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XPS oil development
We met with Dan Gregg, XPS Oil Director, and several other VIPs to discuss exactly how XPS was developed and why.
First we talked about the time, investment and money it takes to develop a high-tech oil that meets BRP and Rotax engineering standards. We learned that the days of “one-size-fits-all” oils are gone.
The XPS oil chemists, engineers, testers, and many support people went through hundreds of formulations, thousands of dyno hours and more than three years of development and testing directly with Rotax engineers to produce an oil that met Rotax specs. More than 1 million field test miles were ridden and more than $3 million spent, just on testing to make sure this oil worked with the E-TEC engines.
A recent press release on the new XPS oil said, “With increasingly strict EPA regulations and ever-present inter-brand competition, engines such as Ski-Doo’s direct-injected Rotax E-TEC mills are cleaner and quieter than ever. Though the E-TEC fuel system gets most of the attention, the E-TEC engines also boast perhaps the most sophisticated oiling system of any 2-stroke snowmobile ever built. The result is an engine that is as efficient with oil as it is with fuel.”
So, oils that break down quicker or don’t coat and protect parts as well will not keep the E-TECs running as long or as strong.
Ski-Doo’s E-TEC oil pump uses an electronic solenoid that activates four pistons that pump oil through four lines - two lines lubricate the crankcase and two lubricate the 3D RAVE valves. Additionally, sophisticated engine software controls oil delivery for how the rider is using the sled and break-in and changes in altitude and oiling rates can vary from 50:1 all the way to 100:1, depending on how the engine is being run.