2006 550 fan motor dead at 417 miles - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

gil57usa · 03-03-2009, 04:13 PM

Last season I bought a 2006 Trail Tour with zero miles on it. I followed the break-in procedure to the letter. I rode it twice last season for a total of 200 miles. I summerized it by the book. This year I rode it three times for a total of 217 miles. The last time out in Old Forge, NY it started to run sluggish, no power. I limped it back to the trailer and came home.

The dealer has it now and has informed me that it looks like the left cylinder "cold siezed" and the right cylinder had a piece of reed valve in it. I always let my sled warm up for at least 5-10 minutes before a ride. I don't understand how it could have "cold siezed". As for the reed valve, at 417 miles? This looks to me like there were defects in the motor right out of the gate.

The dealer says it is out of warranty and a rebuild will be around $600.00. Does anyone here know if there are any known problems with this motor? Something that may have caused this damage at so few miles?

I am hoping Polaris will cover the motor since it has so few miles on it. Having to pay for a rebuild on the motor while I am still paying for a $4,000.00 sled doesn't sit well.

Thanks in advance for any help.

IRONDOG · 03-03-2009, 09:26 PM

Go to Google and type this in the box: polaris 550 burndown

Jerry

JDS · 03-04-2009, 09:20 AM

Check out this link. 550 fan Jetting and burn-down issues.... - SnoWest Forum
I doubt if you'll get any help from Polaris. My wife drives a 550F, but it's a Gen. II chassis.

gil57usa · 03-04-2009, 09:51 AM

Thanks for the replies. I checked the links and am surprised and appalled at the magnitude of this problem and Polaris' lack of action and apparent attitude toward their customers. While I am waiting for my dealer to get a response from Polaris, I have been arming myself for battle. I now have the phone numbers for The State Attorney Generals office, The consumer protection agency, the consumer product safety commission (these machines are made to be used in extremely cold conditions that put safety at risk upon a failure to operate), The better business bureau, and a lawyer that specializes in lemon laws. I am hoping for the best but I am definately prepared for the worst.

Now here is some food for thought. With the sheer number of people who have had this same problem, a known problem at that, perhaps a class action lawsuit would be in order. The fact that this is a known problem that will cause a machine to become disabled in extremely cold temperatures thus putting peoples lives in jeapordy due to hypothermia and other cold related issues, casts Polaris in a very negligent light. Hmmmmmm.

JDS · 03-04-2009, 06:12 PM

Yeah, I bought my wife the 550F because i thought fan cooled engines were bulletproof. She's only put something over 300 miles on it so far; hopefully since it's a Gen II chassis, we won't have problems. If it blows, I'll be damned if I'll fix it. I'll part it out and buy her an AC.

ridgerunner · 03-04-2009, 07:05 PM

ethanol.
the new e10 gas that is on the eastcoast now is causeing MASSIVE problems here in maine. when it sits for something around 10 days the ethanol seperates from the gas. it can then combine with moisture in the tank and form a sludge in the bottom, with gas remaining at a very low octane rating OR seperate and become a strait ethanol shot that the engine recieves which has resulted in ALOT of engine meltdowns recently. google it. it is a rediculously large problem here... link to some talks about it.
DOOTalk Forums > Ethanol in maine
do some reading. i'll look around and see if i can find some more info here about the issue. i haven't had a problem, but i'm a scardy cat and added the "ethanol addative" that is $10 a bottle and treats 25 gal.

JDS · 03-05-2009, 03:17 PM

We've had ethanol in our gas here for quite awhile. When they first started putting it in gas, it was the bulk distributors who were supposed to be blending it in. They basically just put it in and never mixed it. It will not separate if it is blended correctly, at the source. When our local Amoco refinery, now Tesoro started blending it, troubles disappeared. Before the refinery started blending it, some stations got pure ethanol with no gas and cars wouldn't run on it either. If you get more than 10%, you will definitely have problems with any 2 cycle engine. I know the ethanol manufacturers and distributors were held responsible for some of the early engine problems.

ridgerunner · 03-05-2009, 04:32 PM

i have heard alot about issues here in maine, but i have yet to actually KNOW someone that has problems (good thing). hopefully it is something that goes away around here, and i do notice that i am hearing less about it lately. but when the season started, it was amazing. you would hear horror stories about a party fueling up in a spot, and everyone having issues.

Muskoka Drifter · 03-05-2009, 11:44 PM

I've been following these threads on other forums for a year and a half. This is a DEFECTIVE design. I also own a '04 550 fan Edge trail, and with 12,000 mi have not "YET" had any problems; but am holding my breath.
NOTE: There is a new oil pump bleeder kit to retrofit the 550 which is supposed to prevent vapor lock in the pump. It's about a 45 minute job to install yourself. I have attached a picture of the parts. A few hoses and plastic fittings which the dealer charged me $60.00 for. This should have been a factory recall and installed at no charge. But Polaris has abandoned all it's 550 owners. Read the threads on Hard Core Sledder; lots of info there too.
My dealer said he saw 12 burned 550's last year, one with 16,000 miles on it.
By the way there is also a gas tank recall on these machines; at least that is free.
I was actually shopping for a new Polaris, but with the customer care totally lacking from this company, I'm not going to touch one!

sja226 · 10-23-2009, 10:02 AM

Anyone have issues with their 2006 Polaris 550 Supersport - looking to update and dont want the same issues.

I had a 05 550 SuperSport that had the melt down and was abandoned by Polaris. I contacted Consumer Protection and was again left out in the cold.

farmaloose · 10-23-2009, 03:29 PM

I have 2001 a 550 edge I bought last year with 300 miles on it I mix 1 to 4 aviation fuel in it, as I have had trouble with sleds+chain saws in IL. where we have had it for years,and now are going to 20 percent ethanol. I put 500 miles on it with no problems last year. does anyone know what year 550s started haveing these troubles? lord help us when the 20 percent fuel hits the market cause aviation fuel is not cheap.

Taboow8 · 10-24-2009, 03:45 PM

I'm considering buying a 2003 Classic 550 with 3500 miles on it? Does anyone know id this model has had issues like the ones above??

**smallengineguy** · 10-24-2009, 05:41 PM

The biggest problem was too tight of a piston/cylinder clearance, the oil pump, and too much heat under the hood. Dealer told me it's about $1000 to upgrade the sled to prevent a blow up.