SpartaSXr
Member
srv540 said:
thanks for the heads up. sounds like the same thing happend to this guy. damage to the cylinder SKIRT!! WOW DOES THAT SOUND SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE???
'99 Phazer
- Thread starter giesregen
- Start date
thanks for the heads up. sounds like the same thing happend to this guy. damage to the cylinder SKIRT!! WOW DOES THAT SOUND SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE???
I've rebuilt a few of these engines and they looked very good even with 9K miles on them. We did have one blow a rod through the side of the motor, but I believe that was self inflicted. With no liquid to help them cool, the fan needs to be kept working well and the carbs need to be kept clean or they will overheat and the weakest link will be found. I rode one of ours trying to keep up with the big sleds in Northern Ontario. They would lose me in the straights (which there are a lot of) so my only option was to stay wide open through all the corners to catch back up. Mileage dropped from 11+ to below 8 mpg. This was earlier in the life of one of the motors that I just rebuilt last year at 9K and the pistons were still within tolerance. I replaced them anyway so maybe we will get another 9K out of it.
We have another 2000 PZ-500 that has 8 tooth drivers (11% gear down), a ripsaw track, Viper T-arms, SLP Powder Pro skis, and a Viper skid in it. It really changes that sled off-trail and in loose snow. It really responds now and actually gets better gas mileage than stock ones. I am still trying to believe the mileage part but we have repeated it several times.
Great learner sled, very reliable with a fair to good ride with a little work.
Jetting down wakes them up a bit, but you really need to keep the carbs clean if you do.
We have another 2000 PZ-500 that has 8 tooth drivers (11% gear down), a ripsaw track, Viper T-arms, SLP Powder Pro skis, and a Viper skid in it. It really changes that sled off-trail and in loose snow. It really responds now and actually gets better gas mileage than stock ones. I am still trying to believe the mileage part but we have repeated it several times.
Great learner sled, very reliable with a fair to good ride with a little work.
Jetting down wakes them up a bit, but you really need to keep the carbs clean if you do.
Last edited:
Any interest in selling your broken PZ500 complete?SpartaSXr said:
Brit44Aldo
New member
A drop in fuel milage is most likely caused by the main air jet in the throat of the carb icing over. You will find this happens on days when the hummidity is higher.
A bent connecting rod indicates that the engine suffered a hydrolock as some previous time. I have seen this before. The engine can not compress fluid. If the other piston fires, there can be enough force to bend the rod. A piston skirt is not strong enough to bend the rod. This is more common in water craft, but just as easy with an exciter or phazer that has filled the engine with gasoline
A bent connecting rod indicates that the engine suffered a hydrolock as some previous time. I have seen this before. The engine can not compress fluid. If the other piston fires, there can be enough force to bend the rod. A piston skirt is not strong enough to bend the rod. This is more common in water craft, but just as easy with an exciter or phazer that has filled the engine with gasoline
Both true and good info, but neither the case for me.Brit44Aldo said:
The rod went after running out of oil on a 9 mile WOT run. My wife (who's dumb husband forgot to check the oil) was trying to keep up to a Viper also at WOT on Dog Lake. The lower mileage was due to continuous WOT with very little let off for 100 miles. Many of the miles on our Phazers were not easy miles, which is a testament to the quality of these engines. In my opinion one of the best air-cooled sled engines made. Yes, there are many liquid cooled engines that may be better, but not really a fair comparison.
Brit44Aldo
New member
I couldn't agree more. I've built many a phazer. The only engine I know of that is more under tuned from it's reliable potential is the Yamaha Banshee.
My wife drives one and its been tough as nails. Absolutely no mechanical problems at all. Really works well for a 500 fan and is nice and light. Not as good on fuel as my
SRX but its not too bad if driven at reasonable speeds.
SRX but its not too bad if driven at reasonable speeds.
srvfan
New member
just checked back here For guys asking about jetting remember what works for me migt not work in your local. We run tight trails not WOT for more than maybe 1 mile ever. No lake smooth enough no trail straight enough. Ok that being said the 99 fouled plugs bad when idling up to road crossings etc. I Switched out pilots whent down 1 size. On the mains i can't remember the sizes but 1 main was bigger than the other. Switched the small one to the larger then whent down one size on the smaller.
Worked great!! plug fouling went away plugs and wash look good much more responsive. I also set the oil pump to the lower side of the adjustment again not sure now what that was you'll need a manual
on another note my brother bought one that had been sitting awhile cleaned out the carbs and he left it stock it grenanded the lower end in 20 miles!! I'm guessing that it wasn't stored properly and the crank bearings where rusted? Pistons look good but lower end wasted.
Worked great!! plug fouling went away plugs and wash look good much more responsive. I also set the oil pump to the lower side of the adjustment again not sure now what that was you'll need a manual
on another note my brother bought one that had been sitting awhile cleaned out the carbs and he left it stock it grenanded the lower end in 20 miles!! I'm guessing that it wasn't stored properly and the crank bearings where rusted? Pistons look good but lower end wasted.