Question on Polaris 900 motors

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big10champ2003

New member
I am looking for some input on the Polaris 900 motors. I am wondering if anybody can tell me if the Polaris 900 motor is any good. I have the ability to get a 2005 RMK 900 159 for a great deal, but am wondering if the motor is any good. For some reason I seem to recall these motors having a lot of problems. This perticular sled has low miles under 3000 i believe. I think i remember something about it being really torqy and vibrating.

If anybody has or has had one of these and can give me some info as to whether it would be a good investment, I would appreciate all the help and info I can get!

Thanks
 
indy_500

indy_500

Well-known member
Clutching needs to be dialed in perfectly so you don't blow any belts. Then you have to add motor mounts from SLP to keep that bad boy held down. Once these 2 things are done, they aren't too bad a motors.
 
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fusion900ryder

New member
I've owned two, an 05 and a 06. I still run the 06. The internet did more damage to these than they deserved. They are stout motors that do indeed vibrate more than other sleds but the payoff is the amount of grunt they deliver.
As long as the updates are done , I would not hesitate.
 
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polarisrider1

New member
I have the 755 version of that motor, it has tons of grunt. You want the anti torque kits from SLP to save on belts. I have 3600 hard earned miles on mine. Check carb boots for cracks. Most of the melt downs are from leaning out from cracked carb boots.
 
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Skylar

Super Moderator
Staff member
polarisrider1 said:
Snowest has a dedicated section on that motor. They can be made to work just fine. Check it out for unbiased info.
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Yep, they sure do. Why do you think that is?

The main reason I spent the money to stay a member over there, was because my buddy Joe has an 05 900 RMK. I will get into what he has spent, and the work I have done to keep it running, once I get home.
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
Polaris 900 motors had many updates & were finally discountinued. I would not use for trail riding but if you keep 900RPMs high in powder you should be ok in deep stuff if price is right & you have updates complete may be worth a few bucks but not big bucks.
 
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mndoorider

New member
I owned an '05 fusion and after almolst every trip it was in the shop. Engine did manage to last 4900 miles before going but buddies only made it 2200. They needed new belts every 800 miles. They were horrible on gas and should of had a lot more power for being a "900". And the vibration was bad which I guess I got use to. I'd stay away from it....there's a reason that sled and engine didn't stick around long. I rode polaris 15yrs until I owned that sled and haven't considered buying another since.
 
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Skylar

Super Moderator
Staff member
Ok, my buds 9 had 690 miles on it when he bought it, all updates had been done to it. Here is a list of what has gone wrong with it since he bought it in the fall of 05. Sled currently has 3,000 miles on it.

Throttle body boots, had to replace.
Frayed throttle/oil cable, added a fat boy frenchy cable.
Installed 06 pistons and rings, mag side was scuffed bad, loss of compression, needed a new cyliner also.
Relay driver in ECU went bad, had to splice into wiring harness to get gauges/lights/handwarmers to work to finish out a season. Replaced ECU this fall with new one.
Stator took a crap at the end of last winter, exciter coil to be exact.
Voltage regulator took a crap, replaced.
Brass fitting that is pressed into the case, between the cylinders, that supplies oil to the water pump gears, has vibrated out twice now.
Had to replace 3 out of four motor mounts, they were ripped.

This thing absolutely sucks to work on. All the elecrical items are in front of the tank, you have to remove the tank to test the stator, you have to remove the tank to change out the ecu, you have to remove the tank to change out the vr. Removing the tank is a pain in the azz. The engineers who designed this thing, well, I hope they are all unemployed, because they suck too! LOL.

Now, that being said, they have a LOT of torque, love that part about it. If you are someone who is not mecanically inclined, and don't have the money to pay the dealer to fix it, I would stay away from it.
 
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m8man

Moderator
coincidently my buddy Joe is having his crank rebuilt in chicago now for the 2nd time in 500 miles. I hope to pick it up for him this weekend. He is a great mechanic, but I sense some disappointment with him. Hopefully something can be pinpointed.

m8man
 
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big10champ2003

New member
Ok, well thank you all for your input. I was kinda thinking that I should just not even bother with it.

So, does anybody have anything good to say about the polaris liberty 700 or 800 twin motors that are in the 2003 RMK's?
 
indy_500

indy_500

Well-known member
big10champ2003 said:
Ok, well thank you all for your input. I was kinda thinking that I should just not even bother with it.

So, does anybody have anything good to say about the polaris liberty 700 or 800 twin motors that are in the 2003 RMK's?
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800's are notorious to blow crank bearings just like any big motor will.
 
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big10champ2003

New member
are the 700 motors good then. Dont know much about them. I am used to the 600 triples, which are supposed to be junk but I have 10K on mine and never been rebuilt, still has 130 psi in all 3cyl.

I just want something that will stand up to that!
 
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Hoosier

Well-known member
motor_slut said:
Polaris Engineers lament that motor.
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These engines are a big part of why the Fusion name was eliminated so quickly.

I think all of Polaris laments the Fusion and the 900. I think this sled was brought to market way too quickly because of the success of the REV. Polaris was still essentially making the same sled they had made for who knows how many years before that.

I would buy a late model IQ 600. Seems like they finally got the fuel injection figured out.
 
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polarisrider1

New member
big10champ2003 said:
Ok, well thank you all for your input. I was kinda thinking that I should just not even bother with it.

So, does anybody have anything good to say about the polaris liberty 700 or 800 twin motors that are in the 2003 RMK's?
Click to expand...

Hold together fantastic. some need water pump rebuilds on 700s. I loved my 2003 700 rmk. Side hilling machine. Liberty motors are bullet proof. The VES valves in the 03's some are aluminum (early yr.) need to replace with titanium. They like the gas. I can not blow up a sled even when I try at 11,500 ft. must be the oil? LOL actually i keep my sleds clutched to run about 200 RPM below max. so as not to blow it up. I stick around 7800 RPM tops on Poos. gives me room for error.
 
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polarisrider1

New member
I am running the 755 (700) verision of the 866 (900) and it viberates a bit. but the torque is insane. I think Poo let it go because of vibration and the complicated exhaust/intake set up both off the front of the motor. We all know this sled was not ready to be released, but it can be made very user friendly with some SLP products and some knowledge of sleds. Mine runs fine and can find trees with the best. If you like to tinker/tune it is a sled for you. If you need to run to the dealer to change a belt forget it. Joe aka Wintertime, look forward to Island Park with you.
 
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ezra

Well-known member
I know of a few well abused high milage 700 and 800 liberty that have had little to no maitnace and still going strong.some of the 800 pto crank bearings went out but if they were going to go out they have long ago gone out and prob replaced with the big boy bearing.the 7 and 8 were great untill they started playing with DI
 
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