trlbrkr
Extreme
Yep TORS ~throttle over ride switch~ probably has ice or snow in the throttle and it does not take much. Overide directions are in your manual under trouble shooting.
air19, just browsing through this tracked tank forum and found some really interesting reading. I own an Apex myself that I stretched out to a 144" length. I am leaving later today for a week long trip out to the mountains. I am going to give you just a little background on what I did. My Apex RTX came factory geared with a 22/38 combo and a 121" track. Since the RTX is already geared down from the standard Apex, I didn't worry about the change from the 121" to the 144" track. Put 1100 miles on it and no problems at all.
Last Sunday I put on a 2" mountain track for my trip. Since I already had the chain case apart, I decided to do with a 20 tooth top gear instead of the 22. In going from the 1 1/4" track to the 2", I also had to drop to 8 tooth drivers in place of the stock 9 tooth. I also did some primary clutch work for the elevation change.
Here's the interesting part. I went to load the sled last night and figured I take it around the yard a few times. There was such a noticeable reduction in gearing I could hardly believe it. I could easily start out my sled and creep along at just a few mph and this was with my primary engaging at 4000RPM+. I was never able to run this slow controlled even when the sled was bone stock.
I've never even seen the chain case on a VK, but I have to assume it is chain driven like everything else. I would think for your extreme application gearing it down a couple of teeth might make a world of difference. I know it sure did on my sled. I am confident my clutches would run much cooler. Since you still have hi range and said you never go over 40mph, I can't see over revving being an issue with you. Might be worth looking into.
Last Sunday I put on a 2" mountain track for my trip. Since I already had the chain case apart, I decided to do with a 20 tooth top gear instead of the 22. In going from the 1 1/4" track to the 2", I also had to drop to 8 tooth drivers in place of the stock 9 tooth. I also did some primary clutch work for the elevation change.
Here's the interesting part. I went to load the sled last night and figured I take it around the yard a few times. There was such a noticeable reduction in gearing I could hardly believe it. I could easily start out my sled and creep along at just a few mph and this was with my primary engaging at 4000RPM+. I was never able to run this slow controlled even when the sled was bone stock.
I've never even seen the chain case on a VK, but I have to assume it is chain driven like everything else. I would think for your extreme application gearing it down a couple of teeth might make a world of difference. I know it sure did on my sled. I am confident my clutches would run much cooler. Since you still have hi range and said you never go over 40mph, I can't see over revving being an issue with you. Might be worth looking into.
air19
Pro
thegrizzly1 said:
Thanks Grizzly,
I agree. Since Yamaha says that their low gear can be run up to 50mph, that's way more than I need. I could use a low gear that runs up to about 25 mph. That would give me enough headroom between my usual grooming speeds of 6 to 12 mph, and hopefully not kill my gas mileage.
I'll look into it after my grooming demands calm down a bit.
air19
Pro
BAD GAS
Thanks every one for your help. Turns out Maim had the right idea - bad gas.
We started suspecting this when we remembered that one of our cars had a case of bad gas in the last week and we got our snowmobile gas from the same place. So went back out to the VK Pro with de-icer, poured it in and shook the sled around, and fired up OK. After freeing up the track, it rode smooth on the way home with that low rumble sound that I really was happy to hear again.
I should have suspected this sooner. I had a case of bad gas last year with my Skandic. The engine would start, run for 10 feet, and die out. Since that incident we have been blending some de-icer into every gas can, but this latest batch was really bad and needed even more de-icer in the end.
maim said:
Thanks every one for your help. Turns out Maim had the right idea - bad gas.
We started suspecting this when we remembered that one of our cars had a case of bad gas in the last week and we got our snowmobile gas from the same place. So went back out to the VK Pro with de-icer, poured it in and shook the sled around, and fired up OK. After freeing up the track, it rode smooth on the way home with that low rumble sound that I really was happy to hear again.
