For 2005, Polaris is using two different fluids for the front gearcase and rear gearcase....the front takes the normal Polaris Premium On Demand drive fluid....the rear now takes the Polaris ATV Angle Drive Fluid...their part numbers are 2871654 and 2871653. When I went in to the Polaris dealer a few weeks ago to pick up all the fluids, they never heard fo Angle Drive Fluid....

They said the service manual called for the Polaris Gearcase fluid.....WHAT? I've got the manual, I asked him to get it. He looked in astonishment. He called his other dealer, they didn't have it or carry it or hear of it either.

The rear end is simple on these machines, the front end is what the On-Demand fluid was designed for. I'm going to research why Polaris is using the Angle Drive fluid for the rear, its a simple rearend design, so must be some additives for bearing or seal life or something...not sure....

Anyways....the dealer now stocks the Angle Drive Fluid....they did apologize and ordered it in. Not that I think it matters on the rear, there are probably many gearcase fluids I could use, but my machine is under warranty and I want what is specified.

Anyone else run into this?

 

Hmmmmmm - Somehow me thinks Polaris wants to keep [more of] your pocket book closer to home...

Do the homework for sure, but it sure sounds like a marketing strategy

 

Any mention of using left or right handed tools while adding this?

 

No... but they did mention something about "Zircon-encrusted Tweezers"...

 

I wonder if its a diffrent color or diffrent smell additives in it?

 

"No... but they did mention something about "Zircon-encrusted Tweezers"...

WOW, Frank Zappa is a Polaris tech?

 

follow-up.....

so anyways, went to another dealer where I bought my machine from....talked to them on the phone first, the salesman tells me that 'yes, they have the angle drive fluid', its the AGL fluid........well not really, AGL is the fluid used in the transmission

so I get there and talked with the owner, he is pretty knowledgeable, pretty cocky though....he says to use the Angle Drive fluid, PN 2871653 in both the front and rear, if we were in a colder climate, to use the Demand Fluid, PN 2871654 in the front. So anyways, he has the 2871653 on the shelf. But, its not called the Angle Drive Fluid, its called the ATV Front Drive Fluid....

so it boils down to this,,,,,viscosity....the Demand drive fluid is thinner, the Angle somewhat thicker. So I pick up each, don't really care what they were saying.

He asked me why I was changing it, stating that they change it once a year per recommendation. I said I change fluids regularly, it makes things last longer.

So I drain the rear fluid today...its black.....I recommended to everyone, to change your fluid more often if you put on alot of miles. Granted, I have on 500+ miles in 4 months, which isn't alot, but that fluid was dark, I didn't say dirty, but its black. I haven't changed the front yet as I have to remove the Glacier mount....

Another thing....the Service manual says it takes 5 oz. It also says when checking the fluid to make sure it is up to the threads. I didn't check it before I drained it. The manual says to fill it to the bottom of the threads on the upper fill hole. Well, good thing I bought extra...the manual says it takes 5 oz, but the small bottle is 8 oz, I put it in and then probably about another 3 oz, so thats approx. 11 ounces total...so much for the 5 oz the books says. Looking at how much drained out, it may have only been 5 oz...didn't look like much. I would have pulled the mount on the front and changed it, but I again bought the 8 oz bottle, so guessing it will take more also, I'll buy another bottle before I change it.

It may be that they will work okay on 5 oz, but I'm filling to the bottom of the hole. I got a couple of more months on warranty....lol....

dave

 

On my sportsman 600 the manual says to fill the transmission with oil to a level 1 5/8 below the top of the oil fill hole. Now how would you be able to see or measure the distance? They say you need 13.5 Oz. of oil. OK, say you put in that much, I don't know how to make sure that is enough. Any ideas on how to be sure of the right amount.

 

FishinPhil is right, I bought my 05 SP 700efi and I received an Addendum (#is PN 9919999) which states in big letters not to maintain rear gearcase oil even with the threads. This Addendum states that this affects the 600 and 700 Sportsmans. The Addendum states to add about 5 ounces, then what is says is to take a cable tie or allan wrench and lay on bottom threads and insert it into fill hole at a slight downward angle into the left side of the gearcase and insert about 2 inches and if there is fluid on it then that is where it is supposed to be. If no fluid is present then add 5 to 10 ml of 80-90, then check again. I bought a service manual and it says to fill even with threads, but I don't believe that is right, otherwise why did they do the Addendum.

 

Does anybody have any more info on this topic? I had the same concern with my 2004 SP700. I filled the differentials up to the bottom of the threads on the fill hole. As for the getting the correct 1 5/8" height on the tranny fluid, I just used a cable ty-rap that I marked at the appropriate measurement and inserted it into the tranny fluid fill hole. Worked fine. My only question is with the correct level on the front differential. Any Polaris techs out there have the correct answer to this question for us rookies?
Thanks.