How To Rebuild a Can-Am V-Twin Rotax Engine - Episode 3 | Engine Assembly and First Start

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This week on Let Dirt Fly, we assemble our 850 Rotax engine! We go over each step of the assembly in detail, so you can do it yourself as well. As a disclaimer, we are not trained Can-Am engine rebuilders! Marshall has rebuilt other engines in the past and this is our first Can-Am engine. Like anything else, if you follow the factory service manual, you can be successful with your rebuild as well!
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[@corolla0500]

I have rebuilt these engines many many times, I will share some tips: You could’ve reused your old case, it looks worse than it really is. I have reused them multiple times and still puuuring. Some are actually a Turbo application ;) …. I would add a mechanical oil pressure gauge, these engines are great until they starve oil. Last tip, add 2-3 washers to the oil pressure relieve valve spring to improve oil pressure at idle. These engines inherently have ~12 psi hot idle oil pressure when using 10w40 weight oil, adding a couple of washers will add ~8-10 psi at idle to around 22 psi, peace of mind. Also, add aluminum valve covers & coolant nicks, peace of mind. Double check your oil drain plug after each trip, they tend to back off for some reason and leak. Those engines have really good cylinder heads, indestructible ! Never needed to seal valve stem seals either, they last a very veeery long time. If you have a Turbo application for these vtwin engines, double check your turbo drain hose as it connects to the adapter on the oil dipstick, these adapters are fragile and tend to break causing massive oil leak and engine failure. eBay rebuild kits are great, never had any issues with them. Save your $. Just don’t use eBay head gaskets, use OEM ones, eBay ones are a pain in the a$$ and leak big time unexpectedly. Also don’t use eBay oil pumps, get OEM, oil pressure differs greatly with OEM. Whenever you’re doing a rebuild, replace your water pump while you at it, it’s not worth the cost or hassle to replace later. They usually last a very long time though. Great use of head studs, get yourself some ARP head studs, worth every penny separately if yours is turbocharged. If you need to resurface your heads, be sure to know how much the machine shop removed and compensate for that thickness by doubling your base gaskets. Always change your spark plugs, saves you big time with random misfires.

[@cannedham3774]

Nice work. Finally, someone actually walks through it all. I've rebuilt many engines but its always great to watch others and share experiences. Looks like you got a good deal, elkas, STM's.. sheesh.

[@oldmanSturzl]

Bought a commander 800 in November only to find the water pump gears (in the bottom of the crankcase) were chowdered. Just about got it back together. This video has been a huge help, thank you! I also learned about Quad Logic from you. Turns out they're the next town over. Stopped in, great people, super friendly, definitely going to do more business there. One thing I did different was I installed the pistons in the jugs before attaching to the rods. I was able to use my ring compression tool this way. Because I also bought the ARP style studs, I could start the jug on the studs and it held it in line as I installed the pin. I was surprised how easy that was. Except for the circlips, they still sucked. I put my telescoping magnet through the pin from the other side which kept them from falling into the engine.

[@stallion1983]

Saved, favorites, downloaded, screen shot.... excellent commentary and build. Thank you.

[@aaronlangdon9064]

Thanks man, I’m in the middle of a Mr rpm 975 kit with mav heads and this video helped

[@LetDirtFly]

No problem! 🤘🏼

[@josuelugo3572]

Thanks to u i got to rebilt my 2015 outlander 1000xmr thank you so much Finish it today now, put it on bike again thank you 👌💪🙏🔥

[@LetDirtFly]

Great to hear!

[@josuelugo3572]

After I got everything back together now it has no spark wht do u think it can be I bought the sillinoid eyeball crank sensor. And still have no spark. We checked with meter and the electricity is not getting to the sillinoid of the spark plug block. I have bought every thing new as Electrical wise Only thing that I'm reusing. As of now, it'll be the stater.

[@aaronlangdon9064]

@@josuelugo3572yeah most likely a stator issue

[@josuelugo3572]

@aaronlangdon9064 I have replaced stator , crank sensor & ignition coil, and still nothing

[@laoneking6149]

that is dope brother

[@Ramcat_Vlogs]

We would get along well Irl I own a heating and cooling company haha

[@wdhatvadventures69]

Awesome vid man, thanks 😊

[@TimothyBitting]

Awesome videos, thank you! I am rebuilding a 2013 Can Am 650 XMR that had a spun connecting rod bearing, crankshaft damage because of it (wear lines in the crank where the connecting rods attach) and the timing chain on the back cylinder was off. I was really hoping to just replace the connecting rod bearing but for peace of mind was going to get a new crankshaft and put in all new bearings/gaskets. (I didnt want to have to crack the case but think it would probably be for the best). Do you, or anyone else, have any recommendations of where to get a quality crank and quality gasket/bearing kit?

[@minnesotaxmr]

Nice job Marshall. I appreciate the attention to detail. I got a question. I believe I have a leak between the engine and the motor. I saw you replace that seal and saying "that might have been the cause of the engine failure". My question is, can I separate the gearbox from the engine WITHOUT pulling the engine. AGAIN, love to watch your vids. I've been a mechanic for more than 45 years so I can recognize a real mechanic when I see one. Thanks for the help. MN Bill

[@aaronlangdon9064]

You can do it without pulling the engine , although you will have to loosen all the motor mounts and turn the motor sideways enough to unbolt the tranny and take it off

[@jimmyfreeze3782]

If you doing an in frame top end rebuild, set your valve clearance when the heads are still on the bench...much easier. The billet cam chain tensioner looks nice, but it's worthless since it's just a copy of a stupid design. A pressure style tensioner conversion kit would save a lot cam am motors, but I haven't seen one on the market yet.

