11-12' 800 Pro Reliability

TurboMatt · Mar 11, 2012

AKSNOWRIDER said:
13% failure rate?..I doubt the other brands are fairing much if any better..(and yes 1 failure is too many but its a fact of life).. now..it makes you wonder..if all these sleds had had the oiler turned up when new, as well as a pint of oil in the fuel with every tank..what would the numbers be?I think most of the poo failures could be avoided by simply doing those simple changes along with warming the sled up before ripping on it after every shutoff...

Wait, are you saying that a 13% failure rate isn't that bad? I think its terrible. Granted I understand this represents a small percentage of actual users out there.
If 13% failure rate was acceptable at my job I would have a lot less stress in my life, LOL

AKSNOWRIDER · Mar 11, 2012

I am pretty sure industry standards say 10% is good..and no I dont think its great..I just think its about average right along with the other manufacturers....

rotax · Mar 11, 2012

13% is pretty bad..
Doesn't matter weather other manufs have the same or worse..
And there is a huge majority under the 1500 mark, which seems may be the sweet spot for first failures by what I've been reading/seeing around here.

If oil is the solution, it should come that way from the manuf. If they can't make their engines work w/o oil [in order to pass EPA], they need to make a change.

Most of us don't mind adding/using more oil, if they can't legally have the dealer turn it up on 'setup', they should be telling the customer to do it themselves...
I'd rather have it that way than a broken engine.

Kraven · Mar 11, 2012

AKSNOWRIDER said:
I am pretty sure industry standards say 10% is good..and no I dont think its great..I just think its about average right along with the other manufacturers....

I for one would like to see the failure rate #'s even on other POLARIS engines, let's say current 600's and older 800's oil turned up or not.

Maybe I'm wrong here but I'll bet even the old FUJI 800's with tons of miles on 'em have a lot less than 10% failure rate.

Don't recall see any fix-it kits or long rod kits for those engines...........

On top of that, will we expect that 10 % -13 % failure rate increase as these 2011-12's accumulate more miles on 'em

Bottom line for 2012, it just is not acceptable to have piston skirt & cylinder skirt failures (occasional burnt piston another story) especially after "fine tuning, lol" this same engine since 2008

Heck, Just 14 months ago, POLARIS came out with a brand new 875cc engine for the new RZR 900 XP, and no problems to speak of, with a BRAND NEW engine design

tbeaton · Mar 11, 2012

1100 miles and running without any issue. bad brake switch and my tail light is falling out. but who really cares about those.

glassman · Mar 11, 2012

Just turned over 1000 mountain miles on my 12. Lots of wide open throttle so it has not been easy miles. TPS was out of adjustment and the oiling was set too low from factory. Just broke my rear suspension, but that is not a motor issue. That being said, I guess I will have to loose my warranty and do the piston update for piece of mind next year.

Old Scud-doo · Mar 12, 2012

Skeld said:
Looks to be a better percentage of sleds without problems than the threads on here would lead you to believe.

Unless you're in the 15% that has had problems. :face-icon-small-ton

By the way, I rode with a group yesterday and there was an old XLT in the group. 9800 miles on the motor!!! Fuji should build 800 twins.

Skeld · Mar 12, 2012

At the time it was only about 6%, now it has climbed up to almost 14% which I agree, does seem a little alarming.

RZRNUT · Mar 12, 2012

I have 2 2011 Pro's. Both have 1500 miles on them. One started to run rough and would not get more than 7200 RPMS. Dealer just called and the crank bearing was really sloppy and loose. They said it was about ready to go. Hope they give me a new Engine. At least a new crank and pistons. My buddy's 2012 Pro started to do the same thing last weekend has 500 miles on it. At the same dealer, will have to see what it is.

knifedge · Mar 12, 2012

14% is nearly 1 1/2 sleds per every 10. If you see 20 sleds in a parking lot ready to ride, statistically, 3 will blow a motor at some point.

--If every Polaris 800 had worn out pistons factory installed, then theoretically every one of them is going to blow. However, those running 2/3 to full throttle higher percentage of time will probably experience failure before those than run less throttle.

--Think of failure point as an overall number and the some of the factors that get to that number would be engine running time and RPM.

--So failure rate may increase with running time(miles) and rpm(deep snow operators before the flatlanders).

