Maintenance day

[GRAZOR]

Finally had a nice day to do the maintenance on my RZR. I had this planned for a while and got all my Amsoil fluids from our sponsor Z71.

WOW did I learn a few things today!



After dropping the UHMW skid plate and cleaning the crud off of it I saw there was allot of mud stuck up between the rocker panels. I removed the 4 screws and spread them apart with wood blocks.





I got at least 20 pounds of caked up mud and junk out of each side and highly recommend you do this NOW! These panels have strengthening braces that don't allow your hose or pressure washer to get this junk out.

I spent the day changing all the fluids and greasing all the zirks and doing a complete clean up and inspection of all vital parts.

I am good to go now but I did find an interesting issue I need clarification on quick.

On page 92 of my owners manual it says the transmission takes 24 ounces and the transfer case takes 14 ounces of the same fluids. On page 126 under specifications it says the same and on page 128 it lists the fluid as part # 2873602. OK, so I need 38 ounces of this fluid and in the Amsoil line this is called Series 2000 Synthetic chain case lube TCC. It comes in 12 ounce bottles.

Follow along now as this is important. You are standing on the drivers side with the rear wheel removed and there are 2 fill plugs for the transmission and transfer case. The right one is the transmission and the left, most forward one is the transfer case. After removing the drain plugs, dumping the old oil and reinstalling them, the manual says to fill each up to the bottom of the threads of the fill plug holes.

I filled the one on the right or rear most first, this is the transmission and needs 24 ounces or 2 - 12 ounce bottles. It was filled perfectly and right up to the threads. The left one needs 14 ounces so I give it one full 12 ounce bottle and a little from the next to get the other 2 ounces in. I am looking in the hole to see the level and I can't see any fluid even close to the bottom of the threads. I ended up adding both 12 ounce bottles or 24 ounces and it is still not up to the threads. They said I need 24 and 14 and that equals 38 ounces in my math. I bought 4 -12 ounce bottles or 48 ounces and I am short--WTF?

I will be on the horn in the morning with Polaris but I really am POed right now. If any of our dealers have any info then please let us know. I suspect they have a typographical error in the manual and the transfer case probably takes a full quart instead of the 14 ounces they say. I can see right in the fill hole and I can see the gears and no oil with 24 ounces in there!

OK, Done with my rant and putting the skid back up.



Important UPDATE! Now that I have the answer, thanks to 2005DMAX, put this in your head if you ever do your own fluid changes. Forget the pictures in your owners manual on page 86 and 87. They show your tranny and transfer case while sitting on a bench instead of in the frame of your machine. Very confusing so don't make the mistake I made and miss this! Study the picture below!



There are two fill plugs you remove with a 3/8 inch ratchet extension bar. The tranny one is clear here and has the black mark. There is another exactly like it to the left but blocked from view by the bracket.
After you remove these fill hole plugs you then get your drain pan situated and find the drain plugs at the bottom of each unit. They require an allen wrench. Allow the both units to fully drain, clean and inspect the O rings to be sure they will seal and then reinstall both drain plugs.

Now if you look at my picture above you will see a hex head bolt just below the black wire that has the splash of white paint. Remove this "FILL LEVEL PLUG". Begin adding your new fluid in the front fill hole and when it comes out this FILL LEVEL HOLE, it is full. Reinstall both the 1/2 inch hex head plug and the 3/8 inch plug in the transfer case. Now you go to the rear fill hole and add your fluid to the transmission right up to the bottom of the threads of the hole you are filling through. Done! Put the fill hole plug back in and check for leaks. The front transfer case should take about 14 ounces and the rear transmission case should take 24 ounces.

Polaris was correct, I just missed this third FILL LEVEL PLUG as it was shielded from view by the electrical wire.

Gary

[Z71]

This is always is in the back of my mind with ATV's as I have had customers tell me from time to time that what the manual said did not jive with what they found. Its often in the other direction though, manual says it takes x amount of qts but when they do that it shows overfilled.

Either the manual has a typo or they made a production change after the manual was printed and never updated the manuals.

Fyi - Ranger owners should also be aware that fluid capacities have changed from 2008 models to 2009 models. The transmission capacity has almost tripled from 15.2 oz to 43.6 oz. That's a significant change.


btw - very nice shop...

[GRAZOR]

Thanks Z71.
I sent an email to our polaris dealer sponsor, Motorsport super store and hope Scott gets the answer to us pretty quick.

At present I don't have a clue about how much more TCC I will need to order but I am a bit POed that I even need more and have to shoulder the expense of additional shipping and the extra down time my machine has to spend to make this right.

We both do our best here to provide accurate info to our members but it appears that polaris themselves has left us hanging on this one!

One would think as soon as they realize a mistake in the manual they would send out an updated page to every owner on record so they are aware of such misprints.

BTW- I sent an email to Polaris Customer Service yesterday and got a reply this morning- CHECK WITH YOUR DEALER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gary

[Z71]

Don't you just like it when the pass the buck back to the dealer. More often than not the dealer is just as much in the dark as anyone else. I am sure there are some good dealers out there but most of them around me don't inspire any confidence. They seem to be staffed by people who just want to argue with you. One local dealer here laid off his good mechanic and hired a young greenhorn to replace him.

[Chiefmorton]

Nice write-up!! I envy you having a lift, I love my shop but it's missing one of those

[2005DMAX]

I am at work, and would have to double check, but the rear will have a seperate plug you have to remove. This is the fill level plug. You do not want to fill to the bottom of the top plug. I believe it takes a 7/16 or 1/2 wrench. It is hard to see looking at it from the side, but if you lay underneath you will easily see it.

[GRAZOR]

Thanks chief! Lift & Shop is my buddies right down the road a piece. We worked and retired from the same job.

DMAX, If you remove the rear drivers side wheel you can see two plugs right there on the side of the tranny and transfer case. Both take a 3/8 drive extension and the plugs are about the size of a half dollar so you can easily see right into them when the machine is at eye level or even stick your biggest finger in to check them. The forward most one has a label that says fill (left) and the fluid part number of 2873602. My manual also says to fill both to the bottom of the fill hole threads which is a fairly standard gear case fill point! In the first picture you can clearly see both of the tags right by the two fill holes I am refering to.

There better be some sort of typo in the manual regarding quantities because I have 24 ounces in it where they say it takes 14 ounces and I am still well below the threads and can't even see or feel any fluid in there. Please don't ask if I have a leak or forgot to install the drain plug. I've been at this for a long time and have done many fluid changes on everything from 16 cylinder Air Craft Carrier engines to Chinook Helicopters.

There is 5 different fill points on our RZRs, Front Demand drive differential, Rear Differential, Engine oil, Transmission oil and the transfer case oil and you need four different oils to do the job. The transmission and the transfer case use the same lubricant. Each of these gear boxes has it's own drain plug that is completely seperate from the fill holes.

Gary

[2005DMAX]

This plug does not take a 3/8 extension. It is a seperate plug. I will go out and see if I can get a picture right now.

[2005DMAX]

OK here it is. This is a picture of my 2008. The 2009 is just about in the same location. I stand corrected though, this is on the front gear case and not the rear. Remove this plug, fill oil in the top plug (3/8 ratchet plug) until oil runs out of the lower plug. You are now full.

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[GRAZOR]

I beg to differ here but these are two seperate gear boxes each with their own fill holes as marked and each has it's own drain plugs.

Here is the rear most Transmission plug for the fill hole.



And here is the transfer case fill plug that I am having trouble with.



Gary