Rotax 600 HO E-TEC Engine for Ski-Doo snowmobiles

BACKGROUNDER
Rotax 600 H.O. E-TEC Engine
for Ski-Doo snowmobiles
Already the undisputed leader in advanced two-stroke snowmobile engines with its SDI and
Power T.E.K. technologies, BRP is taking lightweight two-strokes to the next level with the
introduction of the Rotax® 600 H.O. E-TEC engine for its Ski-Doo® snowmobiles..
BRP pioneered E-TEC direct injection two-stroke technology – where the fuel is injected directly
into the cylinder under extremely high pressures – in its Evinrude® outboard engines, where it
won the Clean Air Technology Excellence Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency,
as well as several prestigious third party customer satisfaction awards. The Rotax E-TEC
system delivers several benefits:

15% better fuel economy than the current 600 H.O. SDI engine.

Half the oil consumption of the SDI, meaning most owners will need to add oil only
once per season.

As the cleanest two-stroke snowmobile engine by a wide margin (see chart page 4),
there’s virtually no smoke or smell.

Lightweight – An MX Z TNT snowmobile with the 600 H.O. E-TEC engine weighs just
415 pounds (188 kg).

Hassle-free ownership – super smooth idle, one-pull start in all conditions, built-in
break-in, three-year spark plug warranty, built-in summerization program and added
gauge readings.
While the 600 H.O. E-TEC is based on the 600 H.O. SDI engine, it is much more than just the
addition of the E-TEC injectors. E-TEC is an entire system of cutting edge technologies –
engine control unit, injectors, fuel system, oil system, 3-D R.A.V.E. exhaust valves and more.
How high tech is this system? The engine control computer can process more than 8,000
calculations per second and must be fuel-cooled. Yes, a liquid-cooled ECM.
2009 Ski-Doo Press Kit: E-TEC Backgrounder
Page 2 of 10
BENEFITS
Fuel Economy
The 600 H.O. E-TEC engine uses the least fuel of any current two-stroke engines in the
industry:
21 mpg / 25 mpg CDN
Sled/Engine
mpg
diff.
mpg
mpg
CDN
diff.
mpg
CDN
MX Z 600 H.O. E-TEC
MX Z 600 H.O. SDI
Polaris Fusion 600 CFI
%
diff.
$ savings
season
21
25
18.3
-2.7
22
3
15%
$31
12.5
-8.5
15
10
78%
$137
Arctic Cat 600 EFI
11.6
-9.4
14
11
92%
$164
Yamaha Nytro 130 EFI
18.3
-2.7
22
3
15%
$31
*Based on 1,242 miles, $3.42/gallon premium fuel, assumes US$ and CDN$ are equal
Source: Ski-Doo Engineering Test Procedure 2006-2007
2009 Ski-Doo Press Kit: E-TEC Backgrounder
Page 3 of 10
Oil Economy
The 600 H.O. E-TEC engine uses the least oil of any current industry two-stroke – most
riders will need to add oil only once per season (500km/l X 3.8l oil tank=1,850km)
Source: BRP Engineering test procedure, 2006-2007
Comparatively, the 600 H.O. E-TEC engine uses just:
 Half the oil of the 600 H.O. SDI
 Half the oil of the Polaris 600 CFI
 One Third the oil of the Arctic Cat 600 EFI
Other benefits:
 Most riders will add oil just once per season (assuming 1,850 km, 3,8 l oil/season)
 E-TEC oil is designed to be combusted – and this environmental impact factor is
accounted for in the low US EPA rating
 The engine is constantly lubricated with fresh, uncontaminated oil
2009 Ski-Doo Press Kit: E-TEC Backgrounder
Page 4 of 10
Emissions
The 600 H.O. E-TEC engine is the cleanest two-stroke in the industry – directly
translating into virtually NO smoke and smell
Carbon Monoxide and Hydrocarbon Emissions
FEL (gr/Kw-hr)
Source: EPA Web Site, Certification Information Center
Comparatively, the 600 H.O. E-TEC engine emits:
 Half the smoke and smell of the 600 H.O. SDI
 Half the smoke and smell of the Polaris 600 CFI
 One third the smoke and smell of the Arctic Cat 600 EFI
Resulting in an EPA rating of 2.6
Source: EPA Web Site, Certification Information Center
2009 Ski-Doo Press Kit: E-TEC Backgrounder
Page 5 of 10
Hassle-Free Ownership Features
The E-TEC system’s sophistication offers many benefits of ownership:






Super smooth, refined idle
Built-in break-in period
One-pull start – even in cold start conditions
Three year 10,000 km/6,200 mile warranty on the platinum-tipped spark plugs
Automatic summerization function for protection in off-season; an industry first. A push
of the button starts the engine, the oil pump coats the cylinders with oil then shuts down
automatically.
Added Multi-function gauge readings, such as average fuel consumption
2009 Ski-Doo Press Kit: E-TEC Backgrounder
Page 6 of 10
SYSTEMS
Injectors
On an E-TEC engine, the fuel injectors are positioned
adjacent to the spark plug in the cylinder head,
producing a very complete burn. Injecting fuel into the
combustion chamber as the piston is compressing
requires extremely high pressure. E-TEC electronic
injectors deliver the fuel at 35 BAR – or more than 500
PSI.
How They Work
Each E-TEC voice-coil injector has a metal cylinder wrapped with wire, a
spring-loaded piston and a spring-loaded plunger. Running a current
through the coil of wire creates a magnetic field that repels the piston
down. This pressurizes the fuel and then pushes the plunger open,
releasing the fuel into the cylinder. The injection is fine-tuned by varying
the frequency, duration and timing of the electrical charges.
This technology is called “voice coil” because this is exactly how audio
speakers work.
Notable

Incredible Precision. As hardware, these injectors are incredibly precise; and they are
made even more exacting through software. Each injector is tested on a flow bench for
variances less than 1%. When it is installed onto the engine, the injector is scanned into
that engine’s ECM, where it is assigned one of 33 different injection programs. The
software compensates for manufacturing tolerances to achieve extreme precision.

