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Dear Polaris, you have lost another one

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Parts Moderator & Chat Box Cop
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IDAHO FALLS 83404
I will keep instalin mod motors in mine the 860s hold togeather specs are intolerance,The PMS kit seams to work mod them to make them last ,poos stockers dont
 

milehighassassin

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Well i bought a dragon becuase i was tired of working on be pos cat m7 to be exact, so if i was you i would try a doo.

Lol, sorry you have had trouble but I know so many guys with the doo that are having problems.

Clutching is a major bitch, belt are not cheap, clutch towers colliding into each other.

Bottom line: every manufacture has its own issue



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

2XM3

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you know what pi&&es me off is the fact that this should be a slam dunk for a new motor, Come on now the maximum spec from polaris is .006, these pistons CLEARLY measure .009 and the dealers slap them in without measuring anything. In effect they HAVE INSTALLED THE WRONG PART and it is totally the fault of the person putting this togeather...NO ONE and I repeat NO ONE who assembles engines does so without measuring EVERY part and clearance before turning the wrenches....If anybody took a truck in for work and the dealer put the incorrect size pistons in it and it destroyed itself in 800 miles...its REPLACEMENT MOTOR WITH FULL WARRENTY or major lawsuit and it would be a slam dunk win for the owner the second he showed the parts installed were the wrong size causing the disaster.

It is POLARIS fault for sending the wrong pistons, its the dealers fault for installing the wrong pistons and BOTH need to start stepping up.
 
D
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Ouch, painful thread to read. Guy I know has had 3 complete engines replaced now and 1 top end job. Straight up grenaded 3 times.... Literally blown to pieces.

We wont even get into the various other issues... severe bogging, electrical glitches.... man the D8 was just a disaster. I have no doubt in my mind that they are trying to bury it in the past just like they did with the 900. They have everyone buzzin with the Pro.... anyone who doesn't own a D8 has already forgotten the disaster. Even the people who owned D8s and were absolutely hosed by poo have forgotten about it now that they have bought their new pro.

I'm on Doo and have racked up nearly 4000 miles on my XP. I'm thinking of selling and moving onto the next one. I'm not brand loyal and I actually change brands with every sled I've ever purchased. Owned 2 poos (1 good and 1 POS) 1 cat, 1 yamaha way back in the day, and 1 doo. The hype of the Pro does have me interested, but I don't know if I trust that engine. The fact that it's a refined version of the previous disaster is worrying.
 
H
Nov 26, 2007
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got me thinkin, i know a lot of turbo d8 with lots of miles and good luck, kinzer on here had 3400 miles on the original single ring pistons, ques. does the turbo keep the pistons from rockin or is it strictly a det issues????????
 

ragincajun

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i think he just got a motor that has tighter tollerances...apartently there are SOME out there that actually run decent. i think the only reason the turbos arnt burning down like the stockers are is because they have changed the fuel curve with their boxes. the DET issues i ran into were due to the knock sensor being too sensative...it never did det but a reflash solved that problem....but its just been one problem after another.


* i taked to my polaris dealer yesterday....i asked the service manager if they even check the tollerances before they re assemble....he flat out said NO! WTF people! he said they just pull them out of the box and slap them in. i gotta wait till wednesday to talk to the manager and see if they will do something.....looks like someone will be getting an ear full
 

ragincajun

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I know some good lawyers if ya want the info............................

if no one does anything about this i may need some info lol. i talked to my poo dealer and he admited that they dont even check tollerances before installing..just open the box and slap the **** in
 

2XM3

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got me thinkin, i know a lot of turbo d8 with lots of miles and good luck, kinzer on here had 3400 miles on the original single ring pistons, ques. does the turbo keep the pistons from rockin or is it strictly a det issues????????


And thats the huge issue, the single ring pistons are PERFECT !!! tolerence on the money, just a poor fuel curve = det = bye bye piston. many many 1 ringers out there, just a splash of race gas or a pcv and darn thing will run with ZERO issues (even at 15 lbs boost) I would NOT do any updates if i had a good runner, just change single ring for single ring and go another 1500+ miles.
 

thefullmonte

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And thats the huge issue, the single ring pistons are PERFECT !!! tolerence on the money, just a poor fuel curve = det = bye bye piston. many many 1 ringers out there, just a splash of race gas or a pcv and darn thing will run with ZERO issues (even at 15 lbs boost) I would NOT do any updates if i had a good runner, just change single ring for single ring and go another 1500+ miles.

Again, I would have to say they were all over the board. My single rings with 600 miles measured out of spec at .0068 at the widest point. Consistant with my 08 cylinders and the updated 2010 cylinders. You could visibly see the piston trying to rock inside the cylinder just turning it over by hand.

