Polaris RZR 900/1000 Rings without Splitting Case

Walk thru on how to replace rings in a Polaris 900 without splitting the case.

[@jasonstika1240]

Great video. I was able to do this in the vehicle. I broke 2 rings before I got my technique down. 10/10 difficulty, but still way less time than splitting the case.

[@DustinShepherd422]

Thank you for this tip! I fought this for nearly a day before finding your video. Worked perfect the first try! Thank you!

[@LRA12356]

This method worked. Did it on 2019 rzr xp1000 non turbo. Very hard but it works. Bent one ring but had spares. Took a few hours. Patience and technique. 2/3 people job lol.

[@swalesutube]

Thanks, glad it worked for you!

[@JimAFlowers]

Thank you for this. Just got started with my rebuild and this was a great tip!

[@alphapackoffroad]

I broke so many rings trying this. They stopped warranting them so I had to go from the bottom of motor. I have my engine build video on my channel. I Subbed up!

[@swalesutube]

Most users are hoping to replace rings without pulling motor. This video shows it is possible, but challenging.

[@angel12327]

Excelente Gracias bro

[@joshh2171]

I was able to get this process to work on my 1000, but it was rough. PTO side 2nd ring kept wanting to push out the back side where you couldnt see. I used Wiseco pistons and rings, so not sure if the rings were a lil more stiff, contributing to the issue.

[@swalesutube]

Yeah, it’s not easy, but doable. Small hands really help… and a little patients. I ended up doing a full rebuild and glad I did. Had a questionable bearing and the oil pump chain was stretched.

[@dirtcurt1]

I just did this in the car. It was not fun. I would love to see the video of actual piston install. My local shop did the head and now the car smokes on cold start. Shop says I messed up oil rings, it's not their head rebuild. I asked if they did guides, nope. The worn out ring end gap was close to 1/2" due to dust. I can see oil on the intake back side of the valves and top of piston sitting overnight. What do you think?

[@swalesutube]

Guides are almost always needed on exhaust side. Mine had visible slop. Sounds like your intakes are worn also. Why would a shop do the head and not the guides? Makes no sense.

[@Indeewoods]

Was it burning oil because of excessive miles or was it the typical intake boots leaking? Also I’m curious what hone you used to hone the cylinder and what you set the ring gap to. I’m just in the middle of doing an in frame build right now. This one destroyed the cam chain side piston but had been using oil since the first dealer oil change after it was new.

[@swalesutube]

Intake boots were fine. Most likely the previous owner did not take care of air filter and oil changes. DO NOT hone the cylinder as it has a coating that honing will destroy. Sounds like you should be doing a FULL rebuild since you destroyed a piston. I suspect there is a lot more wrong. I ended up doing a FULL rebuild and glad I did. I found a bad bearing on balance shaft and a stretched oil pump chain (see other video) which would have grenaded the engine. I checked the Polaris spec for ring gap, and the Wiseco ring gap specs. I used the Weisco spec…. Since it was their pistons and rings. The 900 burns oil for 2 main reasons. The rings and the intake valve guides. Your old rings will be very worn with a huge gap. That’s the source for most of the oil usage. The valve guides add to it. I tried valve seals first, but it made little difference. When I saw the ring gap it was obvious. Also when I had the valve guides done they showed me my valves. The edges were sharp as a knife. This means they are worn out. So I had those replaces and went ahead and did the springs as well, so a full rebuild on head. I think the engine had less than 3500 miles on it when I got it. So you can have major oil burning in a short time. I now have over 4000 miles on rebuild and everything is working fine. I credit that to the air system (see other video). I no longer get any dust in the engine, and it runs cooler as well as belt is cooler.

[@Indeewoods]

@@swalesutubeyou can hone plated cylinders in fact you need to hone them if the cross hatch is worn away which mine were on one side.You just have to use the right hone which I have. I’m trying to do this in frame and it is a huge pain. Wishing I’d have just bought a reman and the R&R’d it but here we are. The intake boots were/are famous for sucking in dirt and taking out the rings. That’s why Polaris has updated the boots twice now. (Mine is a 2015 model year). What happens is people don’t maintain them and change the air filters then the engine has to suck air somewhere so the intake boots are the path of least resistance. In my case it actually leaned the mixture out enough to melt the exhaust side of the piston away. Slightly damaged the surface in the exhaust valves so I replaced those. The oil looked really clean. It’s not mind it’s my neighbours and he never checked the air filter in 3200 miles. Hard to believe people spend that much on a new machine then run it until failure.

[@swalesutube]

Yes, I am aware of the “right hone”, but it doesn’t take much to burn thru. When I checked my cylinder there were a few areas that were already burn thru… before honing. All things considered I would just replace the cylinder as it is cheap compared to all the components you have to replace if you are wrong. Head bolts, gaskets, etc add up to enough cost to just replace the cylinder.

[@hmccarty7189]

Eh if ur mechanical at all u can!! Jus did it on my 2016 it's aggravating but patience young jedi

[@denseleit]

I was really hoping you actually showed this idea

[@swalesutube]

Maybe on the next rebuild. Many have used this method… see comments. It works, but you will probably discover a full rebuild is in order. That’s what happened in my case. Found a bad bearing and chains were stretched.

[@user-gn4wt4rm1y]

Are ranger 900 and rzr 900 the same process? Thanks

[@swalesutube]

I suspect they are.

[@angelga2010]

Can you show me how you have your motor mounted on the stand?

[@swalesutube]

I used a harbor freight stand. You can arrange the arms of the stand. Use 3 bolt holes in the middle of the engine where you split the case. Do not put any bolts in the head or the bottom of the split case. This will allow you to remove and split the case to do the lower end. The 3 holes are to the left and in line with the tensioner. The engine stand has a square plate with 4 arms. The top left engine stand arm will go to the middle hole. The top right engine stand arm will go to the far right hole. The bottom left engine stand arm will go to the far left hole. The bottom right engine stand arm is not used. Hope this helps. It is very solid mount. Some have tried using the other side of the engine, but to me that was too weak. Alot of weight on those small aluminum holes. The method I used was very solid and I could flip the engine with not issues.

[@angelga2010]

@@swalesutube awesome I will try that. I have the same engine stand but every video I see says I need the engine stand adapter that goes in the starter location. I just don’t want to spend $110 for the one time I’ll use it. But awesome. I’m pulling my motor on Saturday so just trying to see how you did it. The bolts are there on the motor?

[@swalesutube]

Yes, use the bolts from the engine. I don’t recommend the “recommended way” of using starter bolts. They are much smaller and weaker area of the engine case. The way I did it worked great, especially for this engine stand.

[@swalesutube]

Also watch my video on Oil Chain Stretch. Easily missed item that should ALWAYS be replaced when you split the cases.

[@edwardmoreno6456]

This will be try #2 first time damaged a ring..Any one near me in needles ca.. that could help out a fellow rider please let me know thanks 4 the video ..

[@swalesutube]

Make sure to check the ring gap first. I had to properly gap mine. Use lots of oil on cylinder and rings and work slow. Let us know how it goes.

[@samdrake9371]

Will this work on a polaris rzr 1000?

[@swalesutube]

Yes, it should. There is little difference between the two engines.

[@ronniegreen6543]

@@swalesutube can you do with the motor still in the rzr?

[@swalesutube]

@@ronniegreen6543 possibly, but definitely more challenging.

[@ronniegreen6543]

@@swalesutube thankyou sir!

[@kylekocurek9007]

Are the 900 ranger motor and razor motor the same?

[@unitymixer]

Use good synthetic oil and do the oil change 60% of the time the oem demanded.