Yes the 850's crank is completely oiled. No grease.

 

The 850 came out in 2017, it has generally been a dependable engine capable of achieving around 15 K + miles if treated right. That being said as with many 2 stroke sled engines always a few of them that did not fare well, seems early in their life that they go down. The oiled crank is a big help.

 

850s powerband is amazingly addictive.... mine (2017) has been very reliable . I've racked up nearing 6K miles thus fare since bought in 2021 .

 

I had 17,000km on my last 850, ran like a top.

18,000km on my current one, runs fantastic, and even walked a brand new poo 850 across the lake the other day...so power is pretty good too!

 

The 850 is a veryvery reliable engine, but there is examples of when it's not.
They are:
The one's that start it up and give it throttle right away, does not matter how protective the ECM is, a cylinder i a cylinder, a piston is a piston, law of nature.

I always let my 850, or whatever sled warm up, AND, even if you see warm up over in the display, it does not mean that your engine is warmed up completely.
Than I run it easy for a mile or two, to also let those clutches to warm up, and when when you get to your destination, let the engine run for 15-20sec before shutting it off.

 

Thanks, appreciate the input.

 

I got a call from a friend, told me his engine went on his 2018 BCX. It had 19700km, he was hoping for 20000km, he was close.That sled was absolutely driven to the max everyday it was used. I was amazed it lasted as long as it did, he is extreme with his sleds. They can be very reliable. considering how it was used,and lasted,it should have been sent back to Rotax to see why it was so tough.😂

 

They did have quite a few changes from 17 to 19. If i recall correctly the wire harnesses were changed along with the crankcase which was for improved cooling. I've got some good notes at home and if I remember I'll post the important stuff when I get home.

 

Thanks

 

I have an '18 with just under 8300 miles. My riding friend also has an '18 with 11,000 miles. I'm pretty easy on mine, he's pretty hard on his. Knock on wood, both run great. Like @x-race said, go easy on warmups. I don't even back mine off the trailer until its out of warmup mode.

 

Beside crank and pistons that most like to think about when it comes to reliability, how does all the other parts hold up on the high mileage 850? Reeds, RAVE, water pump,oil pump, fuel pump, injectors,ECM/stator/ignition, sensors etc?

 

Pretty well actually. When the 850 was developed the premise was to build a large bore 2 stroke that had 4 cycle reliability. I'd say they've done very well with it especially considering how many 850s they've sold and how well they're holding up.

 

My 17 has 7297 miles. I bought it from a friend who bought it new, 5 years ago with 2800 miles. Of those 2800, I put 1000 or so on it for him- other than the initial model year updates, clutch maintenance, gear lube, slides, carbides, a few belts it's been the most reliable snowmobile I've ever owned. I've owned over 35 sleds over the years. Fuel efficient, FUN, and pretty quick as well. I have updated the shocks to xrs kyb pro 40's (the 17 is a tnt). Just last year I bought a new left over 23 xrs 850 129,no smart shocks or big screen. I had shock issues immediately (all 4 lost charge), other than that, I'm at 1500 miles on it and same thing. Awesome. Better than my 17 after some clutching. Time will tell if it lasts like the 17 has this far. I don't move the sled unless there's 3 bars and I'm easy on it for a few miles. I run them at idle for a few before shut down also. Never ridden another brand 850 or 900 or 858. Not even a consideration.

 

Also on the 17, three sets of plugs in its entire life. That's a nice run-

 

850’s seem to have good reliability. I ride mostly out west (we are harder on our stuff than trails). It seems the either pop early or at the 2k mile mark. If you cross 2k, you have a good one. But 2k actual back country miles is probably closer to 10k trail miles in perspective for the thrashing the get.

one thing I’ve noticed with 850 though, is when they do go; they go dramatically and catastrophically. Very few just get a top end or new crank bearing, usually a complete short block is in order. Helps that factory short blocks are plenty and not truly expensive in the grand scheme of things.

 

The 850 has proven itself, but like any engine, maintenance is key. The 2018-2019 models had some durability concerns, especially with the crankshaft bearings. Fortunately, the lubrication is much better than the old motors with greased bearings. If you find a well-maintained model with updates, it can be a good choice. Also check the condition of the pDrive and the engine mounts.

Mini Militia App Lock

 

The 850 has proven itself, but like any engine, maintenance is key. The 2018-2019 models had some durability concerns, especially with the crankshaft bearings. Fortunately, the lubrication is much better than the old motors with greased bearings. If you find a well-maintained model with updates, it can be a good choice. Also check the condition of the pDrive and the engine mounts.

Thanks

 

Wife and I have been running 850's since 2017. We've probably had 9 of them in total between us and usually put 8000 to 10,000 miles on them before trading. Only had issues with a 19 at 450 miles and it grenaded. Replacement motor had 13000 miles on it when sold. As others stated, I believe warm up is key.
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I'm a believer in the 850 just a pain carrying oil when saddlebagging