coolant heater

[kingrichard]

I am new to the site with an 08 MP. Can anyone tell me which line to install the coolant heater on. I cant imagine the heater works very well installed on the line between the oil tank and the bottom of the rad. I have a pan heater on the oil tank but this does not do it. This machine will not start after about -28c. I have new battery, booster pack and some bad language to assist. It took over 4 hours with the generator on the weekend at -34c. Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[Mooseman]

Welcome to the site! Although there isn't a coolant heater listed specifically for our sleds, there is one for other models that should work. I would think that you would want the warmed coolant to enter the engine as close to the engine as possible. If you look at the schematic I attached, the coolant circulates from the thermostat to the top of the radiator (red) then to the tunnel cooler (orange) and then from the tunnel cooler to the water pump back into the engine (blue). I would put the heater in the line from the bottle to the front or from the pass through under the thermostat to the pump. Basically anywhere in the blue lines. You don't want the coolant to get cooled by the radiator and tunnel cooler before entering the engine.

 

[kingrichard]

Thank you for the help. This exceeds what I was able to sqeeze out of the dealer. I will pull the intake off and see If I can get reasonable access to install the inline heater. I also need to thank you for your previous commnents on the tunnel fix I have done. I will figure out how to upload some pics as it was cheap, easy and works pretty well. I have put about 600k on the sled in cold weather with powder snow and have limited ice issues. I can live with that.

 

[stanzuray]

I am new to the site with an 08 MP. Can anyone tell me which line to install the coolant heater on. I cant imagine the heater works very well installed on the line between the oil tank and the bottom of the rad. I have a pan heater on the oil tank but this does not do it. This machine will not start after about -28c. I have new battery, booster pack and some bad language to assist. It took over 4 hours with the generator on the weekend at -34c. Any comments would be appreciated.

Been working on this start problem also and may want to check out a thread I commented on.
http://www.ty4stroke.com/threads/difficult-starting-in-extreme-cold.133621/

Also I have found so far that even with the antifreeze heater, oil tank pad and battery charger plugged in for all night I gain very little ability to start in colder temps. 20 below is my limit for dead cold start and 25 with all plugged in for night. However with a blanketed cowling and a hair dryer for 1 hour max it starts fine at 40 below - no plugging in at all.
Trying to figure why?? Stan

 

[YukonMP]

I forgot to pick up my battery warmer when I was last in town so I can't yet say anything about that. I'm still thinking that even a fully charged battery is much diminished at these temperatures. Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree but for now that is MY TREE. Anyway our experiences are much the same in terms of the hairdryer/heater and a tarp/blanket. I will be so pissed off if one of us catch our machines on fire.

Stan, you seem to favor the theory that there is a sensor/computer glitch that is out of spec for starting until the thing is warmed up. It might be that we are both right if the cold battery isn't getting a high enough voltage to, and therefore from a sensor to the computer(is that called the ECU).

It is worth saying that my friend, who sold a 2007 MP a month ago could start down to -40(and -40 Canadian is par with -40 American, unlike our dollar) and he had coolant, pan, and battery heaters BUT he said that it wasn't truly reliable until he had three or four thousand miles on it. I think that is significant.

Anyway, I think given the places we can find ourselves putting an MP to good use we should not let up on this one. Come on Yamaha, you can work with us on this one. Your whole line is 4 stroke and everyone's two reservations/peeves are weight and starting. This starting issue is so do-able, low hanging fruit. Stan isn't on this forum complaining, he's looking for a solution.

 

[yamahas]

Do you hear the fuel pump prime?

Does the engine turn over?

The majority of problems with starting is that the fuel pump relay does not power the pump. therefore the fuel does not flow. The next most common problem in the starter relay freezing. You may still hear a "click" however electrical contact has not been made. If the fuel pump will not run then no matter how much you warm up the coolant and battery the sled will not fire.

 

[YukonMP]

Thanks, yes the pump runs and the engine turns over, every time. Mine is a new 2014 with 800kms. Please stay with us, what is next to check. Thanks again.

 

[yamahas]

Is it turning over too slowly?

 

[YukonMP]

I would say normal speed. I was well warned on this forum of the cold weather starting issues and have always been very aware when I first start the machine. I always display rpm and watch the screen as I crank. Typically I'll see something around 400 and then op low. That is when it starts. When cold it cranks considerably longer, fires but doesn't catch, will often flutter up to 1400 but then just slows. I never crank long and never a second time. I always just give it another hour.

 

[moab11]

So if you are cranking and it catches then dies, you leave it for an hour before trying again? You may want to try turning the ignition off, back on letting the fuel pump prime again and start again. My nytro will do this every time below -20 or so and always runs on the second try. Not sure why it does that, but did it stock as well as with all of my mods.

 

[YukonMP]

Thanks moab11, I'll give that a try next time we get some cooler temps. My reluctance to trying repeatedly was that I was afraid of fouling the plugs considering how unhandy they are to get at. I did note that you were very specific about turning the key all way way back to OFF and then to ON to re-prime.

 

[Mooseman]

Mine's been doing that lately where it would just catch and immediately die. What I do then is crank it a little longer after it catches and blip the throttle. This is in -20c but I might just need a tune up on mine. I think I still have the original spark plugs.

I think the fouling happens more with starting it and not letting it warm up completely before shutting it off repeatedly.

 

[50mile]

I am new to the site with an 08 MP. Can anyone tell me which line to install the coolant heater on. I cant imagine the heater works very well installed on the line between the oil tank and the bottom of the rad. I have a pan heater on the oil tank but this does not do it. This machine will not start after about -28c. I have new battery, booster pack and some bad language to assist. It took over 4 hours with the generator on the weekend at -34c. Any comments would be appreciated.

hose coming out of water pump,tight area to install but doable,heat will travel into engine not toward s radiater.dealer install location heats rear exchanger,never gets to engine

 

[czales]

hose coming out of water pump,tight area to install but doable,heat will travel into engine not toward s radiater.dealer install location heats rear exchanger,never gets to engine

Hey, guys. I am new to this site and joined for the very reason to get the proper location for my inline heater. I have a '14 VK Pro and the line from the bottom of the thermostat (right side of engien facing forward) runs down and under the length of the engine to the other side (left facing forward) and then up tot he water pump. There is rrom to work onthe right side but that's a long way for the heater to have any efffect on the engine, and the left side is almost impossibloe to get into. Is this really the best place to mount the heater?

 

[Mooseman]

Unfortunately, we're not familiar at all with your sled in this section. Maybe check or post your question in the VK section. I'm sure some guys over there have installed one and can give you a hand.