New Member w/??'s

[406HardH2O]

Hello all. New member here on TY & new to snowmobiles. Was led here doing a google search. Looks like a great forum. A few weeks ago I bought my very first snowmobile. A 2003 RX1 w/982 miles & silver in color. This thing runs strong & is in like new condition. I intend on using it for trail riding & ice fishing. Anyways, yesterday was the first ice fishing trip with it. Drove it 5 - 6 miles on a groomed/hard packed forest service road towing my Otter sled w/gear. After about 2 miles I noticed a red light on the gauge cluster & 2 flashing icons on the gauge so I stopped. Getting a little hot, needed to cool down !! This happened two more times before I arrived at the reservoir. Return trip was the same scenario. So, knowing very little about snowmobiles, I'm assuming the track wasn't throwing enough snow to keep it cool?! Would towing the sled behind be part of the problem also?? Been reading about ice scratchers, would they help?? Considering buying a Johnson Cargo System for the rear of the sled. All my ice fishing gear would be on the snowmobile, no towing the Otter sled. Can you all offer this noobie any help?? Thanks in advance & take care !! - 406HardH2O

 

[nitrodoo]

Ice scratchers would help I run them on all my sleds. Also if I remember some where replacing the rear heat exchanger with the rx mountain heat exchanger. Be careful when putting stuff on the rear the exhaust will melt it.

 

[Elton Buss]

I would check your antifreeze. The early RX sleds didn't have enough water in the mixture and would overheat. A 60/40 mixture of antifreeze to water is good. Also pulling your sled speed would have an affect on overheating also.

 

[tedgoesfast]

A rear rad kit will fix this issue put on on my 05 havent seen light since

 

[maim]

also what speed were you riding at? low speeds (>15mph) does not throw enough snow on the front cooler in my experiance.

 

[YammyRX1]

What was the air temp? They run hot and ice scratchers help but what you described didn't sound like the worst conditions.

 

[406HardH2O]

also what speed were you riding at? low speeds (>15mph) does not throw enough snow on the front cooler in my experiance.

I was riding at a steady 20mph when I first noticed it getting hot. Let it cool down. Took off again at 30mph with same result & wasn't comfortable towing my sled at that speed.

 

[406HardH2O]

What was the air temp? They run hot and ice scratchers help but what you described didn't sound like the worst conditions.

Air temp was 28 - 30 degrees & I was driving on a groomed forest service road.

 

[BigDogrx1]

X2 on ice scratchers, they really help.

 

[Elton Buss]

Just a question is your rx a mountain ? If so it doesn't have a rear cooler. Yamaha didn't put a cooler in the rear until 05. I would agree with ice scratchers and i would still check the antifreeze % to much antifreeze to water will also cause overheating. you can also load the running boards with snow when it overheatsthat will help to cool the engine.

 

[tedgoesfast]

mine is a 2005 short track no cooler in rear ive installed 3 coolers on cust sleds all 05 no rear cooler

 

[tedgoesfast]

this makes a big differance on hard pack my light has only came on once since it rained two days before trail was hard and went threw a trail for 2 miles only going 10 mph put snow on running boards till i got out to main trail fine then