1100 T Engine Reliability???

evandaigneault · Nov 9, 2011

Ok, So i know that this engine has been around in a trail version, but I am looking at getting into a proclimb 1100Turbo mostly in hopes of having a more reliable powerplant.

I currently have an '10 Polaris Dragon 800 and am waiting on a new top end which is on backorder for another few weeks. 3rd time in 1000 miles this has happened, and parts are on backorder everytime. 3 feet of snow in my front yard. getting the itch.

So.. I just want to know people's opinions that if i throw down $14 grand for an 1100T that i can expect some 4 stroke reliability. Or is this not the case because it is boosted?

Also, would adding the 210 or 240 speedwerx emc remap mess up realiability even more?

Thanks everyone!

P.S. My riding is done in Alaska, mostly sea level to 3k feet, but i will ride as high as 7-8k feet at times.

mynewuseddoo · Nov 9, 2011

4 stroke=reliability. Also the suzuki 800 2 stroke=reliability.

Cat Bandit · Nov 9, 2011

It should be great for reliability. I mean, look at the yammy four strokes, they run serious HP under boost, and they're still super reliable. The issues you're having with you're dragon aren't uncommon. A friend of mine has one, and he said there is a fix kit for it with different pistons, and cylinder spacers if I'm not mistaken. I dont remember who makes it tho... But back to the 1100 t, I read the break in time on that engine is 1000 miles, so it should last a long while!

justinkredible56 · Nov 9, 2011

Like you stated, this is the first year that this engine has been in a mountain chassis. Sure it's been around in the "flat lander" world for a while and has been working very well for them...but you are specifically worried about mountain riding. Realistically nobody knows...it's a first year mountain chassis engine combo! I would bet you that it will be leaps and bounds ahead of the reliability of your D8 though. People are seeing 8-10k (still going) miles on boosted 4 stroke Yamahas and I believe I saw one person hit 20k. We have no reason to believe that the 1100t motor won't be right there with it, but time will only tell.

I know it's not the 1100 but here is a thread about turbo 4-stroke longevity.
http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265585&highlight=miles

Twostroke · Nov 9, 2011

It's is a fourstroke, they have twice as many moving parts so when you do have a motor failure or need a rebuilt most the time it will be twice the cost. Oil changes and valve adjustment two more things for thought.:usa2:

Turbo11T · Nov 9, 2011

justinkredible56 said:
Like you stated this is the first year that this engine has been in a mountain chassis. Sure it's been around in the "flat lander" world for a while and has been working very well for them...but you are specifically worried about mountain riding. Realistically nobody knows...it's a first year mountain chassis engine combo! I would bet you that it will be leaps and bounds ahead of the reliability of your D8 though.

You can say all you want about reliabilty being tested more in the mountains. I can tell you that guys beat the piss out of there sleds here on the trails as well.

justinkredible56 · Nov 9, 2011

Turbo583 said:
You can say all you want about reliabilty being tested more in the mountains. I can tell you that guys beat the piss out of there sleds here on the trails as well.

Not once did I say that reliability is tested more in the mountains. Mountain riders are not "superior" to trail riders! But it IS a different terrain and something that has not yet been tested. The OP specifically asked about mountain riding and realistically no one has an answer for him. The turbo on the 1100 should actually maintain the positive results when going from trial riding to mountain riding because the engine will still see the same air intake with elevation changes.

Cat Bandit · Nov 9, 2011

Twostroke said:
It's is a fourstroke, they have twice as many moving parts so when you do have a motor failure or need a rebuilt most the time it will be twice the cost. Oil changes and valve adjustment two more things for thought.:usa2:

This is true about the moving parts, and cost to rebuild, but four stroke designs last way longer, mostly due to actually having a dedicated oiling system. Two strokes don't have such a system, the oil is just kinda there being washed around by gas, and air blowing through the cases. It's not being pumped at high pressure through the moving parts. Sure they have oil injection systems, but you're still diluting the oil with gas, so really there's not much oil in there at all to protect parts. That's why two stroke cranks have the roller bearings instead of the metal bearings like a car has, because the four stroke crank rides on a film of oil under pressure. I love two strokes, and ill buy one before a four stroke because id rather not have the extra hundred pounds, because I'm not a point and shoot rider. I like trees, and four strokes are too tiresome in the trees. But four strokes will always be more reliable. Like Boris on Snatch says... "Heavy is good, heavy is reliable. If it does not work, you can always hit him with it!"

MBR44 · Nov 9, 2011

As far as reliability goes in the trail version. I put 1600 miles on last year. Mostly all on a boondocker turned all the way up(~270hp). Most of my miles are at high speed and put on up to 250mi in a day. If they can take that beating then they should be able to handle the mountains. Very different riding styles but the motors have been proven for years in trail and racing. Lots of buddies running 2860's, 2871's, 3071 and 3076 turbos cranked up on stock bottom ends. No failures that I am aware. Turbo dynamics has great ecu programs that I will be running on my 2012. Excellent deto light and fail safe measures.

SwampCat · Nov 9, 2011

Two words - OBAMA PROOF.

Twostroke · Nov 9, 2011

Cat Bandit said:
This is true about the moving parts, and cost to rebuild, but four stroke designs last way longer, mostly due to actually having a dedicated oiling system. Two strokes don't have such a system, the oil is just kinda there being washed around by gas, and air blowing through the cases. It's not being pumped at high pressure through the moving parts. Sure they have oil injection systems, but you're still diluting the oil with gas, so really there's not much oil in there at all to protect parts. That's why two stroke cranks have the roller bearings instead of the metal bearings like a car has, because the four stroke crank rides on a film of oil under pressure. I love two strokes, and ill buy one before a four stroke because id rather not have the extra hundred pounds, because I'm not a point and shoot rider. I like trees, and four strokes are too tiresome in the trees. But four strokes will always be more reliable. Like Boris on Snatch says... "Heavy is good, heavy is reliable. If it does not work, you can always hit him with it!"

