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503 Engine Mods

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ozzydog

Member
Dec 17, 2007
160
17
18
54
Has anyone out there or does anyone know of someone doing mods to the 503 engine. If you have done any mods to your engine please share the info. with me. IF you know of someone second had doing mods, please bring on the info. Looking to up the hp from 60 to ???
 
T
Dec 26, 2007
317
10
18
Minnesota
Going to try

There is a popular mod shop up the road from me, Speedwerks they are out of forest lake Mn. I'm going to bring in my can and see if they can make me one. For a little more HP, and to lighten it up some. Also going to put in V force reed's I already have them, Will install this summer. That will be plenty for me.
 
B

BlazinBya

Member
Nov 26, 2007
128
9
18
Eagle River Wi
I often wonder the same thing,so I asked LRD,he was the guy modding the skidoo rev fanner to be the ultimate light weight boondocker.He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to getting the most outta the fan motors.Here is what I recall......The biggest problem with upping the power on a fanner is cooling,also the 503 block doesn't have alot of room between the cylinders for boring out and upping the CC's.I think he told me he could take mine up to about a 530cc or so along with some mild porting and head work.I believe he said it would run around 700 bucks and would yield roughly 75 reliable horsepower,anymore than that outta the 503 and your asking for troubles with durability.He did say that he had bumped his 550 fanner,which is a better motor to mod,up to 90 horse or so.I think the 550 motor would be the ticket in a hawk myself.Nearly as much oomph as the 600 liquid without the added weight penalty! Now were talkin.......I noticed while riding with the 600's and 800's the other day that my lightweight fanner would pop up on the snow and plane out sooner than the heavier more powerful hawks would.I dont know if it was due to the lighter weight or the lack of track speed that was letting it plane sooner,but I was heavier than two of the guys and wearing a 20 lb backpack so....?I was really thinking I was going to upgrade this year to a liquid 600 136 but instead I think I'll rip rip the fanner for awhile longer....after some slight motor mods,a longer track,and the new simmons gen2 ski I think I'll be content.
 
S
Nov 26, 2007
2,684
179
63
53
Kennewick Wa
I am vindacated!

The 503 rules!
It can't trench in when it does not have the power to, so its only option is to get moving.

The extra performance, wear, poor mileage, and failures of the larger liquids are not worth the wheelies on demand, and if you want them put about $1,500.00 into clutches!

LRD is the man http://www.snowest.com/forum/member.php?u=45644

And yes the 550/620 would be the answer as he has described to me before, yet his application was for a Summit not a Snow Hawk designed around the 440/503F.

He has specs for the European 550HO's.

For now stick with what works, the 503F, notice it's still available. http://www.rotax.com/en/Engine/2004/Aircraft/Engine.Models.htm

We need thousands of them at $7,999.99,and a handful of 6 and 8's for those who want to deal with them!

Completely redesign a second generation of the machine, and give me a EFI 175-300-500-700cc two and four stroke liquid singles with radiators?

This is not the only option! http://www.brp.com/en/Products/
Artic Cat aka Suzuki/Showa, Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM, hell even Polaris, and Honda.

Then you will see tens of thousands sell for $3,999.99-$9,999.99!
 
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i thought you liked the 550 tony
after reading the HP you could get out of the 550 the wheels are a turning!!!
and a zx2 with a ultra light camoplast!!! i wonder how light a 503 fanner could get?

why would i want a 600 LOL
 
S
Nov 26, 2007
2,684
179
63
53
Kennewick Wa
I like what works.

It's not the engine that makes the machine, but it sure helps to have the power you "need" when you "need' it.