[@user-po4kc6et4n]

Love your video! One question: What service or repair manual are you using? Your illustrations are much better than what's in the two I have downloaded. Thanks

[@LetDirtFly]

To be honest, I forget who makes it. I’ll try to look them up today.

[@wildmanturner]

That was what we call a cluster fuq in the south.

[@LetDirtFly]

What part?

[@Seth8784]

question for you about the manual that you are using. Can you print those out or is it just on the phone? the only way I can get one for my can am in online. I would like to have a paper copy of it.

[@mandoledesma9535]

watching from mexico nice video could you tell me what is the name of the tools that you showed to do that job i need to do service to my 800 motor rotax and i will use them for that job

[@Wildwilliams252]

I don’t understand when I set my flywheel to number one the rear cylinder is not at tdc the front is, on 2 my rear is at tdc

[@LetDirtFly]

Front cylinder is cylinder 1. Rear is number 2.

[@kaarelviira3793]

As this rebuild kit wasnt good, who s rebuild kits would you recommend REV6 or brpatv :)

[@LetDirtFly]

Brpatv was the kit I bought. Id go through Mr.rpm

[@henryware9440]

What is your opinion of this engine? Strong? Reliable? TIA.

[@LetDirtFly]

I feel it’s like anything else. If you’re gentle on it, maintain it, etc. it’s going to last. If you beat the crap out of it, miss some maintenance stuff, sink it a few times, eventually they’ll blow lol. They’ve been great engines for us so far

[@richardhall8287]

Hi I’m from the uk and have a 650 2020 xmr same bike as you! Will any 850 engine fit? Is the ecu the same just plug and play?

[@LetDirtFly]

Unfortunately it’s not, in the this instance I had to swap the entire harness and ecu, gauge cluster. You can use your current setup, but it Wallis require a lot of modifying.

[@richardhall8287]

@@LetDirtFly ahhh okay we can’t get our hands on a 850 new in the uk it’s either the 650 or 1000, I just want a little more power out off mine! Like wheelie on the flat I’m happy to leave the stock 28s on but it feels like I have to rev the nuts off it to get the wheels up in a mud run. What mods would you go for?

[@nwags357]

Did You install what cannam calls a thrust washer over the shaft of the oil pump prior to installing the pin and gear? You didn’t mention that in the video so just making sure you know it goes there.

[@LetDirtFly]

Can-Am doesn’t use a thrust washer. The case acts as a thrust washer which is why i unfortunately had to replace the case.

[@LetDirtFly]

Can-Am doesn’t use a thrust washer. The case acts as a thrust washer which is why i unfortunately had to replace the case.

[@nwags357]

@@LetDirtFlyThat shaft gets a washer. Look at 14;36 into the video where you pop up the service manual diagram on the screen. It's there. I also noticed , unless you corrected during final assembly the water pump drive gear is installed backwards. The flat side of the gear should be facing the inner part of the case riding up against the washer and the pin locks that gear on from the outside of the shaft. it's on that same diagram.

[@LetDirtFly]

@@nwags357 ohhh yes. Sorry I thought you were talking about the crank. Yes there’s a shim that goes there

[@nwags357]

@@LetDirtFly cool.. wasn’t trying to stick my nose.. just looking out. I had to split my case back down as I didn’t realize until bolted together the washer feel off the shaft whil I was assembling and didn’t pay attention. Once bolted and sealed together I looked on the garage floor , and there was a washer. sHit!!!

[@keegottifoster2331]

Yo did you have to get a new case? Because im thinking about rebuilding mines and not trying to buy a new case

[@LetDirtFly]

Yes if you watch the previous video, the case got tore up so we had to order a good used one.

[@keegottifoster2331]

@@LetDirtFly thanks man your videos gave me the confidence i needed to pull my engine out..the case npt bad well I haven’t broken it down yet

[@bloodspartan300]

but what degree bank angle is this engine?

[@dzenismoto_9382]

Hello,can you help me,I have problem engine build renegade?

[@JetSnake128]

Wait, did you say the 850 has a smaller bore than the 1000?

[@LetDirtFly]

It’s larger bore shorter stroke.

[@annexoffroad]

Im trying to go to sleep after 7 straight 12hr night shifts. How the heck am I supposed to do that now.

[@r.juliano]

Manual service?

[@evanbebee798]

Where did u find ur rebuild diagram im trying to rebuild my 650 xmr currently

[@LetDirtFly]

It’s the factory service manual

[@evanbebee798]

@@LetDirtFly okay thank you

[@VicToR_Rider]

Is this going in ur 650 outlander?

[@legowolf22]

Yup. Marshall gets an 850 and the 650 in the yellow unit.

[@VicToR_Rider]

Nvm u said it lol

[@jtjt9070]

Do you have the torque specs for the intake manifold

[@LetDirtFly]

It’s 15ft lbs but I just used a wrench. There’s no good way of getting in to torque them, at least In my case

[@ranr0d]

So who made the rebuild kit? LOL

[@LetDirtFly]

Lol I won’t mention their name because I’m not trying to bash anyone but they’re easy to find on eBay. That’s a hint 😅

[@CalebKandeke-nu7ju]

Bonjour je m'appelle Caleb kandeke je suis en RDC j'ai une moto bombardier rotax et je cherche des pièces pourriez-vous m'aider ???

[@LetDirtFly]

The best place for parts and part numbers is Partzilla

[@dcsales2007]

man o man, it be easier to suck calk till you have enough to buy a new engine than what your doing

[@LetDirtFly]

Huh?