Coolant bypass or recirculating for summer repairs-how

[Paradox]

I'm wondering how people are keeping their sleds cool during the summer or fall when working on it and needing to run it. I think somewhere on here I saw someone who built or bought a recirculating machine with a fan and raditor, wondering if there are other ways to do it. Would it run too cool to simply "T" into the system and run straight water from a 1" line garden hose. I don't think Tap water is exactly going to do much damage for the very short time it may be needed but I'm afraid of it simply running to cool and I'm wondering about the ability of it to keep up with the sleds water pump. I of course would either recapture the coolant and put it back in or simply change it out completely come riding season or temps look like they start reaching freezing.

Any education anyone can give would be appreciated.....very green in this area.

 

[maim]

how long do you plan on running it? what you are describing is a cool down cart made for when a sled is drag racing in the summer and there is not enough time to let the sled cool between heats naturally. 10 min will not hurt it. just check the running board coolers with your hand and if it is hot to the touch, shut it down and let it cool for a couple of hours before running it again.

 

[Paradox]

I ran it for about 10 minutes yesterday and couldn't touch the running boards, the coolant lights and no warning lights came on but didn't want to push it. I was trying to run some yamaha ring free fuel additive through the system to see if I could get the compression up on one cylinder. I've been soaking the cylinders with it with the plugs out for the last three days but would like to run it as so some would get up into the valves as well.

 

[RED]

I would get a used rad from an autowrecker, then remove the rear heat exchanger hoses, then adapt the 1" hose to what ever size nipples are on the auto rad. Run some sort of house fan for cooling. Our dealership has a training center, diesel engines. They do the same thing, but use a semi rad. Can run the engine for quite awhile without overheating. There isnt really a load on the engine as its on a stand. All is done to it is reved up/down. Maybe a rad out a older half ton as there bigger than a car. Image wrecking yard wouldnt want alot for a used rad. Then couple nipples/adapters from local hardware store.

 

[abj87]

Run some water down one of the running boards with a garden hose, it will keep it cool.

 

[Paradox]

I was considering trying just that, just setting up a garden hose along running boards. We'll try the simple first. Would be nice to do it in the shop but for now it may work.

 

[totallyamaha]

the cheapest way to cool it down with minimal expense and mess is to make a basic cool down kit. the items that you will need are a cooler a long piece of 1 inch id hose and a piece of 1 inch od pipe. disconnect the radiator hose from under the over flow tank connect one end of the long hose to it and using the piece of pipe connect the other two ends together completing the system. take the rest of the hose and coil it in the cooler and fill with ice. when the engine is running at an idle the coolant will slowly pass through the hose and will loose allot of the heat in the ice this is a basic setup that the grass drag racers use on there machine but without the expensive quick connect couplers

 

[Paradox]

Well...this is what I came up with for anyone interested. Slips under the sled just like a lift, the line that is mounted to the boards have 4 slits in each side, the other hose gets pulled up and put into the foot well hole. Then the sled gets tipped backwards so the water runs down the footwells. Ran it for about a half hour and seems to work, no temp lights came on. There's also a slit cut into the hose running width wise to get up to the heat exchanger in front of the track. Total cost around $15 for one garden hose, had the hose connectors, wood and clamps.

I do have 1" water lines so I have a fair amount of volume, not sure if it would work with normal residential water lines.

Anyway, just thought I'd post it if someone was interested

 

[low slung]

Lots of ice cubes on the running boards .