail top speed was 130km/hr it's going back to the dealer on the 19th to check for alignment and all that good stuff.

I have just over 6hrs on the motor now, anyone know how many hours the breakin chip has??

I have about 100km's on the new belt and it still looks good.

i think i'll be ordering a vent kit soon, or maybe i'll get one for chrismas!! ;)
 

Teth-Air

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Vents and gearing won't solve the belt heat problem. aligning the clutches will.

My 08 summit 154 blew 6 belts last year and one this year and now brp won't warrenty belts on 08 sleds with 377's. 7 belts to go 1300 km = $1225 in belts a year. some people have better luck than me I know but this is what happened to me. My clutches are within brp's alignment specs so the dealer would not do any thing for me, I talked to the brp warrenty guys several times spent several hours on hold over the last year nobody knows why my sled blows belts because according to the dealer and the 1-800 brp guys I'm the only one that has belt problems with the 377 belt! I heard thrugh a friend about a mecanic who machined his motor mount and moved his motor over 4mm and he hasn't had any problems since. I got him to do this to my sled he charged me $150 and I have 200 km on it since and my clutches run way cooler. After a long pull you could throw snow on the clutches on it would vaporize from being so hot now they are hot but you can almost put your hand on them after a long pull.

If you look down the belt from behind the secondary on my sled there was a noticible bend in the belt where it comes off the primary like it is turning a corner(because it is). now the belt comes straight off the primary toward the secondary. The brp mechanic told me that the engine pulls into alignment when under load when I asked him about this. I've been frustrated with this sled since I dropped $15000 on it last november just like you are. sadly I know only one mechanic that knows what to do to fix the problem and he dosn't work for brp. I can't wait to put some more miles on to see if this really fixes the problem because i really like the rest of the sled.

This is so spooky as this is almost exactly what I was saying, even the part about the 6 belts! Mine went through 6 in 1000 kms. Now the last 1500 have been on the same belt. The dealer too said the alignment was in spec. Fix it now, before the snow flies and before you spend $$ on belts. Either move the motor in or move the jackshaft out with a shim kit. NO, NO, NO, venting is required if things are right! That said vents can be a band-aid when your on the edge.

One more thing, my buddies was just fine last year, while mine cratered belts. They are NOT all the same, some good some bad.
 
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M

mitty26

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Jan 4, 2008
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Yep mine as well , i had to move the secondary over 3mm to make it proper.It was in "spec" lol , you could see the dogleg it was unreal. So now with the 3mm move it looks good to go.
 

Smoke Show

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Dec 13, 2008
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One more thing, my buddies was just fine last year, while mine cratered belts. They are NOT all the same, some good some bad.

i'm not gonna lie this thread is kinda scaring me! a friend bought one last year and he hasn't had belt problems so i never considered this.
 
went out riding again today

does anyone definitively know if there is a breaking timing mode or anything on these sleds??

it was -26C and the clutches were still too hot. it was good as a goggle defogger tho :S this belt is still holding in there, but i don't know how much more it can take, i woulda thought that wiith it being that cold out they would have been a lot cooler. i have 9.1 hours on the motor how and 255km I didn't notice any hp gains at 8hrs, i'm happy that this belt is holding in there tho. i have been keeping the temp low by stopping and cooling or running with the side cover off. still running on clicker 5 and haven't hit the rev limiter yet. in the pow the rpm's seem consistant as well as on the packed trail. Once I get the sled into the dealer and get the clutches lined up so that they atleast look like the belt isn't riding up the engine side clutch face the thing should make much less heat and a bit more power to the track.

- -26C
- 185 rider weight
- 2100M (according to sleds readout)
- 377belt
- clicker 5

from rolling at 10km/h and the throttle right to the bar.

3ft of powder, slight climb
rpm's right to 8300 and then down to 8200 not hitting 8100 on the digital readout

hardpack
rpm's right to 8300 and then back to 8200 maybe hitting 8100 but i didn't see it, i was mostly trying to hold on.

flat, semipacked trail, top speed or 132km/h

clutchs always hot, but i expect that untill aligned correctly.


I should be ordering a vent kit and a clutch brace kit soon and hopefully a kit form DJ

I am not having a problem with the air intake filter since i put on the prefilter cover. i've been through quite a few trees and over the hood pow and no problems of packing full of snow or falling out.

JMHO
Steve
 
C

caper11

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Nov 2, 2008
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Well I Love mine!!! after yesterday playing in the 5-6 feet of pow i'm extreamly happy with mine, after 200 miles my belt looks brand new, hardly any belt dust, on a fresh pull at the beginning of a turnout my track speed is 40 mph it holds rpms on the same pull, checked my belt temp and it was hot, but to a cold hand. what do yah expect it to be, warm to the touch after a workout like that!, and my belt looks brand new. The backshifting on a pull in that pow is fantastic, rpm and trackspeed recover very quick. I like this clutching I thought that 200-320 primary was going to be a pain in pow, but it works pretty good , and I like the new Cam only about 100rpm difference between alpine powder to trail, the gas milage is amazing after 50 miles playing in that pow all i burned was 20L, It's a little hard on oil between 3/4 mark and the 1/2 mark on 20l of gas, I'm going to have the dealer look at that. And after yesterday I do believe there is a chip in the computer, ever since i started riding this I've consistanly tached 8300 on the trail every time, and the same in the alpine, now going down the trail I cracked it again 8300, than about 10 min later i give it about 3/4 throttle and get 8300. I thought to myself it's never done that before so I hold it to that bar 8500rpm and it did that every time until i got back to the truck. so the next day I head back to the alpine but its -19C now so up the trail I try 3/4 throttle and got 8300, so I get up top and try it on a pull, I didn't want to hold it long because it was so cold out side, but I got 8400 on a pull, I was going to put it on clicker 3 but It was to darn cold to change it. It's actually running so good I really don't want to take it in for it's 10hr service, what do they actually do to the sled on this service?
I 'm sorry to hear that others are having belt and other issues. alot of the problems sound like last year problems and i'm curious to know if the problems are occuring to the sleds that arrived really early.
 
S

shortstop20

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Nov 26, 2007
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I see all these posts about the dealers saying the clutch alignment is "in spec" when in fact it's not. Why not buy your own alignment tool and you can check for yourself? Unless you're one of those guys that doesn't like to work on your sled.
 
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