Four Phazer Questions

[MNUser]

I have two Phazers and tonight they both overheated on me. One is a STD with 1200 miles on it and it has the fan update on it. The other is a GT and it has 150 miles on it. It goes in next week to get the fan update installed. Here are my questions.

I checked the sled tonight. I removed the side panel and started the sled up. The fan did not kick in. Does it only run when the sled is hot or is it on all the time when the sled is running?

Both sleds have the rear hole, under the seat, blocked off with the tunnel protector kit.

1. Can you hear the fan running? When it overheated I shut it down and turned the key back on to see if I could hear the fan. It was not running. Does the sled have to be running for the fan to engage? The pod still showed the sled as being hot.

2. Is there a way to check the fan to see if it works or it is even hooked up correctly?

3. Antifreeze: Some of you have talked about draining some of the antifreeze out and replacing it with distilled water. How do you check if it is too thick? Is there a gauge you can use to do this?

4. Where is this front hole that needs to be plugged? I have read about plugging but I'm not sure where to find it.

I'm getting pretty sick of the problem. I need to find a solution to this issue. It drives me crazy to have to stop riding to let the sled cool down.

Thanks guys for helping point me in the right direction.

 

[Amsoil 1]

You can hear fan running when engine is running, I just look in side cover to see if its coming on at all. My never has over heated yet but fan fan does come on. Do you have alot off ice and snow around the front rad?

 

[enticersrule]

1. The fan works only when the motor runs. It's not like the fan on, say, my FJR1300, which turns on when you turn the key on, if it's hot enough.
2. When the motor is running, you should be able to look in the vent on the side panel and see the fan turning. You can hear it too.
3. If you add distilled water, you need to drain out some and add back exactly that amount in a 50/50 mix. You can also try a product that Yamaha sells called Water Wetter, which is basically a catalyst that allows the water in the cooling system to dissipate heat faster. They have used it with pretty good success in the YZs for years. Again, make sure the mix remains accurate at 50/50.
4. The "front hole" that people speak of is a about a 10" trapezoidal hole under the fuel tank that allows snow to spray up from the track and keep the head pipe area of the exhaust cool. In my opinion, I would not and did not plug this off, because the head pipe is the most critical area of cooling for a four stroke exhaust. What I did to mine (see pictures) is to create a block off plate that goes over the opening and keeps the big chunks of ice from forming. I also used clear silicone all along where the fuel tank cover meets the top of the tunnel. Then I built some black side plates to extend the running boards. This stopped 90% of the icing and made it managable.

A majority of the cooling issues with a Phazer come from ice/snow buildup in the right side panel and belly pan. Do two things, either buy a screen kit for the radiator hole or if you're cheap like me, go out to a local salvage yard and get one of the left rear hood screens out of an '89-97 Polaris Indy (good old wedge chassis) and make your own. Next, get a roll of black Gorilla duct tape ($9 at Menards) and tape off the seam in the front of the right side cover that runs in front of the radiator. This will cure most of it. You can also ignore that cooling light most of the time.

 

[MNUser]

OK.

Do two things, either buy a screen kit for the radiator hole or if you're cheap like me, go out to a local salvage yard and get one of the left rear hood screens out of an '89-97 Polaris Indy (good old wedge chassis) and make your own. Next, get a roll of black Gorilla duct tape ($9 at Menards) and tape off the seam in the front of the right side cover that runs in front of the radiator. This will cure most of it. You can also ignore that cooling light most of the time.

This confuses me. Not sure what you mean by that.

When the motor is running, you should be able to look in the vent on the side panel and see the fan turning. You can hear it too.

I just got back from outside and the I started the sled and the fan DOES NOT move. It seems to be based on your reply, that the fan should run when the sled is running.

The sleds both go in next week to get the fan issues resolved. Second time for the STD. Just wish people would do it right from the get go.

 

[mxbulldog]

The fan runs off of a thermostat so that it will only run when needed. Mine never turned on after I put on the 1.5" freeride track and diluted the antifreeze. Water Wetter does help. It does run now that I have installed the turbo on my sled.

 

[Tayz588]

The Fan will only kick on when the sled has been warmed up and gets to the point where the fan kicks in..mine only kicks on if I stop along the trail idling while people are talkin to me. Block off both holes under the track..you gotta drop the track at least somewhat to get at the front one to close it off. Mine has 1,600 miles on and my GT doesn't overheat anymore. If you block those holes off and have the fan kit..it SHOULD NOT overheat. And its hard for them to hook the fan up wrong because its basically just mounting it andd plugging it into an existant wiring harness yamaha already had in.

 

[phaze5]

its snow that clogs up in between your track and cooler, you have to beat it out of there every once in awhile.

 

[enticersrule]

The hole where air passes through to the radiator is where the screen goes. Below that hole is the seam for the side cover and that has very poor fit and finish and snow and ice will leak through there and turn your radiator into an ice cube.

What I meant by the temp light is that the sensor for that is pretty sensitive, probably too sensitive and after cursing that thing out enough times I just learned that if there is no reason for the sled to overheat, it probably isn't, so blow off the light.

 

[Weapon X]

I found the best thing you can do is go to any bike shop that sells factory effex decals and buy a temp sticker and stick it on the top tank of your rad so you can see it easily, that will be a true benchmark for your actual coolant temp and while your at the shop buy race coolant its usually orange or purple and its a stand alone product that doesn't require water to be mixed in but it works really well.

 

[phaze5]

weaponx you dont have a screen for your rad? cheap insurance imo

 

[Weapon X]

Ya I had one as soon as they came out