Engine Overheating Problems - Any Known Resolutions?

[Mtn-Track]

Likewise, but I had to get the wife off the Polaris 340!

Another one they will need to address is the radiator freeze-over. It might take an electric heater around the opening or at least bend a tube around it that carries coolant. If it can't stick to the cowling, then it won't bridge over the radiator.

 

[Sled Dog]

The only way to fix that is to put it high out of the way of snow piling into it. I think running board and rear coolers is the only way to go on this problem. When the water drips off them it is at the back of the sled not the front so less ice build up period.

 

[Mtn-Track]

Probably a stupid question, but certainly related...

In the photo's of the GT on the Yamaha web site, the tunnel is solid. Did they actually have a heating problem with the muffler or was it really a weight-reduction thing when production began?

I would think the turbo would create a significantly greater amount of heat than the OEM muffler, but they're capping the tunnel. Any thoughts on that one?

If it's not that big a deal, I may cancel the side shields and just cap the tunnel(?).

 

[SharkAttak]

i put some stainless steel mesh in front of my radiator, i'm a afraid some foreign object will hit it and then there goes all the anti-freeze, i also drained a quart out of it and add water and water wetter

 

[Phazer dude]

not a bad idea and it looks pretty sweet

 

[checkman39]

looks good shark attack. looks close to mine. did you mount it to the radiator like I did?

 

[PureBlue]

Maybe they shoud replace the radiator with a aluminum cooler, standing it up and down instead of flat, like on the running boards, to cool it. If there's that much snow build-up on the radiator.

 

[RTX]

Re: ENGINE OVERHEATING - Poor Design - Help us out!

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.

My first question is, are you sure the only problem is the radiator plugging up?

I don't mean to sound stupid here but i had similar problems with my apex last winter and it had nothing to do with the radiator.
what everyone that rides apex's found was that the sleds had straight antifreeze installed in them. you"NEED" to have a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water. have you checked the mixture? Yamaha is famous for just running straight antifreeze. also try adding some water wetter. it really works.

I also found that my sled ran real hot when new. once it broke in some 500 or so miles things seemed to loosen up a bit and it cooled down but i think the engines have tight tolerances when new and that combined with a poor cooling mixture is sure to be a problem.

Good luck hope you resolve your issue!

 

[SharkAttak]

looks good shark attack. looks close to mine. did you mount it to the radiator like I did?

yes, followed what you said to do, great idea, would hate to be behind someone and have something kick up and take the radiator out

 

[checkman39]

I am near completed with my solution to the hole in the tunnel. I think it will work great and look great. It is def. better than yamaha's tunnel panels. Yamaha should have done what I'm doing factory. I'll have pics up hopefully by wednesday night.

 

[swmpr1]

What model phazer uses a fan on the radiator? is it the venture lite? the relay holder is there and the plug for the fan is at the radiator, and in the wiring diagram for the sled (that looks like it covers them all) it seems like a plug and play operation just to put the fan assembly on the radiator and relay in the socket and its good to go as it seems the ecm should be programmed to turn a fan on and off ... I just couldnt find a micofiche that should what model uses a fan. ideas anyone?

 

[Yellowknife]

I was going to ask and still will - do the tunnel panels do much and are they worth it? I encounter a lot of slush and overflow on our lakes (mostly lake riding up here) so is it worth it?

I swear I read that rad was for cooling oil. Obviously wrong, but anyone recall reading the same thing? I'm trying to find out where I see that.

 

[SharkAttak]

I am near completed with my solution to the hole in the tunnel. I think it will work great and look great. It is def. better than yamaha's tunnel panels. Yamaha should have done what I'm doing factory. I'll have pics up hopefully by wednesday night.

checkman39, put the ulmer clutch kit last week, huge difference, wakes the machine right up, great low & midrange, real snappy

 

[checkman39]

I am near completed with my solution to the hole in the tunnel. I think it will work great and look great. It is def. better than yamaha's tunnel panels. Yamaha should have done what I'm doing factory. I'll have pics up hopefully by wednesday night.

checkman39, put the ulmer clutch kit last week, huge difference, wakes the machine right up, great low & midrange, real snappy

good to hear I was planning on ordering one next week when I get paid.

 

[Grimm]

I can't believe that with all the testing and R&D they did on this sled that such a problem would exist regarding the open hole in the tunnel. Seriously, one of the very first questions everyone asked was whether snow coming up through the hole would pose as a problem.