Overheated

[Goody_1000]

So went to lake with friend, about 2" fluffy snow on lake with some deeper, smaller areas of like 6" drifts here and there. Got out, ran it fairly hard for 10 mins, then we decided to go across lake. A few mins in, light came on, I went another 1/4 mile shut it off. Was cruising at about 85 when I saw light. Let it sit for 15 mins, piled snow on footboards, light was off. Went back to load it up, but cruised about 45 on way back, was fine.
Never had trouble with it last year on trails. So, I need Ice scratchers?

What you guys think?
Thanks.

 

[sideshowBob]

Depending on conditions...sometimes the front and rear heat exchangers can ice over and no longer contribute to cooling the engine. I have only seen this a few times but it does happen...thaw it out or bang the ice off and problem is gone.

 

[Goody_1000]

It wasn't iced up, it just got hot. Exchangers on footboards were hot to touch, like a couple seconds of my hand on em, had to let go. Is there a fan on these things? If so, you'd think it wouldn't overheat...I see a rear exchanger, of you can call it that, just a tube running across the back, tying exchangers together. Is there something better a guy can do back there to aid in cooling?

 

[sideshowBob]

There was a rear cooler kit available from Yamaha for the early Apexs...its been a while since I installed it on my Attak. I would suggest you do a search on the forums to get the part numbers...I would highly suggest you install it.
JM.02c

 

[Grimm]

Did you check the coolant level? The conditions you were riding in wouldn't warrant ice scratchers.

 

[Grimm]

It's also possible that an ice dam built up in the front heat exchanger area, reducing cooling capacity.

 

[Goody_1000]

I just went out, took off side panel, I see nothing in bottle. Ill take closer look in am. Possible that low on coolant might of caused it. Like I said, after it cooled down, I rode back at around 45-50 for good 6-8 mins, and it was fine.

 

[Goody_1000]

Like I said before, I checked underneathe entire sled, nothing was iced up...

 

[sideshowBob]

136" early Apex's Rear Heat Exchanger Kit Part # 8FT-124A0-00-00

 

[bowtietr83]

Check your coolant as well. Some sleds had almost 100% antifreeze in them which cools like crap. Isn't an issue most of the time but if you get in marginal conditions it can be a problem. Go to 60/40 and it probably fixes the issue if you have 100% today. Sounds like you just have a stock crossover tube in the back which does not help cooling. You can add a read exchanger which became standard in 2009 I believe. The part number for the "kit" (cooler & 3 rivets) is below. Pretty easy install, hardest part is cutting out a small bit of the tunnel to get the exchanger in there.

8ET-124A0-00-00

The 121" and 136" use a very different cooler - the part number above is for 121".

 

[gitrdun]

So went to lake with friend, about 2" fluffy snow on lake with some deeper, smaller areas of like 6" drifts here and there. Got out, ran it fairly hard for 10 mins, then we decided to go across lake. A few mins in, light came on, I went another 1/4 mile shut it off. Was cruising at about 85 when I saw light. Let it sit for 15 mins, piled snow on footboards, light was off. Went back to load it up, but cruised about 45 on way back, was fine.
Never had trouble with it last year on trails. So, I need Ice scratchers?

What you guys think?
Thanks.

The rear heat exchanger and scratchers surely help under certain conditions, but if you don't find something obviously wrong and you were fine running trails all last season, you may have just hit the day and the conditions that everything is against you, and may never happen again for the rest of the season. I've had high speed on a lake and wind at my back, and watched my temperature guage climb although there appeared to be plenty of snow to cool. In this case, fluff at 85mph may not be cooling either.
Last year, in early morning frosty conditions, riding with another Apex, I had scratchers and he didn't, my skid was wet after one mile and his was dry, stopped to talk, thought I could smell plastic, major hyfax meltdown on my Attak and glued itself to the track,... and his were perfectly fine. We are the same body weight and I run my track loose. First time it ever happened, and hasn't happened since. Still scratching my head.

 

[CaptCaper]

I just went out, took off side panel, I see nothing in bottle. Ill take closer look in am. Possible that low on coolant might of caused it. Like I said, after it cooled down, I rode back at around 45-50 for good 6-8 mins, and it was fine.

If your talking about the overflow bottle with the rubber cap that's normal.. You can fill it to the level marked but it will piss out. Just the nature of the beast..been proven here years ago. The important check is to take the main bottle cap (small typical looking radiator cap) off..the antifreeze should be at the top. But the overflow will be down to about a 1/2 in ..
Rear cooler and Duraflex ice scratchers is a must on these machines. You shouldn't have any issues after these.. Scratchers should be installed correctly so the snow get's into and on the track. I don't like the ski mounting because on long turns your throwing it away. Put them up front as far as you can so they throw it into the skid.

 

[Grimm]

Hopefully, you didn't puncture your heat exchanger with a stud or rock. Is your track studded? Check for a torn track hole or flap.

Another good thing to do is check and tighten hose clamps.