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The ticking timebomb that is my 800r Motor..

M
Jan 21, 2009
2
0
1
Colorado
2007 800r Summit 3200 miles

When does the engine usually blow up mine is 3 years old and I have never had any problem with anything except it does not side hill as easy as Artic Cats do. I have always rode Yamaha's but the extra weight of the 4 strokes will not take me where I want to go. I do love riding around my buddies on their 165" M 8 Artic Cats to make a path they can come out in. If anyone has another 2007 151 800 summit they want to get rid of cheap I am looking.
 
M
Dec 30, 2007
225
8
18
41
well guys i have 8400 km on my 07 800R...still runs top

mods to make it run like i sould:

- mxzx 440 lw forged tra 3 primary on it since 500 km (got tired of the bushing problems of the 7)
- 440 slip gear ( to keep the chaincase in it!)
- boondockers nos on it for a season (power boost plus keep motor stock for warrenty!)
- v force 3 reeds since new (cause it was in the brocure!)
- joes clutch kit since new, secondary spacer, vent kit (strock sucked)
- 20 pilots, .20 shim on need to correct lean mids, 480 mains (2000ft) (way lean stock)
- hps can since new (sounded like a sewing machine)
- left the oil pump as per brp recall settings (slobbers the amsoil!)

also, when i got the machine i mixed the gas 40:1 for 700 km, and ran oil injection stock...using brp mineral oil

then switched to amsoil at 700km

think the hard, mineral oil slobbered break in helped me wear the bearings just enough to not have any problems...then synthetic to prevent any further wear...

nice easy warm ups, then to the pin and grin...lots of high load situations, and kept the rpms varing, making sure not to over heat it at all...

the sled has seen the most abuse i have ever inflicted on a snowmobiles and keeps on asking for more...will keeps it as long as i can...
 

Tuesday

Well-known member
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
1,708
191
63
Lacombe, Alberta
I have a 2007 that I bought new, and based on everything I have read, here is my theory. It seems logical to me given the chain of events.

The water cooled bottom end does not allow the aluminum case to expand at the same rate as the moving parts. The inner race expands, preloading the bearings and causing premature bearing failure when the engine water temperature is too cold. This is why so many of the engines failed within a mile of the trailer. In 2008 Doo increased the clearance (I think by .0002") to allow more space for a larger temperature difference in the motors. I had heard a few people say with mineral oil the bearings will wear enough in the 2007 motor to eliminate the problem. The synthetic oil does not wear as fast and some believe mineral oil is the best choice for the 2007 engine. Seems like a stretch to me, but it could be possible. In 2008 when Doo increased the bearing clearance, they also require the synthetic blended oil, which by the previous theory will prevent bearing wear. My theory is the 2008+ engines were designed on the other end of the tolerance and any additional bearing wear could be a problem, and that is why they changed the oil requirement to the more expensive oil. I also think there is some evidence that at some mileage people are not seeing engine failures anymore, which from what I have been able to determine is somewhere around 2500 miles. But I do not think many people have exceeded 2500 miles on their sleds yet to fully prove that theory out. I think a huge majority of the failures occured before 1200 miles, and many right after the break in period of 300 miles when the fuel leans out and the moving parts see less cooling. I’d expect to get a lot more data this year as these motors get more miles on them.



Good info. I have done alot of research on this topic and the more you read the more paranoid you become.

I spoke with every dealer in alberta and they said the crank run out specs where wrong and no way would they warranty any unit unless it had failed. They didnt care what the reading was, most where extremely annoyed that you would even know what it is or how to measure it. Several dealers told me that 3 thousand spec is more like 8-9 thous and regardless if the sled was running they would not even look at it. They would rather take a chance in replacing an entire motor then fix a developing problem. Also, last year if dealers took the 07's on trade brp gave them an extra year coverage because dealers would not take them. When you have coverage they wont do crap but when you run out you get typical lines like.......oh ya that is a big problem blah blah blah.

Make sure to shop around for extended warranty everyone can set there own prices. In alberta IRC it was 1600-2500 a year range, and if the sled was in Canada they would only allow 1 year extended, 2 if sled was in the states. The reason explained to me is that in Can. the riding season is so long and riders put on so many miles.......what a crock OS! So when my coverage ran out it was way cheaper to take a chance on burn down then give the money to BRP (close to rebuild cost anyway).