Wrong Turn · Mar 12, 2012

1 out of 8 blowing up within two years is not very good. Motors must not be the reason Pros are the number 1 selling mountain sled.

thspepper@gmail.com · Mar 12, 2012

Regarding the " if it's your sled that failed. That's a 100% failure rate" comment. I've had 7 sled's in my life. The last one was a 08 XP. 3 motors in 2 months. (Powerhouse in Pleasant Grove UT SUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKSSS) I'm snow checking a 2013 pro even if this thread was 50 % failure rate.

Oregonsledder · Mar 12, 2012

This poll is interesting, but don't think for one minute that there hasn't been some Cat and Doo, guys over here messing with the numbers.... you know who you are!

Who knows what the real numbers are but I wouldn't trust these results good or bad.

The failure rates don't represent what I have seen in my area. There has not been a single engine melt down here that I have heard about and I know a lot of the PRO riders here. There have been issues for sure, just like with all brands, but nothing real major that I have heard about or witnessed.

Skeld · Mar 12, 2012

Oregonsledder said:
This poll is interesting, but don't think for one minute that there hasn't been some Cat and Doo, guys over here messing with the numbers.... you know who you are!

QUOTE]

Ha ha. :face-icon-small-ton

PalousePoo · Mar 12, 2012

I voted. 2011 pro, 1700 mi., broken mag side cyl skirt, made hole out the bottom of the case. At 1200 mi primary clutch broke in two. I will not own a sled without warranty. My shortblock is suppose to arrive tomorrow, we'll see. This is the third major eng failure my dealer has seen, and I talked to the serv manager at a larger dealer in another town and they have had 3 major failures too.

aebsledder · Mar 13, 2012

PalousePoo said:
I voted. 2011 pro, 1700 mi., broken mag side cyl skirt, made hole out the bottom of the case. At 1200 mi primary clutch broke in two. I will not own a sled without warranty. My shortblock is suppose to arrive tomorrow, we'll see. This is the third major eng failure my dealer has seen, and I talked to the serv manager at a larger dealer in another town and they have had 3 major failures too.

Our sleds must have been related.:face-icon-small-sad
Totally agree on the warranty. It will be interesting to see the poll results in the next few months, or early next year. It seems like many of the problems are after the 1500 mile mark, or within a couple hundred miles of it. I also know of three other sleds in my area that had the same thing happen with around the same mileage. On another note, I can't believe you got your dealer to admit they have seen others with the same problem. I think my dealer is great, but nine out of ten times, my sled is always the "first time we have seen this".

knifedge · Mar 13, 2012

--Maybe they get an extra 1/2 hr shop time added to the warranty invoice for "seeing this the first time"

dirtymax · Mar 13, 2012

first let me say luv my 2011 pro best out of box sled in15 sleds i have owned just gas and go 3 other pros have been bought because of demo rides on mine now all of the sudden all these motor problems whats up polaris!! build the best mountain sled ever and put a half reliable motor in it i use to pass dragons on the trail thinking feel sorry for that guy now i think i am no better off than him in 2005 i bought a early build 2005 king cat now 3900 hard miles later 1 clutch and 1 water temp sensor is all that this sled needed its still my trusty back up polaris call arctic cat ask how to build a motor.

aebsledder · Mar 13, 2012

dirtymax said:
first let me say luv my 2011 pro best out of box sled in15 sleds i have owned just gas and go 3 other pros have been bought because of demo rides on mine now all of the sudden all these motor problems whats up polaris!! build the best mountain sled ever and put a half reliable motor in it i use to pass dragons on the trail thinking feel sorry for that guy now i think i am no better off than him in 2005 i bought a early build 2005 king cat now 3900 hard miles later 1 clutch and 1 water temp sensor is all that this sled needed its still my trusty back up polaris call arctic cat ask how to build a motor.

Polaris: "Hey, Arctic Cat, how do we build a motor?"

Arctic Cat: "I don't know, call Suzuki!"

Jaynelson · Mar 13, 2012

knifedge said:
14% is nearly 1 1/2 sleds per every 10. If you see 20 sleds in a parking lot ready to ride, statistically, 3 will blow a motor at some point.

I would say closer to 100% of sleds will blow a motor at some point....sleds are likely the most unreliable and maintenence-intensive piece of equipment you will ever own.

11-12' 800 Pro Reliability

11-12' Pro 800 Engine Failure

Engine Failure - Piston Related (rings, skirt, etc.)

Engine Failure - Cylinder Related (cylinder skirt, etc.)

Engine Failure - Crank Related

No Major Failure - 0-1000 miles

No Major Failure - 1000-2500 miles

No Major Failure - 2500+ miles

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