Nytro spitting coolant, Need Help!!!

[kojack]

Took the sled out for first ride of season. Sled just got back from tune up at dealership. Sled only has 2500km and was ridden like a baby. Yellow warning light came on after about 10 min. of driving in a field and small tail and little temp. sign on the gauge appear. Thought it was because i wasn't riding fast enough in small trail so i gunned her a bit to see if that was cooling related but i was running in about 1 feet of pow the whole way. Light didn't come off. Stopped at a shelter and noticed coolant running on the left A-Arms. open the hood and noticed the bottle was full and could hear a gurgle from the rad. Removed the cap and lots of air and coolant came out splashing everywhere. Looked in the rad and it was dry by then.

When they picked the sled up for the tune up, the driver noticed a bit of coolant running on the a-arms, dealer checked it and said coolant bottle was overflowing and was fine. When i checked her out, the bottle was still full but rad empty. I didn't give it hard at her nothing and that light came up. In law said its either too much coolant or head gasket, Hope to god its not head related. I removed the bottle this summer to put Grizz gusset kit and filled the bottle to full. Any opinions???? anything would help

 

[Dimebag]

Had this happen to a buddy of mine while riding two weeks ago. Let it idle..
Take off radiator cap and let it idle until no more air or coolant flows out.. Fill up the radiator.
Repeat until all air is out, and radiator is full.

I wouldnt worry about it being anything serious.. Probably just air..

 

[kojack]

Sweet,txs will try that right away. OMG I panicked, fill up the rad, start her up and noticed coolant flowing from under the skid plate, thought the radiator was blown or a pipe had come loose,until i noticed the coolant was leaking from the radiator since i didnt put the cap back on to let the air out. after some filling/spillage all is good, coolant stay the same, no lights on, fan did kick in. Coolant and overheating problem solved. Txs a million.

Now problem 2 arose. Starter wouldnt click it until i turn the key a few time she turned. After the sled had warmed up a bit it would start no problem, U guys think this could be the starter relay giving me issues? Coolant had run onto the relay yesterday with the overflowing and stuff and its like -30 with wind today but the sled is in the garage, its not heated but still its not sitting outside in the wind. Isn't there a update relay to solve the frozen relay after like 10' or 11' not sure when. Should maybee replace it before getting stranded somewhere.

 

[Grimm]

It's possible that you have an air lock and it's not circulating. Run your sled up a steep snowbank so the nose is as high as possible. Then remove the rad cap and let the sled idle. Rock the sled side to side to burp out all the air in the system. Do this while the sled is warm and the water pump is operating so it helps circulate the coolant and air through the sled. Put the rad cap back on and ride the sled for a bit.

Let the sled totally cool down and check the coolant level in the rad, add some if needed. Then check the coolant in the overflow bottle. When cold, the level in the coolant overflow bottle should be at a low level, maybe 1/2" to an inch depth. I've found that when the Nytro gets hot, that undersized bottle gets full and spits out the overflow tube, which may have been your issue to start with...someone may have put too much coolant in the first place.

 

[Grimm]

Just read that you filled the overflow bottle...that's why you were spitting coolant for sure.

 

[Dimebag]

Glad you got it figured out

Most likely the relay was acting up. You could always take it inside to let it dry all up. Then use dielectric grease on the terminals when you install it again. If its clean and not full of corrosion, that should be ok.

If you ever run into that problem in the woods, you can short out the two terminals on the relay to jump start your sled.
Turn ignition on, and use a plier / other tool to short between the red and black terminal screw. That way you bypass the relay.

Happy sledding

 

[toyota4runner]

If you ever run into that problem in the woods, you can short out the two terminals on the relay to jump start your sled.
Turn ignition on, and use a plier / other tool to short between the red and black terminal screw. That way you bypass the relay.

Happy sledding

Everyone needs to know this!!!

 

[kojack]

Just checked the rad. Sled has cool down, Rad is full and bottle is on the low mark. No more lights and no more over heating. Only part i dont get is why she was overheating, common sense would be that the overflow would just do that, overflow.But why the high temp and pressure in the rad that it was bubbling. Could it be because some air was in it and the pump couldn't make suction to pull some coolant up in the rad?? Wouldn't the rad be full already and just spit the over in the bottle? It's fixed now but just trying to understand the mechanics of it and reason why.

Txs guys for everything, You were a huge help. Must admit I freak out when she was overheating for no apparent reason. But got her figured out cause' of you guys. Txs again for all the knowledge you guys bring to this forum.

 

[kilometers]

Go outside and read the label on your rad cap. I'm sure it will say something along the lines of do not open when hot or caution under pressure.

