Fuel consumption of snowmobiles Taiga, Buran, Tiksy

All lovers of traveling through snowy fields are well aware of the fact that first you need to select high-quality equipment. Otherwise, you won’t be riding a snowmobile, but it will be riding you. One of the most interesting domestic brands is the Taiga snowmobile. In fact, this vehicle is a kind of high-quality SUV among similar cars (unlike the Buran brand).

History of appearance

Taiga snowmobiles have been produced since 1997. This version was developed for use in army units located in the north and by rapid reaction brigades. For many years (until 2015), snowmobiles were prohibited for retail or wholesale sale to private individuals.

And only in the last few years have civilians had the opportunity to fully appreciate all the capabilities of equipment with the Taiga 500 brand. Many immediately began to compare them with Buran snowmobiles, deciding which is better.

The model range of this brand includes several lines of double seats:

1. Patrol;
2. Leopard;
3. Varangian;
4. Leader;
5. Satellite;
6. Attack.

There are also lighter single-seat options:

• Rybinka;
• TIKSY 250.

Owner reviews

“Patrol” has proven itself excellent both in the service of special services and as a reliable workhorse among ordinary users. The model received many positive reviews from owners and experts.

Egor, Tver:

“I bought this snowmobile at a dealer showroom. I really liked the build quality and the large gas tank. I took a new model with separate lubrication and liquid cooling. I don’t regret it, the truck moves well on powder, and generally flies on compacted roads! Overall, I'm absolutely delighted. In addition, it is quite economical, and the large gas tank allows you to travel quite far from home.”

Mikhail, Krasnoyarsk:

“I didn’t have the money to buy a new snowmobile, but I also didn’t want to buy some Chinese truck with a bunch of bells and whistles that would end up being just a pile of scrap metal. A friend advised me to take something from Russian Mechanics. I wandered through the forums of fishermen and hunters, looked at reviews and eventually decided to take the “Patrol”. Later I never regretted it. Although the model is one of the first (2011), it has never let me down.

If you follow all the recommendations, carry out diagnostics and maintenance on time, and drive correctly, then the equipment will last for many years. Fortunately, the previous owner thought the same. Over the 5 thousand km that I have already driven, I had to change three variator belts and two on the fan. I often carry sleds weighing more than 500 kg, sometimes 700 kg.”

Technical specifications

In total, in addition to the basic version of the Taiga 500 (not to be confused with the Buran brand), there are 9 more versions of these snowmobiles. They are assigned special markers (for example, snowmobile Taiga St500d). Let us consider in more detail the description of the basic parameters of technical characteristics:

• Case features. The frame is made of high-quality steel and is all-welded;
• Hood. Made from fiberglass. Elements such as a windshield (tuning is possible), a headlight and an instrument panel with a speedometer are mounted on it;
• Engine. The main ones are RMZ - 500 (power 38 hp and 1 carburetor) or the newest RMZ - 500 - 10 (power 50 hp, 2 carburetors). In addition, there are differences in lubrication. In the first option, the oil is mixed with gasoline, and in the second, the lubricant is separate. There are also versions with engines for different types of gasoline (76, 80 and 92). Fuel consumption depends on the version and the speed developed by the Taiga 500;
• Transmission (automatic V-belt variator);
• Disc brakes (controlled using a cable);
• The suspension (front) is equipped with a spring or hydropneumatic shock absorber. The rear (slime) is also shock-absorbed;
• The gearbox is a gear drive with manual gear shifting, of which there are 4 in the taiga (neutral, low, high and reverse).

The lineup

This snowmobile has two main modifications with engines of 500 and 550 cubic centimeters. Both have similar technical characteristics in terms of suspension, propulsion and other driving properties.

Patrol 500

This truck is the first model of the Patrul family; it was the one that was in service with the Ministry of Defense. The power plant is a two-stroke carburetor engine of its own design, RMZ-500. The unit is equipped with an air cooling system and a mixed lubrication system. The all-terrain vehicle has a white body color.

