So, back in april my Mountainlite`s ( stock ) engine failed. Only 3100 km`s on it. CONNECTING ROD broke clean off and destroyed the piston on the right sylinder. I was lucky `cause the sylinder didn`t get any real damage. All the bits and peaces went into the exhaust...My dealer said that most likely reason was that a bearing failed in the crankshaft first and then the rod. Anyway he told me that this kind of failure in 485cc fan engine is EXTREMELY rare.
I´ve replaced the rod, piston and all the bearings etc. now on the engine. Hope it will stay in one peace now.
QUESTION : have someone else had this kind of problem with the MOuntainLite / Phazer 500 ? Any feedback is welcome !
I am with your dealer on this one. This is very rare 
rare eh?
my cousins 1993 pazer II is on its 4th motor. all of them blew the connecting rod (dont ask me whitch cyl each time). my uncle finally gave up on phazer motors and put in a venture motor of the same vintage. no problems with the ventore motor yet. 2 of the motors where complete rebuilds from crank up with the crank trued and welded.
my cousins 1993 pazer II is on its 4th motor. all of them blew the connecting rod (dont ask me whitch cyl each time). my uncle finally gave up on phazer motors and put in a venture motor of the same vintage. no problems with the ventore motor yet. 2 of the motors where complete rebuilds from crank up with the crank trued and welded.
thats strange, that was one of Yamaha best and most reliable sleds made to date....hmmm
Junior
New member
the 485cc venture motor is the same as a phazer motor, and ya I'm with mr. sled on this one, the phazer engine is one of the most bulletproof engines I've ever seen. I have seen MANY of them over 10K miles, I personally killed one but it had 12,000kms on it (7500miles), we had one up to 8K miles that had been ported, polished and piped before 2K miles, never had an engine problem with it.
bullet proof
hmmm ive worked on my buddies 1991 venture and the clock is showin 13000km and we have put on at least 2000k since then with no motor problems and this thing has been beat hard. last season was the first preventative maintenace it has ever seen and i already have this years list of repais started.
back to the phazer, the first motor went after the sledwent under water. the next two went just trail runnin. my uncle has also done this to et300 and et340 motors where they broke off at the wrist pin. first 300/340 i ever heard of doing this. and between all the relatives we must have owned 12 of them in various forms
hmmm ive worked on my buddies 1991 venture and the clock is showin 13000km and we have put on at least 2000k since then with no motor problems and this thing has been beat hard. last season was the first preventative maintenace it has ever seen and i already have this years list of repais started.
back to the phazer, the first motor went after the sledwent under water. the next two went just trail runnin. my uncle has also done this to et300 and et340 motors where they broke off at the wrist pin. first 300/340 i ever heard of doing this. and between all the relatives we must have owned 12 of them in various forms
Water is a big killer on bottom ends. What usually happens is the crank journal or rod, bearing surfaces will rust/pit. Once that happens the bearing dosn't roll correctly then she's all down hill from there fast. 
Viper-Rules!
New member
1989 Phazer was amazing!
My buddy had a 1989 Phazer 485 Fan cooled sled. It ran like a top for many years. It had around 16,000km without any engine work. The motor mounts went at 10,000km and we figured that out after he kept blowing belts. That was really the only problem with it. Those were good engines for a fan cooled sled.
My buddy had a 1989 Phazer 485 Fan cooled sled. It ran like a top for many years. It had around 16,000km without any engine work. The motor mounts went at 10,000km and we figured that out after he kept blowing belts. That was really the only problem with it. Those were good engines for a fan cooled sled.
LoneViper
New member
I've had four Phazers now any where from 4000 to 9000 miles never an engine problem. It is said though that moisture gets into the engine in the form of condensation and attacks the bearings and they will be rusted and pitted come fall. It is also said that the oil pumps are pretty lean and that they should be set to the rich side. They claim it has something to do with the oil delivery system.
Good luck, but it is a tough motor.
Good luck, but it is a tough motor.
all of em broke off at the wrist pin. go figure