Newbie joining the four stroke revolution and needs help

[LazyBastard]

One important point to note before going into it... a (few) people have developed oil consumption problems on 03/04's, which led to a ring upgrade for the 05's. This is NOT a widespread or serious problem, but it is somewhat annoying to some people. Mine, for instance, does NOT consume any oil, but for the sake of fairness, be aware of this possibility when going into an 03 or 04.

If you *do* end up with an 03 or 04 that consumes excess oil, it does NOT affect reliability or performance, it does NOT warrant immediate action (ie, you can keep using it as long as you keep the oil level in the safe range) and it CAN be corrected by a ring upgrade. If you are (very) mechanically inclined, this MAY be something you could do yourself during the summer next year.

 

[Eggman]

I always thought that the rings were updated in 04. there was a post on the rings not that long ago.
http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php? ... highlight=

 

[Crewchief47]

making it ride the way you want it to. correct me if I am wrong.

I think you probably just nailed it. To get that, some guys go aftermarket skids and shocks. Some guys are OK with skis and upgraded shock valving. That will be your call if/when you find weaknesses in the suspension for your riding style.

Welcome to the club!

 

[rxrider]

To cearify it once and for all, take a look at the part #s

2003 RX-1
5LV-11603-00-00
PISTON RING SET (STD)

2004 RX-1
5LV-11603-00-00
PISTON RING SET (STD)

2005 RX-1
8FU-11603-00-00
PISTON RING SET (STD)

 

[rxrider]

Anyway, not all 03-04 RX-1 sleds develops a oil consumption problem, only a few does.

For those about to buy a 03-04, ask the seller about oil consuption, make sure he is honest, you may add this to the contract.

 

[Cilius66]

rxrider: when all the models have the same number, is it just new rings that make the oil consume go away?

 

[rxrider]

Look again, the 2005 rings have a different #.

Yes, all you need to do is change to the 2005 rings, then the oil consumption will go away, providing the rings are the cause of oil consumption in your engine.

There could be a few other causes to oil consumption. Leakage, you will easily spot this one. Restricted crank case vent line, your sled will smoke a lot, easily spotted as well.

Bottom line, if your sled is a 03 or 04 RX-1 and uses excess amount of oil, change to 05 piston rings and be done with it

In my turbo sled I use 1 liter or about 1 quarter of oil every 1000 kms or 600 miles. Nothing I worry too much about, when running boost or high rpms all day long some oil useage are to be expected.

 

[Bakemono]

Wasnt oil consumption on the '03s and '04s also atributed to a crankcase breather tube that would sometimes clog with ice, causing the engine to develop excess crankcase pressure, which would in turn force oil into the airbox, causing it to be drawn into the engine?
I could almost swear I read something in Snowtech a couple year back about that and that you could fix that problem by cutting a slit in the breather tube.

 

[rxrider]

Yes sir

 

[kinger]

My 03 didn't burn a drop but it does now after my rebuild, I should have swapped the rings.

Speaking of that if you do need to swap rings its silly to do it without diamond honing the block, I think its around $200 for that service if I remember right.

Eitherway a 05 or apex/attack chassis still might be a better base to start from, you get the best seat, best engine (fuel injected = no carbs to clean as these carbs plug every year guarenteed sometimes twice a year if you get bad gas), best front suspension geometry, best rider positon.

You also get the worst handwarmers, sketchy rear skid durability (idler wheels, arms, etc not widespread but if you have been hard on stuff in the past it will likely not stop with the mono) and 1 hr spark plug changes, oil changes etc. The hood of the RX opens to expose everything the hood of the apex is meant to be never open LOL Which is a good thing I guess but really bothers some people who just have to tinker....like myself

 

[Bakemono]

Eitherway a 05 or apex/attack chassis still might be a better base to start from, you get the best seat, best engine (fuel injected = no carbs to clean as these carbs plug every year guarenteed sometimes twice a year if you get bad gas), best front suspension geometry, best rider positon.

You also get the worst handwarmers, sketchy rear skid durability (idler wheels, arms, etc not widespread but if you have been hard on stuff in the past it will likely not stop with the mono) and 1 hr spark plug changes, oil changes etc. The hood of the RX opens to expose everything the hood of the apex is meant to be never open LOL Which is a good thing I guess but really bothers some people who just have to tinker....like myself

You could say the same about the ProAction though, couldnt you? Wasnt it always known for the front w-arm cracking and in some cases even breaking?
I guess the bottom line is that there is no such thing as a perfect sled.

 

[rxrider]

Yes sir. That's why I went with the ADBoivin ZX-2 in my '03 RX-1, I got tired of welding up the Proaction all the time, broke once in 2005/2006 and twice in the 2006/2007 season.

EDIT: I ride very hard, all my miles are on non-groomed trails, needless to say I ride rough trail all day long. That's the main reason I kept breaking the stock suspensions Proaction and Monoshock.
The ZX-2 still holds up after a season of hard use

 

[Crzy4Snow]

I guess the bottom line is that there is no such thing as a perfect sled.

Sounds as if you cant really go wrong buying any model if you don,t mind to tinker.
rings really arn't that big of a deal I would probobly ride the sled for a season to see what else I would like to do , then in the off season pull the motor put in rings if needed. and any other upgrades I might want.
I have allways looked at a sleds weaknesses in the past as a reason to doo some really fun upgrade projects in the off season.

 

[kinger]

Its soo easy to make a pefect sled, mine is 100% perfect for my needs. I feaking love it, had to pry me off with a pry bar this winter!

 

[rxrider]

kinger - you nailed it - so is my '03 turbo sled, close to 90 % perfect. It needs an upgrade on the turbo system and a Wildchild steering relocation kit installed to be 99 % perfect. After these few major mods it only need a few minor upgrades to make up the last 1 %.

Crzy4Snow - that's the way I have went with my '03, I tuned it into my mod sled, and it's the sled I work on in the off season. My stockers got very little attention outside normal maintenance