Just got the 500 HO sportsman..almost time for the 10 hour or so oil change

My questions:
1) Do you recommend using the Polaris oil change kit or buying other oil and filters from the auto parts store?
--my buddy claims it's extra money "wasted" on the Polaris kit...stating that I should just buy regular oil and filter from Auto Zone...

2) Is there any other maintenance that we should do besides the oil change? Fluids, etc



Thanks in advance...I appreciate all the free expertish adevice that this site provides

 

Congrats on the new 500...your gonna love it. Your buddy gave you BAD advice. You just spent at least $6,000.00 on your new ATV. I can't understand why people have this mentality: "Hmmm......I wonder if I might be able to save $25 per year by using non-polaris approved fluids in my BRAND NEW machine???? It's a gamble.....but it's 25 whole dollars we are talking about........I think I'll see if my Brand new Machine will survive with non-polaris oil......"

Man, that makes NO SENSE!!! I spent over $7,000 last year on my new 700EFI. You can bet your a$$ that for an extra $25 a year, EVERY FLUID OTHER THAN GAS that goes into my machine will come from a blue bottle that says "Polaris" on the side. It doesn't make sense to risk a 6-7 thousand dollar machine for the price of a tank of gas for it. Can you GET AWAY with using other fluids? Most certainly.......but I'm not using MY machine as the guinea pig..........

 

I always use the kit. I wouldn't change any other fluids until you hit 100 hours after the first oil change. Please read all oil changing instructions for they are very important! I think you might be a little early because I think it is after 20 hours and your machine will let you know with a indicator light. After you change the oil you can reset the sevice indicator to 100 hours to let you know for next time. All the instructions are in your manual.

 

Slayer,

Ten or twenty hours, not a big difference. I did it at 20 on my 500, and 15 hours on my 800. My 500 still uses Polaris oil, but my 800 uses Amsoil Formula 4-Stroke 0W-40 and a Purolator Pure One filer #PL14610. The 500 can use the PL14612 filter. Quite a few guys use Amsoil and Mobile 1 0W-40 with no problems at all. The only fluids that you should not substitute for the Polaris brand are the front differential fluid and ADC fluid. Engine oil is perfectly okay to use whichever brand you prefer, just as long as its the same API service rating and weight as what the factory recommends. And filters from Mobil 1, Purolator, and Wix are high quality filters that you won't have any worries in using.

Jod, you're way off base. My 800 is far from being a guinea pig.

ADDED:

I changed all my fluids early, not just the engine oil.

 

I use Amsoil 0w-40 and a Fram filter only because the Canadian Tire store that sells it is nearby,it works out to only be $7 cheaper than the kit. If your dealer is close by just get the kit plus they give you new washers for the drain holes.

 

I don't get the washers anymore. I hove notinced over the past year these changes: 3 Quarts down to 2, New washers to none, lower price to higher price.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: atv gooroo

I don't get the washers anymore. I hove notinced over the past year these changes: 3 Quarts down to 2, New washers to none, lower price to higher price.</end quote></div>

If thats what they offer now than the kit is pointless.

Just get full synthetic 0w-40 and a filter that fits anywhere you want.

 

Most auto stores I checked don't even <u>have</u> 0W-40 full synthetic oil. Even if they did it wouldn't be made to Polaris specs. I take mine to the dealer in the spring and fall and they check the whole machine when they change the oil. The only thing I do is change the air filter, and top off the radiator and oil if they need it. I'm not a mechanic and don't like getting dirty unless I'm playin' in a mud hole.

 

They dont sell Amsoil in the states? It the favorite of performance street bikes guys and comes in 0w-40 and is sold at our Canadian Tire stores which are like a Walmart.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: TLC

They don sell Amsoil in the states? It the favorite of performance street bikes guys and comes in 0w-40 and is sold at our Canadian Tire stores which are like a Walmart.</end quote></div>

Yeah. They MAKE Amsoil here, and they've been selling it for over 35 years. They just don't have it in stores everywhere.