I understand what you are saying. However, these are a consumer sled. They should not require a motor rebuild as general maintenance. Nor should you have to carry around race gas or add extra oil to the gas. These aren't 1970's sleds. Seriously, I am just dumbfounded. With all the technology out there how do you make something so prone to failure? It is almost as though they learned nothing about making a two stroke motor in all these years.

Some of the builders on here have stated that the single ring or even the twin ring pistons last better in the turbo sleds because the heat they generate actually expands the piston to the point of working with the excess play.

That being said the pistons and/ or cylinders are still usually out of spec. The fact that no two OEM pistons seem to measure the same certainly adds to what most of us can agree is a quality control issue.

Even if Polaris built this motor to work with a turbo setup which I personally don't belive was their sole intention. The components should still fall within specification when it leaves the factory floor. It would have been a very poor executive decision to design this motor with turbo only in mind when I doubt that even 5% of these will ever see a turbo. Focus has to be on the general user.

And I have to agree also with you that the fueling of this motor has always been partially to blame. I may be alone with this, but I have never agreed with how they fuel this motor to meet EPA standards. Nor how they have rigged the exhaust valve system to maintain a lower port height into higher rpm. I don't call this creative and I certainly don't call it engineering.
Sorry again for all the reading.
 

ragincajun

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Again, I would have to say they were all over the board. My single rings with 600 miles measured out of spec at .0068 at the widest point. Consistant with my 08 cylinders and the updated 2010 cylinders. You could visibly see the piston trying to rock inside the cylinder just turning it over by hand.

I understand what you are saying. However, these are a consumer sled. They should not require a motor rebuild as general maintenance. Nor should you have to carry around race gas or add extra oil to the gas. These aren't 1970's sleds. Seriously, I am just dumbfounded. With all the technology out there how do you make something so prone to failure? It is almost as though they learned nothing about making a two stroke motor in all these years.

Some of the builders on here have stated that the single ring or even the twin ring pistons last better in the turbo sleds because the heat they generate actually expands the piston to the point of working with the excess play.

That being said the pistons and/ or cylinders are still usually out of spec. The fact that no two OEM pistons seem to measure the same certainly adds to what most of us can agree is a quality control issue.

Even if Polaris built this motor to work with a turbo setup which I personally don't belive was their sole intention. The components should still fall within specification when it leaves the factory floor. It would have been a very poor executive decision to design this motor with turbo only in mind when I doubt that even 5% of these will ever see a turbo. Focus has to be on the general user.

And I have to agree also with you that the fueling of this motor has always been partially to blame. I may be alone with this, but I have never agreed with how they fuel this motor to meet EPA standards. Nor how they have rigged the exhaust valve system to maintain a lower port height into higher rpm. I don't call this creative and I certainly don't call it engineering.
Sorry again for all the reading.

dont apologise for the reading! you are 100% right. we should not have to run extra oil, a splash of race gas or anything more than putting good gas in and filling up the oil res. this IS NOT a mod motor or an old 440 from the 70s! these motors are suposed to be the latest technology and should be as reliable as a damn car..or atleast for the first 5k mi. rebuilding a motor or replacing pistons 500mi as "average" maint. should not even be in the books. if these were a full out mod motor putin down 250 horse then burn downs and engine failures would just be part of the game...but these are stockers and should just be gas and go. as for the quality control...i think polaris must have thrown that dept out due to a budget cut...or just replaced the workers with mexican kids with a ruler to measure with.
 
S

skippy

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Nov 27, 2007
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Another problem is that everyone knows that these motors are so Sh!tty that you can't even sell them to anyone! People search about them prior to buying and say no way will I buy one. So now you have a sled you can't trust and you can't sell and you can't afford to keep fixing!! Now what do you do with it... Cannot believe they haven't been sued by someone over these non stop problems. They finally get it right with the PRO after about ten years now everyone goes running back to them with open arms... Except for the 2007 700 dragon, great sled!

Hayden, I know someone with a 910 for sale! :tongue:
 
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2XM3

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Again, I would have to say they were all over the board. My single rings with 600 miles measured out of spec at .0068 at the widest point. Consistant with my 08 cylinders and the updated 2010 cylinders. You could visibly see the piston trying to rock inside the cylinder just turning it over by hand.

I understand what you are saying. However, these are a consumer sled. They should not require a motor rebuild as general maintenance. Nor should you have to carry around race gas or add extra oil to the gas. These aren't 1970's sleds. Seriously, I am just dumbfounded. With all the technology out there how do you make something so prone to failure? It is almost as though they learned nothing about making a two stroke motor in all these years.

Some of the builders on here have stated that the single ring or even the twin ring pistons last better in the turbo sleds because the heat they generate actually expands the piston to the point of working with the excess play.

