Loud noise not sure ??

[superfan75]

I have a strange issue with my Warrior. After I ride it for a while it starts to get louder, especially at like 30mph. I've done all the drive bearings not to long ago. I have a new PB80 primary and rebuilt the secondary, and also a new belt. The track tension and alignment look good and I changed all the bearings in the idler wheels to. It's kinda hard to tell what type of noise it is, rubbing, rattling, or exhaust. I plugged the exhaust outlets with rags and it just about stalled the engine. I don't feel any weird vibrations when I'm riding. The strange thing is the loud noise takes a while to develop. The next time out it will be normal for a while, but the sound comes back. I can't seem to find anything wrong, is this simply ice build up ? I got a rubber mallet to knock ice off, but I wanted another opinion in case there's something I'm not checking. Thanx.

 

[RobX-1]

Since you indicated the loud noise slowly develops , when you plugged the exhaust with rags, was this with a cold engine or had it been warmed up to same temp as when you heard the noise?

 

[superfan75]

It was warm, right after I got home. I also didn't mention that I installed new donuts and a new muffler last year.

 

[RobX-1]

Ok, was thinking it might be exhausted related (ie. once it gets warmed up, it gets loud). The thinking here was that you might have a one of the four exhaust flex joint donuts going bad as once it gets warmed up, the clamp and pipe expand and with the missing/deteriorated donut, was causing the loud noise. If those donuts were replaced along with the new muffler, than it doesn't sound like that's the case.

 

[superfan75]

I was wondering if the flex pipe itself was cracked or broke and making noise even the donuts and muffler are new. It doesn't make much sense to me. I really wonder if its ice, but I would think there would be a lot of vibration to make that much noise. Those little header/flex are hard to see very well, is it very bad to get them out ? I'm a little nervous about breaking the bolts. My sled has almost 14k on it. Thanks for your help.

 

[RobX-1]

Well, you do have to remove the gas tank in order to access the panel that covers the flex joints. You also have to loosen the two bolts that secure the two Y pipes and sometimes those can be a bear to remove due to rust/corrosion and guys have had to drill out the rivets that hold the bracket that the Y pipes bolt into. I just replaced the donuts on my 08 Apex but have done it before; this time I opted for copper vs OEM donuts. You don't have to actually remove the flex pipes but I did since I also replaced the manifold gasket:

 

[superfan75]

Yeah I got copper donuts to, it wasn't fun. I'm thinking that the only left that it could be is one of the manifold pipes. Just doesn't make sense that I can just about stall the engine when I plug the exhaust. The sound sounds more like an exhaust leak than anything. Could this just be ice build up ?

 

[RobX-1]

Could this just be ice build up ?

Are you indicating that if you start up your Warrior and warm it up to temp but do not ride it, the loud noise is not evident? That you only hear it after the sled is at operating temp AND you are out riding it? I would think that if it was exhaust related, it would become loud regardless of it being ridden. Maybe you're on to something but I have never experienced an issue with ice build up and loud noises with my RX-1; whether that was with the stock ProAction suspension or the AD Boivin Expert-X I switched to and then extended to 136.

 

[maim]

try the rag test cold. my 11 apex would pass the test hot but fail it when it was cold. it would seal it self up when it would get up to temp.

 

[RobX-1]

Thing is, the OP indicated the sound/noise he hears only becomes audible when the sled gets up to temp.

 

[SumpBuster]

I have a strange issue with my Warrior. After I ride it for a while it starts to get louder, especially at like 30mph. I've done all the drive bearings not to long ago. I have a new PB80 primary and rebuilt the secondary, and also a new belt. The track tension and alignment look good and I changed all the bearings in the idler wheels to. It's kinda hard to tell what type of noise it is, rubbing, rattling, or exhaust. I plugged the exhaust outlets with rags and it just about stalled the engine. I don't feel any weird vibrations when I'm riding. The strange thing is the loud noise takes a while to develop. The next time out it will be normal for a while, but the sound comes back. I can't seem to find anything wrong, is this simply ice build up ? I got a rubber mallet to knock ice off, but I wanted another opinion in case there's something I'm not checking. Thanx.

At 30, does it change with snow conditions...even a little? That would be track or suspension issues. Does it go away faster,and slower than 30? It sounds like some kind of harmonic, check motor mounts, anything that may be loose. Noises are tough. I know some Vectors had some harmonics at certain speeds that were pretty irritating, and loud. My 05 would drive me crazy at certain speeds right after Id put new slides on. I added all the wheels I could to get rid of it.