06 vector losing antifreeze / overheating

[venture2]

Hello,
Just took my 06 vector for the first ride of the season.The temperature was -10 Deg.F and snow was hard packed with loose powder on surface. About 20 minutes into the ride I noticed the orange warning light came on and also the overheat indicator symbol was on. I shut the machine down, checked antifreeze level ( was 3/4 full) , waited a few minutes and headed back to my trailer. The light came on again right when I reached the trailer. I checked the heat exchangers and it was evident that antifreeze was being pumped through the system, but also noticed that the undercarriage of the machine was practically clean of ice or snow, like I was riding on dry surfaces.

I went back out to verify for sure, what fault indicator was bringing on the warning light and rode about 40 miles except a faster pace. The only time the warning light & overheat indicator came on was after I shut down for a few minutes and then restarted; the overheat lights would come on like all the other lights for the initial start-up, but then they would remain on for maybe 15 seconds after all the others went off, and then go off.

I'm thinking maybe I was initially just going too slow and possibly the snow was very dry due to the low temperature, and I was riding at the high temp. limit that caused the lights to stay on during start-up. This never happened before, but I do have to add 3-6 ounces of antifreeze mix a couple times during the season, where my 06 venture never needs a top off.

Just wondering if anyone has had overheating problems under similiar conditions and if it's normal to have to add antifreeze a couple times during the season on a Vector. I'm starting to wonder if there's a internal engine leak / leaking head gasket or something like that. There are no signs of a external leak.
Thanks!

 

[thrasher]

Sounds like the snow was too hard packed to give enough proper cooling and your sled was just on the edge of overheating. Too fast or too slow the light would come on. Just break up some snow and pack your running boards with it and see if you still have a problem. The anti-freeze reservoir will reach a level where it is happy when it hits temperature, will overflow the excess. If you keep adding anti-freeze you will see it go down to a level and just stay there. Don't add above the cold line.

 

[venture2]

Thanks Thrasher!

You raised a good point about the coolant finding its own level in the reservoir because every time that I've noticed it being down or where I considered it low, it is at the same level, about 1/4 up from the bottom of the tank. So maybe once it gets hot it's lifting the relief cap a little and letting some out. maybe I'll just leave it where it settles down to and then keep an eye on it like you suggested.

Venture2

 

[aVenture]

My Venture had the bad habit to to throw out some antifreeze by one of the hose to tube join under the secondary. Only at marginal icy condition where the system get high temp & pressurized. A real screw type collar addon on top of existing clamp type fixed it all 15000 miles ago.

After a hot ride, get your finger on those joins to make sure yours not the same. Also, test your antifreeze concentration if she tend to overhead a lot. Too much would do that.

Also, overheating + level going down a tad may also mean that you just got red of air bubbles... which is good. Future rides in similar condition with no overheating would proove this one.

Have a good riding season...

 

[vector06]

I would put int a rear heat exchanger. Costs $150.00 thru Pioneer Performance and only takes an hour or two to install.

 

[venture2]

Thanks for all the help!!

Several people responded to my note and I want to thank you. It's really nice to be able to discuss a problem and get feedback from so many experienced people. Yesterday just to be sure, I checked for leaks again and I already know my antifreeze mixture is correct because I changed it last year, 60/40 ratio. I also took the machine around my lot for 20 minutes or so in fresh, loose snow and the heat exchangers were at their normal temperature, lots of wet snow in the suspension. Everything looks fine-

It's hard to invision, your riding at -10 deg. and there is a nice cloud of white powder trailing behind you but your machine is overheating! But, when I saw the heat exchangers and undercarriage almost clean of any snow or even being wet that was a good clue as to what was happening; just not enough cooling as you have suggested. The cold air wasn,t helping anything except freeze my fingers off and the snow was very dry.

I've thought about adding the rear heat exchanger before and now I'm convinced that I will. It surely would have caught some of that snow that the track was throwing up in the rear. I'll be looking at the pioneer site shortly.

Thanks Again!

 

[grizztracks]

Re: Thanks Thrasher!

You raised a good point about the coolant finding its own level in the reservoir because every time that I've noticed it being down or where I considered it low, it is at the same level, about 1/4 up from the bottom of the tank. So maybe once it gets hot it's lifting the relief cap a little and letting some out. maybe I'll just leave it where it settles down to and then keep an eye on it like you suggested.

Venture2

My 05 vector does the same thing.

 

[wildmann]

my buddy had the same problem on RX-1, dropped the anti-freeze ratio to 50/50. Also, added water-wetter to the anti-freeze. this cured the problem.
make sure to bleed all the air out of the system.