That being said the pistons and/ or cylinders are still usually out of spec. The fact that no two OEM pistons seem to measure the same certainly adds to what most of us can agree is a quality control issue.

Even if Polaris built this motor to work with a turbo setup which I personally don't belive was their sole intention. The components should still fall within specification when it leaves the factory floor. It would have been a very poor executive decision to design this motor with turbo only in mind when I doubt that even 5% of these will ever see a turbo. Focus has to be on the general user.

And I have to agree also with you that the fueling of this motor has always been partially to blame. I may be alone with this, but I have never agreed with how they fuel this motor to meet EPA standards. Nor how they have rigged the exhaust valve system to maintain a lower port height into higher rpm. I don't call this creative and I certainly don't call it engineering.
Sorry again for all the reading.



yeah I should have said 'single ring pistons that are the correct size" lol and yes of course this thing should be pull and go with crap for gas and zero issues....:face-icon-small-dis:face-icon-small-dis
 
D

Desperado

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Nov 29, 2007
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And thats the huge issue, the single ring pistons are PERFECT !!! tolerence on the money, just a poor fuel curve = det = bye bye piston. many many 1 ringers out there, just a splash of race gas or a pcv and darn thing will run with ZERO issues (even at 15 lbs boost) I would NOT do any updates if i had a good runner, just change single ring for single ring and go another 1500+ miles.

My buddys 08 with an 09 crate motor in that came apart at 75mi had a PCV on it with the mapping installed from the dealer, mapping did not save this motor. You could argue bad mapping but this motor's piston skirt broke and went through the crank. Mapping didn't do that a poorly built motor DID!! I hope the "Fix" works because that is where he is heading. If that don't work the insurance will be paid up and this little tool might just have an ACCIDENT.
 

2XM3

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My buddys 08 with an 09 crate motor in that came apart at 75mi had a PCV on it with the mapping installed from the dealer, mapping did not save this motor. You could argue bad mapping but this motor's piston skirt broke and went through the crank. Mapping didn't do that a poorly built motor DID!! I hope the "Fix" works because that is where he is heading. If that don't work the insurance will be paid up and this little tool might just have an ACCIDENT.

dual ring pistons I bet, and you can run it dead nuts on fuel and the piston will still break if its in there more than .005-.006 The pcv just corrects the insanely lean "spot" in the middle and pulls a bit of fuel on top, its not a fix just something to get the fuel correct.

so yes you are correct polaris and whoever put it togeather are 100% at fault. I am amazed that anyone would not measure clearance before installing a piston, hell I check it on my weed wacker rebuilds.
 
S
Sep 7, 2010
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8
I have had the same thing happen to my 2011 Pro with 800 miles. I have been riding my 08 800 Dragon and no way does it have the power of the Pro. Aren't they the same engines? I have been with Polaris since 1995.

1995 500 EFI Great Sled Many Miles

1996 600 XLT Great Sled
I had an ultra 680 POS
1997 700 RMK Great Sled Still Running

1998 700 RMK Still Running

1999 700 RMK Still Running

2000 800 RMK Multiple broken cranks
2001 800 RMK Sold before it blew up
2002 800 RMK Sold before it blew up
2003 800 Verticle Escape Still have it Lost 1 Crank
2006 900 Big POS Still own it Is not worth 2 cents Blew up under warranty
2008 800 Dragon Lost of riding time waiting for updated parts. Still running
2011 800 Pro In shop now, lost piston skirt at 800 Miles
The 90's sleds still run The 2000's all blow up.
I love my new Pro . Don"t seem to like the other brands. I don't want to switch. Just how much does Polaris think I can take.



aaaahhh...reading that brought back some bad memories of my 2002-2003 xc800's and rmk's.....too many broken cranks to count.
 
9
Dec 15, 2008
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dual ring pistons I bet, and you can run it dead nuts on fuel and the piston will still break if its in there more than .005-.006 The pcv just corrects the insanely lean "spot" in the middle and pulls a bit of fuel on top, its not a fix just something to get the fuel correct.

so yes you are correct polaris and whoever put it togeather are 100% at fault. I am amazed that anyone would not measure clearance before installing a piston, hell I check it on my weed wacker rebuilds.

Although mine is the supposed "bulletproof" 700, I have been replacing pistons every 800-1000 miles for safety sake. (since having 2 catastrophic failures 800 miles apart) They are typically .006 clearance new (which is the top end of the spec) and after 800-1000 miles they have increased to anywhere from .009-.012. So they may be within spec out of the factory but the skirts are collapsing that fast. The cylinders are still perfect after three sets of pistons now. You shouldn't have to do this but it's cheap insurance so you don't get a vacation ruined. Typically around $350 if you can do it
yourself. Am waiting to see the PRO out another year with minimal failures before I get one. I just don't like how the other brands handle otherwise I'd switch.
 
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