Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
I haven't picked up my mountain lite yet but I went out with a guy who has a Venture Lite with the same 80hp engine, etc.
We were riding at -35 C (-31 F) and he's only had the sled out twice, but each ride he was having overheating problems.
The rad on the front of the sled cools the engine oil, right?
Well that rad is a poor design and I'm really disappointed. What's happening is snow dust and snow that is sprayed from the ski's is entering that rad and piling up inside the cab right in front of it, then it turns to a block of ice at those temperatures and the rad doesn't get any more air then, thus the overheat light comes on and the engine shuts down into safe mode.
First off - why didn't yamaha just stick another cooler in the tunnel to run the oil through? This rad idea, especially exposed the way it is, isn't user friendly. It's very delicate, all the fins on it are bent already and that's just from snow hitting it while riding. I rode with the guy all day and he's an older fella who definitely wasn't abusing his sled.
Second - what's with half the rad being covered by the panel/plastic? It just allows snow to pile up in there and cause problems.
We aren't sure what to do. I'm sure I'll have the same problem - I don't know if any of you have ridden your phazer in those temps or are having the same issue at warmer temps or not.
I've though about cutting out the plastic panel in front of the rad, but then the rad will be fully exposed, and what if you run over a twig or branch and it pokes the rad? It already seems too fragile...the rad's the big units are at least protected, but I really think what needs to happen is a cooler should be added in the tunnel to cool both the coolant and engine oil, and I may have to demand that from my dealer or back out of the purchase of the mountain lite, because I can't afford to have the thing overheating on me, I'm buying it as a backup sled to my Rev.
Any other suggestions? Anyone else expereience this? Please provide details. I really think this is a crap design and I'm not impressed.
We were riding at -35 C (-31 F) and he's only had the sled out twice, but each ride he was having overheating problems.
The rad on the front of the sled cools the engine oil, right?
Well that rad is a poor design and I'm really disappointed. What's happening is snow dust and snow that is sprayed from the ski's is entering that rad and piling up inside the cab right in front of it, then it turns to a block of ice at those temperatures and the rad doesn't get any more air then, thus the overheat light comes on and the engine shuts down into safe mode.
First off - why didn't yamaha just stick another cooler in the tunnel to run the oil through? This rad idea, especially exposed the way it is, isn't user friendly. It's very delicate, all the fins on it are bent already and that's just from snow hitting it while riding. I rode with the guy all day and he's an older fella who definitely wasn't abusing his sled.
Second - what's with half the rad being covered by the panel/plastic? It just allows snow to pile up in there and cause problems.
We aren't sure what to do. I'm sure I'll have the same problem - I don't know if any of you have ridden your phazer in those temps or are having the same issue at warmer temps or not.
I've though about cutting out the plastic panel in front of the rad, but then the rad will be fully exposed, and what if you run over a twig or branch and it pokes the rad? It already seems too fragile...the rad's the big units are at least protected, but I really think what needs to happen is a cooler should be added in the tunnel to cool both the coolant and engine oil, and I may have to demand that from my dealer or back out of the purchase of the mountain lite, because I can't afford to have the thing overheating on me, I'm buying it as a backup sled to my Rev.
Any other suggestions? Anyone else expereience this? Please provide details. I really think this is a crap design and I'm not impressed.
phazerfly
Extreme
Check through the Phazer forum, there are lots of threads about this problem, and quite a few solutions to. Check out what everyone else is saying, there are solutions, and its not that big of a problem. I have 550km's on mine, and its not that bad. Give the sled a chance before you decide, and if it is a major problem Yamaha will have a solution, don't worry.
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
I'm having trouble finding stuff with details, I find a lot of topics but haven't found one with a lot of central information around the problem, can you help point me in the right direction?
BV1
Expert
I am interested in what gear can be purchased for this problem as well.
Here's mine from this past weekend:
http://www.members.shaw.ca/diatech/Phazer/Nov25th06/
-Steve
P.S. I have never hit "safe mode" but BOY am I glad I didnt hit safe mode when I had my Lake experience last week.
Here's mine from this past weekend:
http://www.members.shaw.ca/diatech/Phazer/Nov25th06/
-Steve
P.S. I have never hit "safe mode" but BOY am I glad I didnt hit safe mode when I had my Lake experience last week.