Being from the MX world, it's so odd to read fourstroke and reliable in the same sentence. Fourstrokes are the more costly motors on the track, it's not just repair bills but also performance parts/mods and maintenance. They are why a lot are going back to twostrokes. They sure are easy to ride though. Just my 2 cents.

madmax · Nov 9, 2011

This motor has been run from 177 to over 600hp. It is bullet proof.

HOOCH256 · Nov 9, 2011

Twostroke said:
Being from the MX world, it's so odd to read fourstroke and reliable in the same sentence. Fourstrokes are the more costly motors on the track, it's not just repair bills but also performance parts/mods and maintenance. They are why a lot are going back to twostrokes. They sure are easy to ride though. Just my 2 cents.

Yes they are more expensive for parts and to re build but in now way is the 2stroke bike more reliable then a 4stroke, got buddies that ride and race both and the 2s are always torn apart being rebuilt every time I turn around! And I've yet to see one of there 4s down! Not saying it don't happen just not as much!

IMHO this thing will go 20k with no issues, I roadrace a cbr600rr and have seen race bikes with 15-25k on them and trust me when I say those things are abused more then any other motor around! When we race it's a minimum of 20mins of non stop 16-18k rpm and then you have the enduro guys going for 1.5-3hrs at a time with the bikes at redline! 4s is far superior in reliability due to oil injection!

Sent from my super duper sweet iPhone using Tapatalk when I should be doing something productive!

Fracmaster · Nov 9, 2011

I witnessed a proclimb 1100 T grinding forward gears in the chain case. Operator was going from reverse to forward and hit the throttle too soon and it stripped the gears. Pretty messy.. anyone know the real cause or the fix?:face-icon-small-dis

Going West · Nov 9, 2011

I think you just told us the cause. As far as the fix, mmmmmmm, maybe let it shift before pinning it.

jim · Nov 9, 2011

I witnessed a proclimb 1100 T grinding forward gears in the chain case. Operator was going from reverse to forward and hit the throttle too soon and it stripped the gears. Pretty messy.. anyone know the real cause or the fix?

Don't do that! Should fix the issue. This will happen to the most sophisticated, durable transmissions in the world on anything from mowers to Porsches.

As for reliability. Yes, four strokes are generally more reliable. But they can generally be wrecked just as easily as a two stroke if the tuning is off. I think the real question should be, "Did Arctic Cat tune it correctly for the mountains?" If the tuning is good, it should be very durable. As durable as the Yamaha's? That's a tough one to match. The yamaha motors are incredible and always have been whether two or four stroke. The key to reliability will be picking the right mapping, the right boost levels and the right flow. Too much boost on the stock turbo without the right mapping will produce huge heat...heat is what wrecks four strokes. And, yes, when they go be prepared to shell out the cash because will you bend and break a bunch more metal when they do go. That's the cool thing about two strokes...when they go it's generally a cylinder repair and piston...pretty cheap to fix. Will a turbo M8 match the longevity of the M1100? Who knows...but after a few years it may be cheaper to keep running with the same kind of HP and gas. Yeah, I know...keyboard talk. Time will tell. I expect this motor to work really well and last...my eye is on one. But a turbo M8 will cost me less to get into...and less to fix. Maybe the question should be, "How much do you ride and is 200HP enough?"

Cat Bandit · Nov 9, 2011

Twostroke said:
Being from the MX world, it's so odd to read fourstroke and reliable in the same sentence. Fourstrokes are the more costly motors on the track, it's not just repair bills but also performance parts/mods and maintenance. They are why a lot are going back to twostrokes. They sure are easy to ride though. Just my 2 cents.

Yeah man, I hear ya! The while exhaust for my 99 yz 250 was like four or five hundred bucks, where the whole exhaust system for my 09 yz 450 f is nearer a grand... But it makes way more power... If I remember right, my 250 manual said to replace the piston every four races, so figure $125 or so every four. The 450 shouldn't need a top end until 100 hours or so, but its what, a grand for the top end job? It's silly enough that when the 450 gets hard to start, its getting a valve adjustment, and going down the road!

With the sleds tho, it seems they last much longer. Im guessing they just don't get ridden as hard... But there's probably a lot more than that going on...

aksnopro · Nov 10, 2011

lol,we got a whole buncha kids racing two strokes and in two seasons with proper thorough maintenance (changing filters between motos, regular oil changes) we have not had any motor issues in over 40 races

2 pw 50' , 1 jr 50, 1 crf 50, 3 ktm 50's, 1 kx 65, 1 kx 85

we built a track this year on our property thats 3/4 a mile long. i was still getting a faster lap time on a 09 yz 125 then i was on a honda crf250. i liked how the honda wheelied into the whoops better. maybe i need more time on the four stroke.

but i still buy the honda eu2000 and have a four stroke truck! lol

-Aksnopro

SnowSnob · Nov 10, 2011

I think your question should include if you want 200hp+ or not? If you do then I think most would agree that the 1100Turbo will out live ANY 2 stroke Turbo. This motor has been around for many years and running it stock or even bumping it up to 220hp will be built proof for many years. YES when it comes time to replace pistons and what not it will be more but I look at it like trucks....4 strokes maxed vs. diesels maxed. That's the best comparison I can think of. I'll take a turbo diesel ANY DAY over a turbo 4 stroke.

HOOCH256 · Nov 11, 2011

I thought I remember reading something that one of that cat engineers said zuki designed this motor at 220hp and AC de-tuned them to 180!

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1100 T Engine Reliability???

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