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Hatched the Motor.

petey_sx700

VIP Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
132
Location
Central, WI
Country
USA
Snowmobile
2017 Sidewinder LTX DX
2017 Viper STX DX 146
2013 Vector
2018 SRX 120
LOCATION
West Central Wisconsin
2017 Viper STX 146 running Hurricane 190 busted rear end of motor out in pieces. 700 miles on it. My guess would be a rod but at dealer waiting in line to get looked at. I know Allen Ulmer posted that the 17s could be trouble. And again not sure the failure yet but will keep you posted as I hear more. Running 80 down the grade and she locked track right up.
 

I wish someone would give us a definitive answer if the 17's and up are ok to turbo on stock rods, I for one if given the chance to pick and ride a stock sidewinder or turbo viper , I'd take the viper any day.
I recall reading a post here that Dave from hurricane says 17 and up are ok but ulmer say's the rod design has changed and is weaker despite the correct heat treatment.
 
I side with Ulmer. The instant destroyer of the new rod was the heat treat but the rod itself is just a weaker design. Just look at the comparisons. They are puny. They also were not tested in real world anywhere near as long as the good old pre 16.5 rods. Hell the new ones are probably Chinese. Dave should have just told new buyers to get a Sidewinder if they insist on turbo at least for a few years of real world use. Maybe all he said was that his customers or company sleds haven't blown rods. That only means what it says. There always has to be a first to fail. Sorry Petey. We do our best here to give both sides the info was all here. Glad you posted to maybe save someone else. Hopefully you can find a old Nytro or Viper motor cheap. If a Nytro put the ecu and wiring in too. Then you will have a weapon!
 
I have a 16.5 with an MPI turbo. I put 6000km on the original rods without any issues. They were changed to the updated rods. at 8800km this happened. Yamaha Canada eventually decided that it was not a turbo issue and replaced the motor with a 2019 spec Viper motor. 2000KM into the new motor all is still good. My point is that they all can fail. On mine the bearing cap was still connected to the crank and spun freely. The wrist pin was still on the piston and moved easily. The piece in the middle was …. MISSING. I have a video but it says its too large to upload.



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I have a 16.5 with an MPI turbo. I put 6000km on the original rods without any issues. They were changed to the updated rods. at 8800km this happened. Yamaha Canada eventually decided that it was not a turbo issue and replaced the motor with a 2019 spec Viper motor. 2000KM into the new motor all is still good. My point is that they all can fail. On mine the bearing cap was still connected to the crank and spun freely. The wrist pin was still on the piston and moved easily. The piece in the middle was …. MISSING. I have a video but it says its too large to upload.



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Very true even NA they can let loose any year and have. It’s just so rare in past Yamaha 4st.
 
Will be interesting what the failure was and what yamaha says. Still waiting to hear. I know it's not an MPI but is set up similar and Yamaha had been selling boost kits for 8 years now for this motor. Took it to a reputable turbo builder since I really don't want to go back to NA.
 
Well they can all have issues but this change mid 16 sure has made the viper suspect for anything but a n/a sled anymore.

Back in 04 05 winter I threw a rod on an rx-1 with 6000 miles on it stock but a Hauck gyt-r-dun exhaust. They blamed the pipe and warranty expired because it was snow checked and delivered in October and 2 yr warranty starts on delivery.
 
It was a broken rod. Up near the piston. Took out both case halves and the oil pan. Waiting to hear from Yamaha on warranty. Just want to get the sled back to get some riding in. When I get pics I'll post. Been riding our 17 Sidewinder runs great but hate the overheating when you get behind a log skidder or wait at an intersection for the rest of the group. See they brought a Sidewinder 2up hard to go off trail to get cooling snow with a passenger.
 
Yamaha Warranty denied the claim. Said 17s are not to be under boost. Found a 14 Arctic Cat motor with 0 miles a dealer picked up from Arctic Cat engineering. Headed over to pick it up next week. Alot less than rebuilding the original with GYTR rods.
 
Yamaha Warranty denied the claim. Said 17s are not to be under boost.

Seems like Hurricane should know this and not offer a turbo kit for them if this is what Yamaha's stance is on them.
 
I called him and alerted him that it had happened. My kit was moved from my 14 LTX which gave me 8500 flawless miles.
 
Got a couple pics of the broken rod today when I dropped off the used motor. Mechanic said they are breaking rods in stock YXZs when they get shifted hard with the five speed transmission.
 


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