Patrol 550

This snowmobile also has a two-stroke engine RMZ-550 with the same parameters as the previous model. The only thing that the designers changed was its volume. A little later, the power plant was improved: liquid cooling and a separate lubrication system were added. The new track turned out to be a little heavier and higher.

additional characteristics

1. Caterpillar. Its average width is about 500 mm. The cord is made of high-quality fabric, reinforced at the edges with fiberglass links in the form of rods;
2. Also included in the chassis are ski runners made of high-quality steel. This allows you to better navigate areas with bare soil. To soften the ride, plastic ski linings are used. The main feature is that there are always 2 skis (the Buran snowmobile comes with one). In addition, this element provides the possibility of tuning (for example, installing extensions for skis on a Taiga snowmobile);
3. Imported belts are installed (Dayco);
4. The sock is secured with rivets and is made of molded polyethylene;
5. With a total load capacity of 200 kg, it is possible to attach a trailer weighing up to 220 kg. And this despite the fact that the dimensions of the snowmobile are quite modest. If you don't need a trailer, then choose a model with its own trunk.

Specifications

The 550 SWT is based on a utilitarian Super Wide Track platform, which has proven itself well on American and Canadian snowmobile tracks. The platform goes well with the RMZ-550 two-stroke two-cylinder engine, which has sufficient power to overcome obstacles and transport cargo sleds. The maximum design speed of the track is 80 – 90 km/h on a flat and hard road.

The Taiga Patrol snowmobile has a white or black body color. The first option looks especially impressive on snow cover. The track has a fairly wide track, making it almost impossible to “bury” it in the snow. For a comfortable ride, there is a two-level seat with removable passenger handles and a seat back. Additionally, there is heating of the throttle trigger and steering handles.

Dimensions and weight

This truck is designed for two people - a driver and one passenger of average build. Since the snowmobile belongs to the utilitarian class, its integral part is the presence of a rear traction device. It can be used to transport cargo sleds weighing up to 500 kg. The dry weight of the all-terrain vehicle is 315 kg.

Dimensions:

Transmission

The truck has an automatic two-stage transmission. To change gears, a time-tested V-belt variator is used, which is used in almost all modern snowmobiles. The gear shift lever has four main positions:

• L – lowered forward;
• H – raised forward;
• N – neutral position (no clutch);
• R – reverse speed (reverse).

Front and rear suspension

The snowmobile is equipped with a classic utilitarian suspension, which consists of two independent parts.

Brakes

For braking, a standard mechanically controlled disc brake is used. The brake mechanism is hydraulic type. All brake controls are located on the left steering handle:

The numbers in the figure indicate:

1. brake lever;
2. parking brake lever;
3. master brake cylinder;
4. minimum brake fluid level indicator.

Like any other modern snowmobile, the Patrol also has an emergency engine stop mechanism.

Electronics

The basic package of the model includes:

• electric starter;
• capacitive programmable ignition (CDI);
• heating of the gas trigger and steering wheel;
• dual halogen headlight 55/60;
• LED headlight at the rear.

Engine

The model is equipped with a two-stroke power plant with a carburetor power supply system and contactless ignition.

Engine parameters:

Daniila Rukin

Snowmobile specialist "Buran". I go fishing in my free time.

Ask a Question

The Taiga Patrol 500 snowmobile also has a two-stroke, two-cylinder, air-cooled engine. Its power is slightly lower than that of newer models, at 38 horsepower. At the same time, it is capable of accelerating to 80 km/h.

Fuel system

The fuel system of the truck is represented by two Micuni float-type carburetors (one per cylinder). As with any two-stroke engine, it uses a co-lubrication system, so engine oil should be added to gasoline. To do this, you need to use special semi-synthetic oil for two-stroke engines.

The manufacturer categorically does not recommend pouring oil into the gas tank. The fuel mixture is prepared in a special container, following the recommendations in the manual. The mixture proportions are 33:1.

For refueling, use regular unleaded gasoline with an octane number of 92. The 551 SWT model uses a separate lubrication system, so it additionally has a 2.5-liter oil tank.

Caterpillar

A caterpillar mechanism with a chain drive is used as a propulsion device. The caterpillar belt is made of composite materials, reinforced.

Main characteristics:

Advantages of a snowmobile

All models demonstrate the ability to reach speeds from 60 to 100 km/h even in heavy and deep snow. It also handles corners very well. In this regard, all models are much better than Buran snowmobiles. And this is primarily due to better stability.

Even when the size of the vehicle increases due to the trailer, the snowmobile demonstrates very good uphill climbs. In general, the Taiga behaves on the road like a full-fledged all-terrain vehicle, and can be a good alternative for fans of extreme off-roading. In addition, tuning fans note the good adaptability of modifications to modifications.

Fuel consumption of snowmobiles Taiga, Buran, Tiksy

A snowmobile is an off-road mechanical vehicle designed for operation on snow cover.