On that note I sold my sled even though everything was in spec and it was the best running/performing stock 800 I had owned up until that point. Turbo Al did his magic and made that sled a real runner. In the end I didnt want a 3k repair bill and 1k heli ride. Fun sled, just didnt feel confident in its durability. Check run out, run mineral, install thermostat, shave head, shave power valves, clutch it (every year), ride the snot out of it.


Tues
 
B
Dec 16, 2007
927
161
43
45
Mammoth Lakes, CA
www.pbase.com
Good info. I have done alot of research on this topic and the more you read the more paranoid you become.

I spoke with every dealer in alberta and they said the crank run out specs where wrong and no way would they warranty any unit unless it had failed. They didnt care what the reading was, most where extremely annoyed that you would even know what it is or how to measure it. Several dealers told me that 3 thousand spec is more like 8-9 thous and regardless if the sled was running they would not even look at it. They would rather take a chance in replacing an entire motor then fix a developing problem. Also, last year if dealers took the 07's on trade brp gave them an extra year coverage because dealers would not take them. When you have coverage they wont do crap but when you run out you get typical lines like.......oh ya that is a big problem blah blah blah.

Make sure to shop around for extended warranty everyone can set there own prices. In alberta IRC it was 1600-2500 a year range, and if the sled was in Canada they would only allow 1 year extended, 2 if sled was in the states. The reason explained to me is that in Can. the riding season is so long and riders put on so many miles.......what a crock OS! So when my coverage ran out it was way cheaper to take a chance on burn down then give the money to BRP (close to rebuild cost anyway).

On that note I sold my sled even though everything was in spec and it was the best running/performing stock 800 I had owned up until that point. Turbo Al did his magic and made that sled a real runner. In the end I didnt want a 3k repair bill and 1k heli ride. Fun sled, just didnt feel confident in its durability. Check run out, run mineral, install thermostat, shave head, shave power valves, clutch it (every year), ride the snot out of it.


Tues

What do you mean by shave power valves, hmm.. I haven't installed a thermostat on mine is that a must?
 

Tuesday

Well-known member
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2007
1,708
191
63
Lacombe, Alberta
Getting the PV to open at 5k vs 7k makes a huge difference.

Thermostats.......well there are a few that get all upset at this topic but there is a reason they changed bearing tolerances and put in a TS in the newer versions. Costs about 40$ and could save you a motor.
 
M
Dec 30, 2007
225
8
18
41
how do you get your valves to open sooner?
who shaves the valves? or how much, hav acess to a machine shop...

very interested in this mod, the machine is very flat midrange, then bam kicks in at 7500
 
T

Tackbtch

ACCOUNT CLOSED
Nov 12, 2004
951
25
28
Trout Creek MT
Crank ???

So clue me in please....does the 800 R eng still use grease on the crank bearings??? Newest sled I own is an 06...looking at a 07??? Thanks Dino
 
G

gman086

Well-known member
Feb 5, 2008
1,347
572
113
Portland, OR
So clue me in please....does the 800 R eng still use grease on the crank bearings??? Newest sled I own is an 06...looking at a 07??? Thanks Dino

They use Isoflex grease for the outer bearings just like the series III motors.

Have FUN!

G MAN
 
W

whitegold46

Well-known member
Mar 3, 2008
128
103
43
Smithers, B.C.
who is turbo al?? How can i get a hold of him. I have an 800R that i blew up in Jan. '09, I took out the crank and the primary clutch with it .... it was all rebuilt under warrentee but they didnt say anything about a thermostate.
 
H
Nov 7, 2008
8
5
3
who is Turboal?

He is Al at the Boulder Mountain Sled Shed in BC. Look him via google or via his multiple old posts here on snowest. Lots of good tips re: skidoos. He could possibly machine your rave valves for you also.
 
starter gear onm clutch

Guys it does make a difference if you have the newer clutch to install the started gear even on non electric start
they had a balance problen on some that the gear helps tame
it is a part that can be bolted to most current 06 or newer stock clutches
adds weight but helps the bearings on the crank from premature failure
 
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