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2013 pro rmk reliability

tatorsalad

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Nov 26, 2007
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I am going to have back surgery i have a 2011 m-8 162. That i am going to sale and i was thinking about picking up a 2013 pro rmk it should be better down the trail and a little less easier on the body after a hard day of riding.I am a bit concerned with the engine the the pros how are the holding up i keep my sleds for 4-5 year now that i have three kids that all ride and the wife so i would like the hear from the guys with 2-3 k miles thanks
 

MikeMetzger

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Jan 2, 2013
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Ive got an all stock 2013 Pro with 2200 miles, very very very hard miles. No issues other than things Ive broken because Im an idiot lol Been a great sled. Just checked my compression the other day 126psi both cylinders. I think Ill ride it as is for one more season then to a top end next summer.
 
M
Nov 27, 2007
847
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manitoba, Canada
My 13 LE is close to 3k. Had A fresh top end in warranty at 2k. Nothing major yet. Caught it at the right time before I went to instal an aftermarket head.

Dads 12 went to 3500 before a reed petal made its way to the bottom end. My old 11 that the brother has is North of 5k and never been touched
 
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catlsled

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Jan 2, 2013
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Around 1400 miles on my 13 Pro and still good on compression and no issues - only went thru one clutch belt. Figure this season and then new top end (around 2k miles is where I see most needing) or snowcheck new one but have been very happy with so far - just good year end maintenance and pretty much stock setup (changed can).....And hope I didn't just curse myself for this year ?
 
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Danbot

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Nov 29, 2007
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Alberta, Canada
I put a mtntk fix kit in my 13 pro at 2000 miles.
-The compression was still great and even between both cylinders.
-Piston/ring inspection through exhaust port did not reveal anything to worry about.
-The engine still ran awesome, no real reason to be worried

When I tore the top end down for the fix kit, I noticed some "knife edging" of the piston skirts and a highly polished look at the bottom of the piston skirts... warning signs of oncoming failure.
I had a trusted mechanic friend measure the Pistons and bores, he reported that the skirts may have started collapsing slightly based on his measurements and comparison to new oem Pistons that he had access to.
My point is, you cannot rely on compression or other external observations to know what stage of fatigue your pistons are in. It's a guessing game and a gamble until you disassemble and inspect the internals at which point you may as well install better fitting Pistons.
In my opinion extra oil won't help this situation much, because one the the issues with loose fitting Pistons is the rocking back and forth let's the bottom of the skirt (where I found the "knife edging") scrape the oil off the cylinder walls on every stroke.
1500 or so miles is as far as I would take a stock poo 800.... just my experience and opinion.
 

The Fourth Wolf

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It's not like this hasn't been beat to death already but...

The Pro 800 don't have reliability issues. Not really.

Have some burned down? Sure, but beware of what you read on the interwebz since bad news tends to collect in web forums. And how many of those "My buddy knows a guy who's Pro seized" stories are telling the whole story?

I'm 48 years old so you could say I'm a "mature" rider (don't say that to my wife) and I've got over 3,400 miles on a '12 Pro 800. I ride as hard as my body and ability allow (boondocking, WO climbs, easy jumps)

My sled was a bit overdue a top end at 2,200 miles when it went in for a LR conversion. Good thing too because my primary gear was 200 or so miles away from complete failure. I have not had a single hiccup, burble, or stumble before or after the conversion.

The Pro is a genuine light-weight high performance sled and like any finely tuned piece of technology with tight tolerances it requires careful upkeep for it to run properly and last.

That said, it's still a two stroke and will not run forever.

To greatly increase your chances of trouble free riding
-Turn up the oiler to a 40:1 fuel/oil ratio about 3 turns from stock (thread on how to do it is here on SW)
-Run ethanol free gas is you can, but always run the best gas available
-ALWAYS warm it up to temp before riding

There's a few other things but these three are key. With a turned up oiler, good gas a religiously warmed up sled will serve you well.

If you're buying used I suggest basing your decision on the seller's garage. If it's neat and tidy and it looks like the guy takes care of his stuff then he probably does.
 

Bocephus

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Dec 27, 2010
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I am going to have back surgery i have a 2011 m-8 162. That i am going to sale and i was thinking about picking up a 2013 pro rmk it should be better down the trail and a little less easier on the body after a hard day of riding.I am a bit concerned with the engine the the pros how are the holding up i keep my sleds for 4-5 year now that i have three kids that all ride and the wife so i would like the hear from the guys with 2-3 k miles thanks


if you feel the need to ask this question, you already know the answer.
 
K
Oct 24, 2012
24
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Maple Ridge B.C.
I agree with Wolf completely.

I bought into the pro reliability hype. So worried about the reliability for the season I ran out and bought a fix kit. In one forum someone wrote "a fix kit is cheaper then a chopper ride out". I think people are more likely to post the bad then the good.

I just tore down the top end of my 2012 assault. It has 1700 Miles on it and almost zero issues. Slight polishing on the piston skirts about 1/2" tall. No scoring to the cylinders what so ever. Can still clearly see the hone marks. Maybe Im lucky.

Just make sure you warm it up before you rip it and it should be all good
 
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Danbot

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Nov 29, 2007
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Alberta, Canada
There is no disputing the excessive piston to cylinder clearance present in this engine. Does it mean they will all drop a skirt at 2000 miles or 3000 miles? Of course not. There are a lot of variables at work here, but the fact remains that piston to cylinder clearance in such excess is a path to skirt fatigue / failure.
 
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