Snowmobile Polaris 550 IQ / 550 Shift (2012 year). Manual - part 24

96

MAINTENANCE

Extended Storage

Bearings

Grease the jackshaft and drive shaft clutch side bearings with POLARIS 
Premium All-Season Grease or a similar high quality grease to prevent 
corrosion.

Clutch and Drive System

Remove the drive belt and store in a cool dry location.  Do not lubricate 
clutch components, except the driven clutch shaft bushing as outlined in 
the Master Repair Manual.  See your dealer.

Engine and Carburetor Protection

Proper preparation of the engine and fuel system is vital to the preven-
tion of rust and corrosion on precision engine parts during storage.  
Whenever the machine is stored for a period of more than 60 days, the 
engine must be fogged with fogging oil.  Follow the engine fogging 
instructions provided on the container.

Always add Premium Carbon Clean or a fuel conditioner/stabilizer to 
the fuel tank. Follow the instructions on the container, running the 
engine for five minutes to get additives through the entire fuel system. 
Top off with fresh fuel. Do not allow the snowmobile to run out of fuel.

If stabilizer is not used, drain the carburetors by removing the water trap 
drain plugs. See page 75. 

Tip: Jet restriction caused by improper storage can cause lean conditions and 

very poor slow speed driving quality.

97

MAINTENANCE

Extended Storage

Electrical Connections

Replace worn or frayed electrical wire and connectors. Be sure wiring 
harness is properly secured away from sharp edges, steering linkage, 
moving parts, and hot exhaust parts.

Track and Suspension

Moderate track tension should be maintained during summer storage. 
The machine should be supported off the ground to allow the track to 
hang freely.

Transporting the Snowmobile

Whenever the snowmobile is transported:

1. Turn the fuel valve off. See page 52.

2. Be sure the fuel cap and oil cap are installed correctly.

3. Always tie the snowmobile to the transporting unit securely using 

suitable straps.

4. Remove the ignition key to prevent loss.

98

POLARIS PRODUCTS

Part No.

Description

Engine Lubricants

2870791

Fogging Oil (12 oz./355 ml Aerosol)

2875035

Premium 2-Cycle Semi-Synthetic Oil (qt./.95 l)

2875036

Premium 2-Cycle Semi-Synthetic Oil (gal./3.8 l)

2875038

Premium 2-Cycle Semi-Synthetic Oil (2.5 gal./9.5 l)

2877882

VES Gold Plus 2-Cycle Oil (qt./.95 l)

2877883

VES Gold Plus 2-Cycle Oil (gal./3.8 l)

2877884

VES Gold Plus 2-Cycle Oil (2.5 gal./9.5 l)

Chaincase Lubricants

2873105

Synthetic Chaincase Lubricant (qt./.95 l)

2872951

Synthetic Chaincase Lubricant (12 oz./355 ml)

Grease/Specialized Lubricants

2871312

Grease Gun Kit, Premium All Season (3 oz./89 ml)

2871322

Premium All Season Grease (3 oz./89 ml cartridge)

2871423

Premium All Season Grease (14 oz./414 ml cartridge)

2871329

Dielectric Grease (Nyogel

t

)

Additives/Miscellaneous

2871326

Carbon Clean Plus

2870652

Fuel Stabilizer

2872189

DOT 4 Brake Fluid

2872893

Engine Degreaser

2870505

Isopropyl

2872889

Brake and Clutch Cleaner 

2872890

Carb and Throttle Body Cleaner 

99

TROUBLESHOOTING

Engine Troubleshooting

Unless you have experience and training in two-cycle engine repair, 
see your dealer if technical problems arise.

Problem

Probable Cause Solution

Erratic engine oper-
ating RPM during 
acceleration or load 
variations

Drive clutch binding

• Disassemble drive clutch to inspect 

shift weights for wear and free oper-
ation. SEE YOUR DEALER.

• Clean and polish stationary shaft 

hub.

Driven clutch mal-
function

• Replace ramp buttons and rollers. 

SEE YOUR DEALER.

• Inspect movable sheaves for exces-

sive bushing clearance and replace if 
necessary. SEE YOUR DEALER.

Harsh drive clutch 
engagement

Drive belt worn or 
too narrow

• Replace the drive belt.

Excessive belt/
sheave clearance

• SEE YOUR DEALER.

Drive belt turns over

Wrong belt for appli-
cation

• Replace the drive belt.

Clutch alignment out 
of spec

• Adjust alignment offset. SEE YOUR 

DEALER.

Engine mount bro-
ken or loose

• Inspect and adjust or replace. SEE 

YOUR DEALER.

Machine fails to 
move

Clutch jammed

• Check for twisted belt, broken 

spring, sticking weights, lubrica-
tion. SEE YOUR DEALER.

Track jammed

• Foreign object may be caught or the 

rail slide melted to the track clips 
due to lack of lubrication.

• Track may be iced up or frozen to 

the ground. 

Chaincase sprocket 
or chain jammed or 
broken

• Chain is loose or broken or chain 

tightener is loose. SEE YOUR 
DEALER.

Engine stutters in 
reverse

Misfire mode has 
activated to prevent 
engine overheat

• Shift to forward or restart the engine 

to clear the misfire mode.