SDI Oil Requirements

Dear Ralph:
What oil can I use in the 2006 Ski-Doo Renegade X 600HO SDI that I'm contemplating? With previous Ski-Doo models it was my understanding is that as long as the oil was API-TC rated that it would not void my warranty. I have a 2003 REV 800 that I broke in (rode it like I stole it) with Castrol Super Snowmobile oil (API-TC rated mineral oil) to get a good seating on the rings. After break-in I switched to Motul Snowpower 2T (synthetic blend, API-TC and JASO FC rated). I was planning to do the same thing with the 2006 SDI.

The problem is that BRP doesn't give an equivalent rating in their manuals anymore (in ‘03 they recommended to use their oil or an equivalent API-TC rated oil). The local dealer also warns that warranty might be void if I don't use BRP's semi-synthetic oil or full synthetic.

It would appear to me that BRP and the dealer are trying to force me to buy their over priced oil to keep the warranty in force. I find this (potentially) dishonest and irritating. As far as I know this is illegal in the US (Magnuson-Moss Act) and assume it is the same in Canada.

Any help would be appreciated,
Kerry Johnson
East St. Paul, Manitoba, Canada

Once you buy the sled, you can use any oil you so choose. But, if you experience engine damage, BRP may not cover it under warranty if they can demonstrate the damage was caused by insufficient lubrication. This does not mean if you use a different oil that your warranty is invalid; there must be a cause and effect relationship established.

However, the lubrication requirement for the new SDI engines has indeed changed, as there is no longer oil mixed with the gas that is entering the engine (via the injectors). Let me also add we have found Ski-Doo’s XPS full-synthetic oil to be one the best quality 2-stroke oils available from anybody.

That being said, Ski-Doo found their SDI engines worked better and lasted longer using their very high quality oil. Their dealers and consumers complained about the high cost (compared to cheaper mineral oils) so they developed a semi-synthetic XPS that also was good enough for their SDI lubrication requirements.

You are also correct in that the Magnuson-Moss act here in the U.S. pretty much says an OEM can not require you to use only their proprietary brand of oil to keep the warranty in force unless it has one of two things; permission to do so from the Federal Trade Commission, or provides the oil to you free of charge.

Last season Ski-Doo stated they did not know of any other injection oil that met their requirements for the SDI engine family. If you read the warranty details closely, it basically states that they might not cover engine damage that is caused by inadequate lubrication, so while they’re not demanding you must use only their oil, they’re very carefully saying that other oils might not be good enough, and if any engine damage is deemed to provide inadequate lubrication they reserve the right to not cover it under warranty, as they should. Basically.

Yes, this is a fine line, but you should be able to figure it out. They didn’t provide a specification likely because one didn’t exist that met their lubrication requirements of this new technology engine design. We wonder if the Japaneese JASO-FC specification or the European ISO-EG-D specification, both of which are of a higher protection level than any of the U.S. specifications, were good enough, but we simply don’t know the answer to this quite yet.

Some oil companies go as far as to indicate if you experience any lubrication-induced engine damage that they will cover it. I will tell you this; we predominantly ran only XPS synthetic in our 1000 SDI engine last season. It is readily available and eliminated any chance that we knew better than our friends at Ski-Doo. Just to be safe. In our 600 SDI we ran (for the most part) Maxima BIO 2-T. I’m of the opinion you’ll be just fine using a good quality synthetic.