[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] As long as atv doe not have a WET clutch! friction modifiers bad on clutches and components

 

This stuff gets on my nerves!!!!

Polaris and all the others that do it.
Why?.... Well, I think this will make the point...

Since when does Polaris MFG oil?
I mean are they an ATV MFG or an Oil MFG?

Every small engine MFG on the planet does not and can not make their own oil.
It's just way out there in left field somewhere...


When it comes right down to it, I have a Sport 400 2-stroke. The engine says Robin right on it... it's a Fugi/Robin engine.
Not even a Polaris made engine.

My engine needs 2 cycle oil and also needs engine oil in the bottom end... counterbalance oil.

So here I go to try to figure out what oils are best for this particular Robin application. I go to my manual and to the dealer.

The manual says Polaris 10w30 in the counterbalance and to use only Polaris Premium Gold or Polaris Blue Injection Oil for mix oil (not sure that's even legal unless they provide the oil free). I go to the dealer, shop says put SAE30 in the counterbalance, and on the shelf inside they have the Polaris blue and then the new Polaris VES Gold.

Myself, I put Mobil 1 0w30 in the counterbalance. That was the best idea I could come up with for myself "on the fly" on my way back home. As for the mix oil, I plan to use the VES Gold if I keep injection, or Amsoil or Opti-2 if I don't.

 

I was at the dealer yesterday and there was a 55 gal drum of this oil sitting by the shop area so I asked the guy if he puts this in all his changes and he said yes. Mind you the drun was all marked with pure Polaris oil ( Not stickers but painted drum). so it just may formulate there own oil

 

All ATV manufacturers decide what formula oil they shoud use and someone else makes it. The OEMs are the ones who decide which additives their brand needs and how much. I've seen people use Polaris injection oil in Yamahas, car oil in lawnmowers and ATVs, lawnmower oil in ATVs and cars, and all kinds of other combinations.

If it's the right weight and the right service grade you can use it. It even says so in most manuals, but also says you may have to change it more often. If you buy cheaper oil and change it more often it can be a lot more expensive.

No two formulas are exactly the same because they have different amounts of different additives, so they won't work exactly the same. One may have more detergent than another or less antiwear additives. One may have less corrosion inhibitors and more antifoam. There are <u>several</u> different additives that may, or may not, be in each formula. Nobody will give away their trade secrets, so the only way to know if your oil has "The Right Stuff" is to use what the OEM reccomends.

 

Spoken like a company man.

Amsoil has worked great for me for several years.

 

If Amsoil comes the same grade and weight I don't see any problem with using it, as long as you change your oil when it needs it. I know Amsoil is good oil because it worked great in my snowmobile until the engine wore out a couple of years later. I don't think it was an oil problem. It just had a lot of use.

 

Our 97 sportsman has over 7000 miles and we only ued 0w-40 Amsoil because of the dealer location,but its the same price as the Polaris oil so its no deal.

 

Oh what a complicated question on oil.

All the manufacturers have their secret ingredients that make their oil best! And the amount of the secret snake oil is measured in eye-dropper fuls or less. Polaris only wants you to use their high priced products (oil or otherwise) and all mfgs seem to do it. The engine in a low use vehicle (and that includes all atvs and dirtbikes and the like) ain't gonna die because you used a different brand. Wow, several thousand miles on a ATV is like having a brand new car or truck. Not even broken in yet. Engines are just small and work harder to do the same thing and wear out not due to oil grades but insufficient quantities of it . Do you honestly believe an auto that is used day in and day out with, say, Mobil 1, in just about any grade, that goes 100,000 or 200,000 miles is having an easy time compared to our ATVs? Our ATVs can never go that long. It is the size and hard work for our tiny engines and the much inferior metallurgy (sorry, but true) thet lets them live shorter lives, not the quality of today's oils. A new oil (not recycled stuff) of any major mfg, in APPROX the correct grade WILL get our ATVs to a normal lifetime. It doesn't have to say Polaris, Mobil, Amsoil, Shell, etc. They will all work. ATV companies DO NOT REFINE their own oil. They buy and have it private labeled. (Even on 55 gal drums!)

They will suffer with LACK OF OIL, not 0W40 versus 2W40 or even 10W40 and so on. You need lubrication and you get it from OIL and oil pressure. Lack of oil will kill your ride. A different grade won't. I don't care how many mfgs with a vested interest tell you otherwise. I have been involved in testing and mfg of oil for major companies for several decades. They really want you to be LOYAL so they make the buck, not their competitor.

I know lots of folks may disagree, and I'm not going to get into arguments on this thread, but I've never seen a ride die or meet an early death because someone used a diff. brand of oil. If it is a Warranty you are worried about, tell them you only used their oil. They are not going to go through an expensive test to try and disprove you. It all boils down to money. They want yours and will try anything to get it, both with the initial sale and and all of the subsequent sales of products from that day forward.

Just put in the oil and don't let it run low or out! Enjoy the ride.

 

The way I see it, I'll use polaris oil until the 6 month warranty runs out. Then I'll use a good synthetic oil that meets manufacturer's specs. I might just stick with the polaris brand if it's about the same price as a good synthetic. I mean, how many times do you change your quad oil a year? Twice, maybe? More then likely I'll change it once so it's not that big of deal to me.

I've used many different brands in other vehicles and have not had a problem bacuse of different oil.

 

I can't believe I forgot to say change your oil regularly. Driving in dirty conditions as we do will seriously shorten oil life. It has to be clean, and it has to have oil. During the warranty period, use their oil. After that, use good clean oil as I have stated. Going in deep water and or mud allows DIRT where it shouldn't be. That will SHORTEN the longevity of your ATV more than anything. Be sure to follow the mfg's recommendations when you have done something bad!! They explain in the owner's manual how to address that situation.

Let's face it...we aren't going to get 100,000 miles on our machines. They will wear but it most likely isn't going to the because of a different brand of oil. We just have fun and beat 'em to death!!

Gotta go ride. CYA