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Polaris VES Extreme

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19K views 100 replies 24 participants last post by  too slow  
#1 ·
I'm well aware of everything costing an arm and a leg these days but a gallon of Polaris VES Extreme is now at $70+tax. Ofta.
 
#25 ·
I’ll respond to the original post and say this... I really understand the manufacturers recommend that you use the oil they sell / label for good reasons , like it’s engineered for there motors let say, also to keep the uneducated or potentially owners buying something NOT meeting the requirements so you would think in order to not only protect the consumer but to also protect the manufacturers against undo claims in the warranty area they would make this SO important component to the machine very affordable.. I don’t want to here about what ya spent on your new sled and won’t spend 70$ a gallon on oil lecture. It should not cost that much... it’s an easy buck for the OEMs to charge so much for it. Polaris really does a neat little video on how the VES extreme is purposely engineered for the 850... so make it affordable so ya know people will be using it!
 
#27 ·
The only thing that gives me pause about aftermarket oils as far as polaris goes is the electronic oil pump and not so much the pump but how it is metered for thin oil. And potentially the size of the oil passages. As far as protection for a good quality oil that isn’t the part that gives me pause. With that being said I rarely carry extra oil klotz is availible all over around here so I just grow that in if the need be and I dont worry about it. I’m also add that we don’t get the cold that other areas do. It’s hardly ever below zero and not to often single digits.
 
#36 ·
I have been riding & owned dozens of sleds since 1967, many sled brands, I had 13 sleds at 1 time back in the 1970's & 80's, when my kids were still at home, not once have I ever used OEM oils, some oil brands I have used cost more than OEM.
I'd say use whatever you feel comfortable with.

One oil I would never use is Interceptor, Ross as some here know personally did most crankshaft repairs for many, many dealers for over 50 years, Interceptor was the 1 oil he said caused bearing failures more than all others combined. Again use whatever you like.
 
#39 ·
Some issue with the 850 valves isn’t that the valves themselves won’t move its that by not removing them on your terms when you do need to pull them they don’t want to come out due to the amount of build up above them. There doesn’t seem to be a universal truth to either stance I have seen them with lots of miles on them that were never out and I’ve seen them set codes etc at about 1000 miles . The only consistent is like I mentioned it just left in till needed to oull be prepared to fight with them
 
#52 ·
I've been running Dominator for the last 4 years or so in all my sleds, it was cheaper than Intercepter a couple years ago. I don't do engine work, but I just had my 2018 800 rebuilt with 12,034 miles on it, I put all but the first 240 miles on that sled, and it used Dominator from that point on. Ran fine until the last 60 or so miles when I could tell something was making a little more noise. Compression test showed 125/100 with a 4/60% leak down. Turns out it broke a ring, even though it was still running on two holes. Cleaned valves twice in that time. I put on ~5000 miles a season.
 
#65 ·
FWIW I torn down a Skidoo 500SS (600 carb) engine that had "6,000 miles on it, Interceptor only", and then I let the crank sit on a shelf for 3 years... it looked and worked fine after I finally got it back together. The inside of that engine was the best looking part of the sled. I don't run Interceptor myself, just not my thing.
 
#72 ·
I believe they did yrs back to help with exhaust valve cleanliness.. more detergents. I used it for a couple yrs in my many ACs ... the valves where a mess every season. It caused sticky valves twice on my ZR-900. Cleaned, switched back to Cat oil never had anymore issues.... for 12,000 miles!
 
#73 ·
My buddy only runs Interceptor in his ‘16 Polaris 600 and has had zero issues. His sled sits outside in the rain during the summer, no cover and it runs fine every winter. If anyone was going to have rust issues in his motor it would be him.

I’m not trying to convince anyone to run that oil, just that it worked fine if you don’t want to buy VES oil. I’ve run it when I didn’t have VES oil and didn’t have any issues. Amsoil is readily available most everywhere in my area.