I just bought a 2004 600 sportsman and I plan on pushing snow with it this winter. What brand and weight of oil do you guys think I should go with? Is Synthetic the best choice? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

0w-40 it covers the coldest days to the hottest and is sold only in synthetic. Plus its what Polaris recommends anyways.
You do not need to buy the polaris stuff, I use Amsoil some use Mobile1 or others.

 

Thanks,

 

Polaris now calls for 5W50, I run Quaker State 5W50 full syn.

 

0w40,5w40,5w50,Polaris has left the door open to what you can use. I gave up on trying to keep up with all the fluid changes from the engine oil to hub fluids when they had so many oils we couldn't or didn't want to stock all of them. We were stuck with a lot of LT oil also when they went to Demand Drive Plus. Same on the engine oil. First started with 0w40,then 2w50,5w50,even have an "extreme" 10w50 oil for constant use or very high temp use. Only thing they've been consistent with is the Angle Drive fluid (which is nothing but GL5 diff fluid) and AGL for the transmissions which there are equivalent chain case oils available for this too.

 

Polaris went from 0w-40 to the 2w-50 and 5w-50 odd ball weights in the hope people would buy Polaris OEM oil. Since 0w-40 is common in the aftermarket world supply.

Is it not good enough anylonger? doubt it ,but everybody makes that common weight.

 

Not saying that it's not good enough,but that you have many options besides Polaris or any other brands 0w40. It's good enough weight of oil for most cases,charts show that,but I believe there is just as good or better oils out there other than 0w40. Even this one that a lot of people use that is cheaper and has as much or more protection than Polaris,Amsoil,etc.Even Bob the Oil Guy reports it's protection is as good or better than brand specific oils. NOT trying to start another oil war,heavens forbid.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_Rotella_TPlus they came out with their own version of 0w40.

 

Shell's rotella t6 (full syn 5-40 diesel); $22/4 qts @ walmart. designed for the dirtiest of engines, diesels (well maybe 2 strokes are even dirtier) but mean to keep them clean under heavy soot conditions. Here is what i worry (not enough to loose sleep though!) about. I think most any quality synthetic oil has all the lube properties polo engines need. what i wonder about is the additives meant to keep the polos seals conditioned. Should we expect all oils to have the same conditioners? probably not. so i guess all we can go on is each other's experiences over the LONG & CONSISTENT haul (meaning over 3 years at least and changing the oil/filter at least every 100 hrs). What do ya'll think is polos ps4 worth it or should we just use a good technical alternative (same specs like at least 5-40)?

 

Polaris PS4 is bottled by Lube Tech, lowest price wins. Rotella is formulated for all diesel engines, and one would think that if it keeps the seals on diesel engines happy, it should on our Fuji/Polaris engines too.

 

I have been running Rotella T6 for years..in bikes..ATVs..my trucks...all run great...in my 02 sportsman 500HO I add 3 oz's of Lidui Moly friction reducer..help on the cam lobs...I have a 87 Suzuki LT250 4x4 i bought new...it runs Rotella...runs as good as day i bought it...even pull starts easy on very cold days....its a great oil for the money....it has good base stock in it...I find lots of 50 weight oils shear fast...