Operating fuel consumption largely depends on the technical condition of the snowmobile, atmospheric factors (temperature and humidity of the surrounding air, altitude), factors influencing the amount of resistance to movement (load on the snowmobile, the presence and weight of a towed trailer, speed, depth and snow cover density in a particular region), etc.

Considering that the operational fuel consumption of a snowmobile can vary widely on the same snowmobile with constant adjustments depending on changing operating conditions, manufacturers of snowmobiles, including foreign ones, do not establish operating fuel consumption standards in the operational documentation.

As a controlled parameter when carrying out tests in the technical conditions for snowmobiles manufactured by JSC RM, the value of the control fuel consumption (in liters per 100 km), determined when the snowmobile moves on snow cover with a density of 0.30 to 0.35 g/cm³, is established. (well-worn snowmobile trail) at a constant speed of 30 km/h.

The value of control fuel consumption for various models of snowmobiles in climatic conditions characteristic of the Yaroslavl region is given in Table 1.

Table 1

Based on the above, I believe that it is almost impossible to establish a single standard for the operating fuel consumption of a snowmobile for all regions.

We recommend that you set the operating fuel consumption standard based on the average statistical value established based on the results of actual operation typical for your region.

To establish the standard operating fuel consumption of a snowmobile, we propose the following methodology:

1. Several technically sound snowmobiles (preferably checked to ensure that the control fuel consumption corresponds to the data in Table 1) should be completely filled with fuel;
2. record (or reset) the initial odometer readings (trip meter) of each snowmobile;
3. carry out controlled operation of snowmobiles (without refueling) with the performance of real tasks and functions, at the usual speed and load for this work in the road conditions typical for this region;
4. record the odometer readings of each snowmobile upon completion of controlled operation, calculate the amount of mileage completed (S, km);
5. by adding fuel using a measuring container to the fuel tanks, establish the amount of fuel actually consumed by each snowmobile (V, l);
6. calculate the operating fuel consumption for each snowmobile using the formula: GT = V/S·100 (liters/100 km);
7. Based on the results of controlled operation, an internal document for the organization shall establish a standard for operational fuel consumption when operating snowmobiles.

Considering that most snowmobiles run on a fuel mixture of gasoline and motor oil, the operating consumption of motor oil is determined depending on the amount of operating fuel consumption in the ratio by volume:

1. Snowmobiles "Taiga":
   for motor oils "Taiga-2T", "Ekoil-2T-Arctic" - 1:40 (with a break-in of 1:33).
2. Snowmobiles "Buran":
   for motor oils M-8V, MS-20 - 1:25 (with a break-in of 1:20);
3. for motor oils “Buran-2T”, “Taiga-2T”, “Ekoil-2T-Arctic”, “Ekoil-2T-Super” - 1:33 (with a running-in period of 1:25).

More detailed information on the fuels and lubricants used. fluids, refer to your snowmobile owner's manual.

Noticed shortcomings

According to owner reviews, there are not many disadvantages. Some people note that under increased loads the smell of fuel is felt. Also, a snowmobile is often recommended for those who are just starting to train in extreme driving. Still, the taiga cannot replace a full-fledged SUV.

But for training, all models will be good. Experienced drivers often lack power when driving through deep drifts. But overall the reviews are mixed. Some people claim that a snowstorm is better, others say the opposite.

Many note rather high prices. But it’s worth noting right away that this is due to the large number of imported parts in the assembly. Even those elements that are produced here are often made from new imported materials (which will be better).

Criterias of choice

First of all, you should pay attention to snowmobile skis. They provide stability on snow and high maneuverability. On average, the normal track will range from 900 to 1000 mm. Please note that this parameter is calculated between the centers of the ski runners, and not from the edges.

If you are not afraid of independent tuning, then you can purchase a version with a more modest configuration. Otherwise, it is better to give preference to improved versions (even installing heated seats and windshield).

Naturally, a more powerful engine provides better cross-country ability. But which option to choose is up to you. You should focus on your needs.

Repair and service

Unless you are a specialist, it is better to entrust the repair of a Taiga snowmobile to a service center. Fortunately, the case provides fairly easy access to the structure. Although, breakdowns do not happen very often. This is due to the high quality of the spare parts used (most often imported) in the domestic assembly.

Previous post Suzuki Bandit 400 - technical characteristics of the motorcycle

Next entry Characteristics and advantages of the Buran snowmobile