Homogeneous vs. Stratified Charge. BRP uses the extreme precision and control of
the system in unique ways. At higher RPM, a tight cone of fuel is injected into the
cylinder, where it mixes with air for a split second before being combusted by the spark.
This is a homogeneous – or mixed – charge. “The power charge.”
At lower RPM, a tight cone of fuel is also injected into the cylinder but one-third less fuel
and right before the spark. The fuel combusts before it gets a chance to disperse. The
benefit of this stratified charge – or the “run charge” – is that this 600cc engine runs with
the fuel of a 200cc engine at idle.
In addition to the significant reduction of fuel consumption, this also virtually eliminates
smoke and smell and produces a perfectly flat idle.

Fuel-cooled injectors. As the E-TEC voice-coil injectors run quite hot due to their
speed and electro-magnetic nature, they are cooled by fuel in the open loop fuel system.
2009 Ski-Doo Press Kit: E-TEC Backgrounder
Oil System
Nearly as sophisticated as the injection system, the E-TEC oil
system uses just half the oil as the 600 H.O. SDI engine.
How It Works
The pump itself consists of an electronic solenoid similar to the
voice-coil injectors, which activates four pistons. Targeted oil
injection supplies oil right where it is needed – two lines lubricate
key crankcase areas, two lubricate the R.A.V.E. valves.
Notable

Incredible Precision. Each oil pump is bench flow tested
for manufacturing tolerances and the ECM programmed
with a 3-D map to match the pump’s performance.
Software makes the hardware more precise.

No Maintenance. Because the system is electronic, there
are no cable adjustments needed.

Tailored performance. The software matches oil delivery
to many factors, including a break-in period, the way the
rider drives, and changes in altitude. This system and
software includes the industry’s first built-in summerization
function.
Page 7 of 10
2009 Ski-Doo Press Kit: E-TEC Backgrounder
Page 8 of 10
3-D R.A.V.E. Exhaust Valves
Tightening the tolerances even more for
added performance, emissions and fuel
economy, compelled BRP to use an
electronic version of the 3-D R.A.V.E.
exhaust valves. The 3-D R.A.V.E. system
debuted for the 2007 model year on the
800R Power T.E.K. engine. 3-D stands for:
 three-opening positions;
 the valves control three exhaust port
openings per cylinder; and
 the 3-D mapping that determines
their operation.
How it Works
By changing the height and size of the
exhaust ports as RPMs change, exhaust
valves produce a fuel efficient and torque-y
engine at lower rpm, and higher performing
engines at mid- and high- rpm.
At idle and at low speeds, a vacuum of
crankcase pressure sucks the secondary
valve closed so all ports are closed. Then,
at mid-range engine speeds, the ECM opens
the secondary valve to its neutral position by
releasing the vacuum. At higher speeds, the
ECM orders crankcase pressure to push
open the primary valve for the highest
performance.
Notable

Added features for added precision. While based on the 3-D R.A.V.E. valves on the
800R Power T.E.K. engine, BRP added an electronic position sensor linked to the ECM
and a bar linking the two valves.

Oil. The electronic oil pump has lines to each R.A.V.E. valve to lubricate the guillotine,
ensuring crisp, dependable performance. For instance, if the valve becomes stuck or
slow because of residue build-up, the ECM will know that the valve is closed when it
should be open (thanks to the new position sensor). It then will send a message to the
gauge.

Pioneer. BRP introduced exhaust valves to production snowmobiles in 1989.
2009 Ski-Doo Press Kit: E-TEC Backgrounder
Page 9 of 10
ECM
Controlling and coordinating all of the E-TEC system’s
sophisticated technologies is extremely complex and requires a
lot of computing power, which is handled by a powerful new
engine control module.
Notable

Supercomputer. The E-TEC engine's ECM can
perform 8,000 calculations per second.

Liquid-cooled. As running so many calculations generates a lot of heat, the ECM is
cooled by the open-loop fuel system. Even when running in a snowmobile in winter
conditions!
Fuel Pump
In the E-TEC system, the fuel pump does more than just
deliver fuel to the engine. It also is a cooling system for the
ECM and injectors – so it is an open loop system.
Notable


High fuel delivery rate. Because it must cool the
ECM and injectors, as well as supply fuel for
combustion, the E-TEC system fuel pump has a very
high delivery rate.
Battery-less. The pump runs right off the magneto, so it needs no battery, saving
weight.
Ignition System
The ignition system’s fast rise time inductive digital ignition (IDI)
means a super smooth idle, virtual elimination of plug fouling and
outstanding combustion stability.
Notable

One-pull starts – EVERY time. The fast rise time IDI
enables the engine to easily start with just one pull of the
recoil rope – regardless of the conditions.
2009 Ski-Doo Press Kit: E-TEC Backgrounder
Page 10 of 10
®
, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its subsidiaries.
-30For product information:
Canada & U.S.:
Steve Cowing
Competition and Media Relations Manager
Ski-Doo
651-982-6223
steve.cowing@brp.com
www.brp.com
www.ski-doo.com
International:
Philippe Normand
Product Manager, BRP
Quad, PWC, Sport Boat, Roadster,
450-532-6410
philippe.normand@brp.com