I should have suspected this sooner. I had a case of bad gas last year with my Skandic. The engine would start, run for 10 feet, and die out. Since that incident we have been blending some de-icer into every gas can, but this latest batch was really bad and needed even more de-icer in the end.
phzmtnlite
Pro
I have found with my 4 stroke sleds that if they overheat under heavy load and the temp light comes on, you do not need to shut it down. If it gets to hot it will shut down automatically at a certain temp for safty to the engine. If mine gets hot I take the load off and kick the rpms down to 1800 for just a min and the light goes off and if you do not put a heavy load back on right away the radiator fan will cool it down suffiently. They automatically shut down before boil over temps but if light is on, waterpump, rad and fan will bring it down quickly, (without heavy load)
air19
Pro
Scratchers Installed
In Vermont the temperatures were above 40 degrees yesterday and we had a good bit of rain. Now we are dipping back down in the 20s, and I'll have a couple of challenging grooming days coming up trying to churn up this hardpack/ice layer.
In preparation I installed two types of snow/ice scratchers today. The first one is called a cooling fin that is sold by Simmons to mount on their Flexi-Ski. The second is a set of Slidekick scratchers. I did a little testing with them today. First off both scratchers can handle being driven in reverse. This is the Slidekick's main selling feature and sure enough they just bend out of the way.
The cooling fins actually kicked up more ice in today's run and right into the tunnel. I'm going to do some adjusting with the Slidekicks to create more downward pressure.
Here are a couple of pictures.
In Vermont the temperatures were above 40 degrees yesterday and we had a good bit of rain. Now we are dipping back down in the 20s, and I'll have a couple of challenging grooming days coming up trying to churn up this hardpack/ice layer.
In preparation I installed two types of snow/ice scratchers today. The first one is called a cooling fin that is sold by Simmons to mount on their Flexi-Ski. The second is a set of Slidekick scratchers. I did a little testing with them today. First off both scratchers can handle being driven in reverse. This is the Slidekick's main selling feature and sure enough they just bend out of the way.
The cooling fins actually kicked up more ice in today's run and right into the tunnel. I'm going to do some adjusting with the Slidekicks to create more downward pressure.
Here are a couple of pictures.
Attachments
Jack_Shaft
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
Let us know if this helps to solve your cooling issues.
If this doesn't work, you have something wrong with your cooling system, without a doubt.
If this doesn't work, you have something wrong with your cooling system, without a doubt.
Did you ever check your coolant to see weather or it was mixed with water or not?
That was a problem when they first came out, not sure if it still is or not.
That was a problem when they first came out, not sure if it still is or not.
air19
Pro
Auskins said:
My dealer said it's a 60/40 mix right now.
We'll see what happens tomorrow. We've got hardpack conditions again and I need to do about 6 hours of grooming with my knives down to create somewhat skiable conditions for the usual weekend crowd.
air19
Pro
Overheating problems again
I overheated again three times today. Conditions - zero degrees F, hardpack trail conditions, running with my fan switch on the whole time, and two sets of ice scratchers engaged, pulling the G2 with teeth engaged.
I did my regular 5Km loop today four times, got around the first time OK, but on all the remaining passes it overheated going up the long easy hill - 500 meters long with 40 meters of climb = 8% grade.
The ice scratchers were doing a good job. I've attached a picture. They were creating plenty of moisture. Too bad I couldn't keep going cause the G2 was really started to turn the hardpack into a nice skiable trail surface, which I hoped would also help cool the sled as it was starting to ride on better snow each time around. But the coolant probably never had a chance to cool down and I was overheating at a lower point on the hill each time around.
I called the dealer to drop it off. Of course he said that every sled is having trouble in these conditions. I reminded him that I've had overheating problems since day one and this will now be the third time I've brought it in to have him fix it. I also reminded him that a good grooming sled must be able to run in hardpack conditions. That's when we need to groom the trail the most to make it skiable. If Yamaha markets the VK Pro as a good working sled then there is no excuse for it not to perform in these everyday conditions.
This is very disappointing. My old air cooled Skandic would have loved these cold conditions today and gotten the job done. I'll give the dealer one more chance to fix my cooling issues, but this is getting old - loading it up and trucking it out there every other week.