Attachments
Yellowknife
TY 4 Stroke Master
Okay I just read everything in this forum back to October and there was squat about my issue. Am I looking in the wrong place?
And can someone confirm whether it is engine oil going through the rad or antifreeze?
If it is antifreeze, the heat exchanger in the tunnel definitely isn't enough to cool the motor when the rad plugs up.
And can someone confirm whether it is engine oil going through the rad or antifreeze?
If it is antifreeze, the heat exchanger in the tunnel definitely isn't enough to cool the motor when the rad plugs up.
ecopter
TY 4 Stroke Guru
I'm fairly certain that's an oil cooler on the front.
Jon
Jon
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It is a radiator that cools the antifreeze.
sniperviper
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
sniperviper
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
Must be something wrong with that sled. I think that radiator is ment to give extra cooling when you are driving on hard packed snow/ice. The heat exhanger in the tunnel is quite big. I have 320 miles on my fx and no problem as you discribe. So far I have noticed one BIG problem with the sled and that is the hole in the tunnel. Cant figure out why yamaha put it there in the 1st place. Hope they do something about it.
ptrudel
Pro
^to help get more heat out...I haaven't had a problem with that hole yet...
sniperviper
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
I experienced the same problem with the warrior. The problem was there only when it was very cold. The only way to resolve the problem was to remove the ice buildup..then everything was fine. On the Apex model I didn't experience that problem yet.
Next time you're at the dealer, make sure to tell them about your problem.
Next time you're at the dealer, make sure to tell them about your problem.
Mtn-Track
Extreme
Hello Folks,
I'm new to this forum with an '07 GT. It's my wifes sled, but I had a quick chance to give it a try (of course!). From what I have been able to figure out, the hole and lack of side shields is for cooling of the muffler and to keep the sled lighter. Easy enough, but in slushy snow or light snow, it all seems to come through the hole and hits you in the back and sides of the legs. After a while it seems to freeze on the rails and seat frame creating the "glacier" that some photo's here have shown. I also have a set of the side shields on order to help solve this. As for the radiator, it has not been cold enough here to freeze it over, but I do see the potential for that PLUS impact damage. Since it's my wife's sled, she probabply won't have a problem with it, but I know I would.
I would agree that the radiator is intended to be a SUPPLEMENT, and not the primary cooler. That being said, I might start looking for a set of rail coolers that will fit this thing and plumb them in the system. This would help keep some of the ice off the top of the rails also.
Just my 2 pennies worth.
I'm new to this forum with an '07 GT. It's my wifes sled, but I had a quick chance to give it a try (of course!). From what I have been able to figure out, the hole and lack of side shields is for cooling of the muffler and to keep the sled lighter. Easy enough, but in slushy snow or light snow, it all seems to come through the hole and hits you in the back and sides of the legs. After a while it seems to freeze on the rails and seat frame creating the "glacier" that some photo's here have shown. I also have a set of the side shields on order to help solve this. As for the radiator, it has not been cold enough here to freeze it over, but I do see the potential for that PLUS impact damage. Since it's my wife's sled, she probabply won't have a problem with it, but I know I would.
I would agree that the radiator is intended to be a SUPPLEMENT, and not the primary cooler. That being said, I might start looking for a set of rail coolers that will fit this thing and plumb them in the system. This would help keep some of the ice off the top of the rails also.
Just my 2 pennies worth.
sniperviper
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
I have told them about this and they have also taken pictures of the ice buildup on my. They have taken the problem up with yamaha scandinavia and the last thing I heard (today) was that yamaha factory was working hard to figure out a solution. Personly I think that the best way to solve this problem would be to add som coolers in the tunnel/under running board then the ice would slip cause of heat. Now there is no cooler in backframe and the ice really stucks as hxll.
Yup I agree I thought they had the running board coolers on them. I would see about getting some running board and a rear cooler to boot and reroute the coolant to incorporate the new design. Then you would have the best of both worlds. I dont see this as a difficult fix. Granted one that should have been built with the sled. That is the reason I shy away from first year models. Yamaha should not worry about weight so much as this is the only reason I can see them trying this. Snow gets in the front and melts and gets blown back onto the tunnel and freezes. That sled in the picture already has more weight on it in ice than the running board and rear cooler would add. 
