Axis new grooved piston

Keith Brown

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In looking at the new Axys promo from Polaris they state they have a "New Grooved Piston for improved durability". The piston seems to be grooved only on one skirt just below the rings. It seems to me that the grooves are probably on the major thrust skirt of the piston as the minor side rarely has issues. It seems to me that the grooves would work good for holding waste material when scuffing takes place and reduce friction/seize. If so isn't this a patch not a solution?
 

Vance Matheson

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Pretty common, this is a piston i bought for a rebuild i did on a 800r

VanceM
 
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Vance Matheson

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I had to replace a crank recently and the groves really faded with close to 1200 miles. But the top end was good so i put it back together and im gonna let it go for another season and see if lasts.

VanceM
 

Keith Brown

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I had to replace a crank recently and the groves really faded with close to 1200 miles. But the top end was good so i put it back together and im gonna let it go for another season and see if lasts,

VanceM
The piston in your pic seems to be grooved all the way around, if that is the case then I can see them being there to augment or replace piston taper
 

Vance Matheson

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Im not sure. They described them as oil grooves along with the oil holes when i bought them. They are part of a fix kit

VanceM
 

prairie-rider800

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In looking at the new Axys promo from Polaris they state they have a "New Grooved Piston for improved durability". The piston seems to be grooved only on one skirt just below the rings. It seems to me that the grooves are probably on the major thrust skirt of the piston as the minor side rarely has issues. It seems to me that the grooves would work good for holding waste material when scuffing takes place and reduce friction/seize. If so isn't this a patch not a solution?

If it works whats the difference with a patch and a solution? Its like the collar on the drive shaft. Everyone complains that its just a patch, but there hasn't been any failures since it was introduced. So if it doesn't fail, whats makes it a patch and not a solution?.... Just a thought
 

Keith Brown

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Polaris failed to explain why the grooves improved durability which leads to the question how does it do that. Whats the secret? Thought someone on M+S would know. Evidently not.
If it works whats the difference with a patch and a solution? Its like the collar on the drive shaft. Everyone complains that its just a patch, but there hasn't been any failures since it was introduced. So if it doesn't fail, whats makes it a patch and not a solution?.... Just a thought
 

pipes

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In looking at the new Axys promo from Polaris they state they have a "New Grooved Piston for improved durability". The piston seems to be grooved only on one skirt just below the rings. It seems to me that the grooves are probably on the major thrust skirt of the piston as the minor side rarely has issues. It seems to me that the grooves would work good for holding waste material when scuffing takes place and reduce friction/seize. If so isn't this a patch not a solution?

Pretty common, this is a piston i bought for a rebuild i did on a 800r

VanceM

Polaris owners have been grooving their Pistons for some time now. The only difference with the factory grooved pistons, is that the factory grooves are around the circumference of the piston not down the length,of the piston.
 

prairie-rider800

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Polaris failed to explain why the grooves improved durability which leads to the question how does it do that. Whats the secret? Thought someone on M+S would know. Evidently not.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, the grooves are for improved lubrication. Maybe someone more experienced than myself can confirm but this is my understanding of how the grooves improve durability.

The grooves accumulate oil and aid in transportation of the oil along the cylinder wall as well as increasing the oil film thickness on the cylinder skirt.

When the piston reaches the top or bottom of the bore the piston generally rocks in the bore. If the oil film between the cylinder wall and piston skirt is too thin the piston skirt will push through the film and make contact with the cylinder wall. This causes scuffing and piston wear. If the oil film is thicker there is less likely hood of this occurring and in turn less wear on the Pistons.


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Vance Matheson

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Polaris owners have been grooving their Pistons for some time now. The only difference with the factory grooved pistons, is that the factory grooves are around the circumference of the piston not down the length,of the piston.
How does a polaris owner groove a piston if its not done at the factory?.

This pistons i have bought for my ski doos and polaris have already had the grooves and holes.

Just curious maybe i want to add more grooves

VanceM
 
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