What Kind of Oil Does a 2017 Can-Am Outlander Max 570 Take?
Shop parts for a 2017 Can-Am Outlander MAX 570 ATV.
The Engine Oil This Quad Is Built Around
The 2017 Outlander Max 570 is a four-stroke machine through and through. Under the bodywork sits a liquid-cooled Rotax single-cylinder engine, and like nearly every utility quad in the 500cc to 600cc class, it is designed around a powersports-specific 4-stroke oil rather than an automotive formula. The viscosity most commonly associated with this displacement class is 5W-40, with 10W-40 appearing just as often in owner's literature and on dealer shelves. Can-Am's own branded 4-stroke oil is a sensible default because it is blended with this exact family of engines in mind, but any quality JASO MA or MA2 rated oil in the correct weight will do the job.
What you should not do is reach for whatever is sitting in the garage for the family sedan. Automotive oils frequently contain friction modifiers that are fine for a dry-sump car engine but can cause trouble in a powersports engine that shares its oil with transmission components. That single distinction matters more than the brand name on the bottle.
Why the CVT Shapes the Oil Conversation
The Outlander Max 570 delivers power through a belt-driven continuously variable transmission, which means the belt itself runs dry and never touches the engine oil. That is a meaningful difference from a quad with a geared gearbox and a wet clutch, where the same oil lubricates the engine, the transmission, and the clutch pack all at once. Even so, the 570's engine oil still circulates through internal transmission gearing inside the same cases, so the oil is doing more than just lubricating a piston and a valve train.
That is the practical reason a JASO MA or MA2 rated oil is the right choice here. Those ratings exist specifically for wet-clutch and shared-sump powersports applications, and they give you a margin of safety that a generic automotive oil does not. If you are unsure which of two otherwise similar oils to buy, the one carrying the JASO rating is the one to take home.
Drivetrain Fluids Are a Completely Separate Job
Engine oil is only part of the lubrication picture on a four-wheel-drive utility quad. The Outlander Max 570 has a front differential and a rear gearcase or final drive, and each of those holds its own lubricant, serviced on its own schedule and completely independent of the engine oil. Most of these units call for a hypoid gear oil in the 80W-90 range, though the front differential on models with an auto-locking engagement system sometimes requires a model-specific front drive fluid instead of a generic gear oil.
That last point deserves emphasis. If your machine's front differential uses a special engagement fluid and you fill it with ordinary gear oil, four-wheel-drive engagement can suffer. The two fluids are not interchangeable, and the correct one is listed in your owner's manual. Treat the front diff, the rear gearcase, and the engine as three separate service items with three separate fluid specs.
Hard Work Changes What the Oil Has to Endure
A quad that spends its life on groomed trails lives a very different existence from one that plows driveways all winter, drags a loaded trailer, or wades through mud and standing water. Plowing and towing mean sustained load at low speed with limited airflow. Long idle periods during hunting season or around a worksite keep oil temperatures low and allow condensation to accumulate. Water crossings and deep mud can push moisture past seals and into the crankcase, and a milky, coffee-colored appearance on the dipstick is the classic sign that it has happened.
Cold weather is the other variable worth planning around. The first number in a multigrade oil rating describes how it behaves when the temperature drops, which is why a 5W-40 or even a 0W-40 makes more sense for a machine that starts at dawn in freezing conditions than a heavier 20W-50. Conversely, owners in consistently hot climates or running air-cooled equipment sometimes prefer the thicker end of the range. Match the oil to the conditions you actually ride in.
Conventional, Semi-Synthetic, or Full Synthetic
All three are viable, and the choice comes down to how you use the machine and what you want to spend. Full synthetic oils generally flow better on cold starts and hold up longer under sustained heat, which suits a hard-working plow quad or a machine that sees a lot of slow, loaded operation. Conventional oil costs less and remains perfectly adequate for a lightly used trail machine that gets regular changes. Semi-synthetic sits in the middle and is a common factory-fill choice for exactly that reason.
How Often You Should Be Changing It
There is no single interval that fits every owner, because the answer depends entirely on duty cycle. Casual trail riding on a machine that stays clean can follow a fairly relaxed schedule. A quad that plows, tows, runs in dust, or regularly crosses water should be serviced considerably more often, and any machine that shows milky oil after a water crossing should be changed right away regardless of mileage. Dust and mud are abrasive, heat breaks oil down, and moisture turns it corrosive. When in doubt, change it sooner.
Confirming the Exact Spec for Your Machine
The guidance above reflects what is typical and widely accepted for this class of utility quad, and it will get you on the trail with confidence. For the precise viscosity, the exact fill quantity, and the specific drivetrain fluid types your 2017 Outlander Max 570 was built for, a quick look at the owner's manual or a call to your dealer settles it in a minute or two. Keep a JASO-rated 5W-40 or 10W-40 on the shelf, keep the front differential and rear gearcase topped up with their own correct fluids, and this machine will keep earning its keep for a long time.
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Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace your ATV's official owner's manual. Always refer to your manufacturer's documentation for model-specific instructions, torque specifications, safety procedures, and maintenance requirements. If you are unsure or inexperienced, consider seeking assistance from a qualified mechanic or technician.