The rad cap is designed to hold a certain amount of pressure in a cooling system. They all have a rating usually stamped on them meaning they will hold to this pressure and the release into the overflow reservoir.
They do this to raise the boiling point of the liquid. Allowing it to run hotter without boiling and hotter objects will actually cool faster.
Any sled or vehicle that is warmed up and then ridden for 10 mins and then pinned to try cooling it down will do this. It has reached it's optimum tempature and is working as designed flowing between reservoir and rad as the temp fluctuates etc. this was your gorgling sound either pushing coolant out or at this point maybe drawing some in as it cooled slightly.
If you open a sealed cooling system that is under pressure( warm/overheated) pressure is instantly equalized causing a dramatic reaction. Your lucky you didn't get burned.
This is basic un proof read principal of a cooling system

Hope this helps and if you understand I'm sure it will come in use later in life

 

[kojack]

Thanks Kilometers, that was a very good description of how the cooling system works on the machine. It helped me and sure will help other with similar occurrences. The confusing part about the coolant botlle is its says to keep it on high level but do better on the low markl the rad is full now and the bottle is on the low mark and i will leave it that way unless the lights come up and she needs more than i'll add some. Just the first ride of the season you are all primed and meeting your friends only to put the sled in a back of my friends truck while the wife brought her home. I took her phazer and went for a ride.

no worries about the coolant and cap, I had a huge thick glove to open it and had a huge plexiglass over all my face and shoulder. It was gurgling pretty bad and on top of the gulping i was worried about the build up pressure in the system. Wanted to see if there was any oil in the coolant to see if the head gasket was the problem. If it would have been then she would have made her way to the dealer instead of her bed in the garage. She's all good now. Only been working with sleds for the last 5-6 years. Been racing bikes since im 4 lol and always did my mechanics on my vehicle and friends mechanic job, Just couldnt figure out where all that coolant was coming from and the heating and the gulping. As soon as the pressure was relieved i started the sled to load her in my friend truck and the light was gone. But I do know that this is never recommended to do on any motor that has been running for a while regarding the coolant temperature and pressure built up. It's a big NO NO, but wanted to see if the radiator had anything left in it. Shouldn't be done and label are there for a reason, butttt in another way, not many people pay attention to those stickers.

 

[Dimebag]

Theres nothing wrong with the way you did it, as long as you remember to protect yourself for the possible pressurized boiling coolant (like you did..).

 

[kojack]

Went for a ride, Sled did the same thing again. Started to overheat about 20-25 min ride in the trail, nothing hard just riding with friends. Again enough powder in the trail, The fan works good. Temp. outside with the wind was like -30 so it was cold enough outside. Let her cooled down, check the overflow bottle, on the low mark so ok. Check in the rad, coolant in there too. Drove the nose up in a snow bank, All the way up that a bit more would have tipped backward. Looked in the rad and its pumping coolant in the rad so water pump is working. So fan is working, water pump is working, there is coolant in the rad, not too much in the overflow bottle, its not too warm outside, enough snow to cool the sled and only doing it after a period of time. Turned around in the trail heading back home. Sled was fine until we arrived at destination then she heated again giving me the yellow triangle and the temp sign in the gauge. What the hell is wrong with her?? Bringing her to the stealership tomorrow in the morning.

 

[Grimm]

A few ideas I have.

- Try riding it with the hood off and see if the radiator is getting enough airflow.
- Cut the strength of the coolant down...Yamaha puts -60 degree coolant in, way too much imo. Add some Water Wetter.
- Check the area in the tunnel where the heat exchanger is. Maybe with all that snow, it's packing/icing up in the tunnel and not getting the benefit of snow cooling.
- Maybe the thermostat/sensor is defective?
- Perhaps you'll need to install the MTX tunnel exchanger to help with cooling.

 

[kojack]

Your spot on Grimm. Brought her to the dealer, All ok with her. Ice was building up on the lower rad so no snow could cool her down. They say the yellow light is a warning and not to worry about it. They suggested the MTX cooler kit and I ordered it, will be here wednesday and ill bring my sled back to them to get it install. Top rad is getting a lot of air and top gauge pod is replaced with the Roest vent kit.

 

[1975FA]

I have had the same deal going on with my 08 RTX. I have installed the MTX tunel cooler, changed the thermostat(pulled the new thermostat and tested it in boiling water), rebuilt the waterpump, checked for blockages in the heat exchangers, rode with the hood off, the fan works, and and in about 2-3 miles the light is on and it's a gurgling and blowing. I don't have oily residue in the overflow tank like a blown head gasket. I'm on the 2 week wait list at the ARTIC CAT-yamaha dealer. One sugestion they had was that the temperature sensor does not only telling us it is hot but also play's a roll in timing and fuel mixture, that may be the problem. I have a new sensor ordered while I wait because there shelves are so full of what it takes to keep the cats going there is no room for Yamaha stuff.