My 1 year old Rzr is going through oil like crazy and I can't find the cause. Does the Sportsman do this?
I'm having to add about 1/2Qt. every 200 miles on a machine that's only got 72 hours/650 miles on it. Didn't use a drop the 1st 200 miles or so. Compression and leakdown are well within specs at 180psi each and 6 & 7% leak. Bit of visible smoke at startup but goes away quickly & can't see any smoke thereafter. NO leaks & nothing coming out crankcase breather. Plugs look fine. Engine runs fine but having to check & add oil at each gas-up is getting old real fast.

So the questions are: Where is my oil going? Are there any other tests I can do? Can I still be burning this much oil with good cylinders, rings & valves? I'm stumped...

Mark

 

From what you say, you have bad valve guide seals. It is being burned in the combustion chamber. I would pull the carb and look at the back side of the intake valve. If it's all carboned up, there you go.

Or you could send it to Jamies and Adam..............J/K

 

pull the plugs as well to see if there alll oil soaked. thats way too much oil consumption for sure. if it isnt leaking it its burning it for sure.

 

you can by dye to put in the oil at most auto part stores

 

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

From what you say, you have bad valve guide seals. It is being burned in the combustion chamber. I would pull the carb and look at the back side of the intake valve. If it's all carboned up, there you go.
</end quote></div>

I plan on doing some wrenching on it this weekend so I'll try your suggestion. Would the <u>back</u> of the valve be carboned if the valve seat was sealing good?

Also I was thinking about my dealer's excuse that without smoke there's no oil consumption. On a 2-stroke motor where oil is deliberately present in the chamber, you get very little smoke when using synthetic oil. Polaris recommends full-synthetic 0W40 and that's what I'm using. How much oil would need to be burned before you actually see any smoke? When I asked the dealer this he just said "Polaris said to look for smoke" before going any further on tests or repairs.

 

Most likely needs rings based on what you describe and with the air filter issue not sealing on the intake good enough to keep dirt out of it. I was talking to a dealer friend of mine and there is a bulliten about this and Polaris is doing some type of warrenty on this issue on models prior to Sept 2nd, 2009 (I think). Check with your dealer but I know there is a bulliten out there. It is rare as a percentage of sold units verses engine issues. You may here alot of people talk about it but compared to the numbers sold it is a small number of machines. The most problems come from people who ride in areas with very dusty conditions. The dust has to be a very fine particle like in sand dunes as one example. I know you don't want to here this but I hope this may help you with your problem. let me be clear..... It is not an engine issue. It is not an air filter issue. It is a air filter fitment issue. It is not seaing tight enough on the intake and letting dust get pulled by where it is slipped on. The location of the intake in't the greatest for dust either. It tends to get more dust in the stock location than what a ranger does up front. Sportsman's have never had a problem with the air filters or the engines. Just check with your dealer before you go crazy over it. If your dealer sucks, then find one who cares. They should be able to help you. If I think about it I try to talk to my friend tomorrow and get the bulliten number and where it talks about "All rzrs have xtra engine warrenty if built befor etc...." Hope this helps. It hasn't been heavily advertised because its not a big deal for most places. It is mainly noticed in the "sand dune areas like I said before. Hope this helps.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: ncriderforks
let me be clear..... It is not an engine issue. It is not an air filter issue. It is a air filter fitment issue. It is not seaing tight enough on the intake and letting dust get pulled by where it is slipped on. </end quote></div>
I've tried clamping the filter, tried several different filters, sealed the air intake components and have installed snorkels. Everything has helped some but the dust problem remains. Dust slipping under the filter collar would leave tracks that are easy to see. And sand is no problem at all--very coarse compared to the silt on dry hardpack trails. Polaris' fix is to give the owner 1 free replacement filter--which is larger and uses no clamp but is still a disposable paper filter. I'm on the list and waiting to receive mine. i doubt it'll work better than the oversize AFE synthetic filter I'm currently using but I'll keep an open mind. Meanwhile my Rzr is using oil like it's a 2-stroke but runs fine & doesn't blow smoke. Passes the usual tests that are supposed to identify ring & valve sealing problems.

So are the tests not good enough to identify a problem that causes oil use of 1qt in 200 miles? Is it my valve guides & seals--which aren't tested in compression or leakdown tests? Is the recommended 0W40 oil too thin and can't be kept out of the cylinders?

I'm definitely open to all new ideas...

 

i dont think the valve seals would be that bad to burn that much oil in that short of milage w/ showing alot of smoke. check the spark plugs. if the rings are bad as he states it would be easy to see on the plugs. dust/dirt would take out the rings for sure but in all my sportsmans ive never had any dust in past the filter issue. is the filter/air box differnt on the rzr's ? good luck and let us know.

 

The rings are bad only if they CAN be with compression of 180 and 7% leakdown. The tests would seem to indicate everything is well sealed. That's why I can't get the dealer to go further in finding why I'm using so much oil. I'll be taking it to another dealer when the riding season is over.

On that dust issue...The consensus in the Rzr-specific forums is this problem is a design issue that affects all Rzrs. I used to think it affected only a few until it showed up on mine...and then my wifes which is a much later build date. WHY the stock filter, or a Uni, K&N, True Flow, AFE, etc don't stop the fine dust, while working perfectly in every other machine on the planet is the million dollar question. The fix isn't as simple as caulk or a clamp or SOMEone would have nailed the fix in the 18 months they have been available. Most owners don't ride in extreme dust, in the back of a pack, etc where the problem is worst, so will never see the problem. That doesn't mean it isn't there.

 

Does the aftermarket filter suppose to be a better filter? If it says it lets the engine breathe better then it can only happen in a couple of ways. Larger surface area or larger pores in the filter which let dirt pass through. Guy46805. I'll copy and PM you an email from a Polaris Engineer. This may not be your problem but if Polaris may be able to help then I would let them.