I "want" quality and reliability not Viagra and a transvestite!:D
 
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J&L Snowhawk

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jan 3, 2008
1,269
288
83
Aberdeen, SD
stores.ebay.com
600 Sdi

After the best snow trip of my life I don't know what hawk to ride anymore. I love the power of the 8 but the six sure flips around alot easier and still climbs like a mofo. Could be the different track setups but don't think that is the big dif. I think a 600 sdi or maybe a e-tec is in order for me with a 144. What u all think?
 
i just bought a 550fanner out of a 2006 sled
have arranged with a guy here in Ontairo to do the swap and build up of it this summer once i get my hawk!!! cant wait till next year!!! he said he has built a lot of these engines!

im gonna try to lighten it up some more first with a zx2 and light weight camoplast!!
you guys have any other things i could do to lighten up this beast!!

as per the 550 big bore, new head, ceramic coated pistons, stroked, v force reeds, larger Carbs, Ram cold air! and increase cooling to the engine. he said reliable 85 hp!! last but not least, some clutching so it pulls like a champ!!

he said his moded 550 fanner with clutching is smoking fast!

how about a lightened fanner that could do wheelies!

do you guys think im wasting my $$$ building this machine?
all in all i think i will be about 7K into it total when im all done!
i could get a newer 600 cheaper, but it just wouldent be the same!
 
A
May 30, 2011
8
0
1
67
Ames, IA
550HO Spec's?

The 503 rules!
It can't trench in when it does not have the power to, so its only option is to get moving.

The extra performance, wear, poor mileage, and failures of the larger liquids are not worth the wheelies on demand, and if you want them put about $1,500.00 into clutches!

LRD is the man //www.snowest.com/forum/member.php?u=45644

And yes the 550/620 would be the answer as he has described to me before, yet his application was for a Summit not a Snow Hawk designed around the 440/503F.

He has specs for the European 550HO's.

For now stick with what works, the 503F, notice it's still available. http://www.rotax.com/en/Engine/2004/Aircraft/Engine.Models.htm

We need thousands of them at $7,999.99,and a handful of 6 and 8's for those who want to deal with them!

Completely redesign a second generation of the machine, and give me a EFI 175-300-500-700cc two and four stroke liquid singles with radiators?

This is not the only option! http://www.brp.com/en/Products/
Artic Cat aka Suzuki/Showa, Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM, hell even Polaris, and Honda.

Then you will see tens of thousands sell for $3,999.99-$9,999.99!
=======================================

So what is the Spec's of the 550HO?

The Standard 550F(70hp at 7000rpms) use's a 9.6cr, and the early ones used 34mm Carbs, later ones use 30mm carbs, and are rated 58hp at 6800rpms.

The Standard 380(36hp) with a 9.6cr, and the 380HO(48hp) with 11.2cr, both rated at 7000rpms with 30mm Carbs. 380HO with a better-Tuned pipe Dynoed 57.26hp at 7000rpms.

LRD's 550F Big Bore was (81mm x 61mm) 628.9cc, not 620cc, unless he made more than one.

If Designed and built right, using a (11.2cr to 11.8cr) and a good Tuned Pipe these motors should make:

503(496cc) at 90% efficient at 7000rpms = 74hp

550(553cc) at 90% efficient at 7000rpms = 82hp

550BB(628cc) at 90% efficient at 7000rpms = 93hp
 
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B
Feb 21, 2008
11
7
3
52
Fanners have a limit

I've been down the road your on serveral times on a few Fan cooled sleds, and in my opinion modding a fanner just causes it to heat up faster and loose power sooner. If your not familiar with the term "heat soak" it happens when an engine becomes so hot it begins to actually lose power and efficiency. This happens all the time on any fan cooled sled, especially if you mood it. So if you mill the heads, or port it or any do other engine mod yes it will work just like it does on a liquid cooled engine, but there is no way to cool off all that extra power, so it actually overheats(heat soak) sooner.
Find a used 600 liquid it will be totally worth the $$, keep your fanner and just enjoy it for what it is. Maybe lighten the track, or other lightweight modds, but I wouldn't touch the motor.
 

Hawkster

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Apr 22, 2010
7,964
6,234
113
AK
One thing that can help on the Hawks is if you remove the center disk between the forks . Granted you can't always run without it but you'll be amazed at how much the wider ski keeps the snow from going in . It actually makes a huge difference in normal riding conditions because the air flows under the exhaust and around the case which is not the norm for the way the engine is put in the typical sled .
 
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