I overheated again three times today. Conditions - zero degrees F, hardpack trail conditions, running with my fan switch on the whole time, and two sets of ice scratchers engaged, pulling the G2 with teeth engaged.
I did my regular 5Km loop today four times, got around the first time OK, but on all the remaining passes it overheated going up the long easy hill - 500 meters long with 40 meters of climb = 8% grade.
The ice scratchers were doing a good job. I've attached a picture. They were creating plenty of moisture. Too bad I couldn't keep going cause the G2 was really started to turn the hardpack into a nice skiable trail surface, which I hoped would also help cool the sled as it was starting to ride on better snow each time around. But the coolant probably never had a chance to cool down and I was overheating at a lower point on the hill each time around.
I called the dealer to drop it off. Of course he said that every sled is having trouble in these conditions. I reminded him that I've had overheating problems since day one and this will now be the third time I've brought it in to have him fix it. I also reminded him that a good grooming sled must be able to run in hardpack conditions. That's when we need to groom the trail the most to make it skiable. If Yamaha markets the VK Pro as a good working sled then there is no excuse for it not to perform in these everyday conditions.
This is very disappointing. My old air cooled Skandic would have loved these cold conditions today and gotten the job done. I'll give the dealer one more chance to fix my cooling issues, but this is getting old - loading it up and trucking it out there every other week.
Attachments
Jack_Shaft
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
Make that dealer go through that machine with a fine toothed comb. Check the entire cooling system, drain it dry, refill, bleed and inspect the water pump.
I am convinced that I pull heavier loads than you with our MM804 at 15-20km/h and I do not have this problem. I will get pics for comparison.
I am convinced that I pull heavier loads than you with our MM804 at 15-20km/h and I do not have this problem. I will get pics for comparison.
trlbrkr
Extreme
Sorry to hear you are still having troubles. The last option is to install a rear cooler if possible on your Viking. I eliminated the overheating on my Attak with one. I purchased mine through http://pioneerperformance.net/ may want to give them a call
Jack_Shaft
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
One more thing... can you mount your ice scratchers further forward on your skidframe? The further forward they are, the greater the chance that snow will be caught by your track.
air19
Pro
I chose the current location because there was already a hole in the skidframe that I could use, and a second hole above it for the eye hook to hang the scratcher while not in use. And in this location I was able to stay away from any of the wheels. I just had this image of this very flexible ice scratcher getting wrapped around a wheel. It was a 10 minute mounting job without any hole drilling.
As you are saying, I'm not getting the best possible spray this way. So a better location would be up front where the skid frame starts to swing upwards. But the frame gets a bit narrow there and the wheels are very close. I'll look at this location again after I get the sled back from the dealer and see if it could work.
I think I'm getting enough spray to keep the hyfax cool, but maybe not as much as possible for engine cooling.
The dealer has it now and he's starting over as you suggested by dumping the cooling system, refilling, bleeding, and checking for problems. Something he should have done the first time I had it in for overheating, instead of waiting til the third time. We'll see.
As you are saying, I'm not getting the best possible spray this way. So a better location would be up front where the skid frame starts to swing upwards. But the frame gets a bit narrow there and the wheels are very close. I'll look at this location again after I get the sled back from the dealer and see if it could work.
I think I'm getting enough spray to keep the hyfax cool, but maybe not as much as possible for engine cooling.
The dealer has it now and he's starting over as you suggested by dumping the cooling system, refilling, bleeding, and checking for problems. Something he should have done the first time I had it in for overheating, instead of waiting til the third time. We'll see.
Attachments
YETI
Extreme
Well I am back from my trip. great time did it all powder hauling two up trail and even groomed. about 10 degrees F and overheated in low range some powder .25 of an inch very light drag. although it did cut great. went into powder cooled down and then groomed in high gear no more overheating. that was the only problem other than hyfax melt acouple of times during the week. Amazeing in the slush just need some picks.
