Bob Miller
TY 4 Stroke Master
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2003
- Messages
- 1,322
- Reaction score
- 8
- Points
- 1,093
- Location
- New Milford CT
- Country
- USA
- Snowmobile
- Present Sled: 2011 Yamaha Apex 128
It seems like we have all had some overheatings issues on occasion with our 4 Strokes.
I was doing some research on a simple add on "ICE SCRATCHERS" and here is an excerpt from a test that was done, (With and Without)
The affect on water temperature was even more impressive. We ran three test sleds in this situation. First was the above mentioned 2000 800RMK with 2x156 track. Second was a 2001 800RMK SCS with the stock 2x151 track. And third was a 2000 Arctic Cat ZR800 with Genesis 890 motor and 2x141 Challenger track. All three machines were equipped with Avenger gauges with water temperature probes. In deep fluffy powder all three of these machines run water temps in the 125-130 degree F range. We ran the machines down a packed powder trail, very typical of what one sees in Western riding areas when going to or coming from backcountry riding areas, for 5 miles with the scratchers snapped up out of the snow. We watched the water temps on the Avenger gauges closely. After just 2 miles the Genesis Cat was above the 165 degree F threshold we had established as our upper limit and we had to pull over and cool it down. The two RMKs both saw temps climb to just over 160 degrees F with the '01 settling right at 163 F and the '00 at 160 F. They held this temp pretty consist over the five mile stretch, making us nervous about exceeding 165 F, but never causing us to stop and cool them off.
Snow is thrown off the scratcher onto the track, slide rail, and tunnel.
We then deployed the scratchers and ran the 5 mile stretch of trail again. The results really were amazing. Engine temps all started at 125-130 F for both tests, but with the scratchers deployed the RMKs never exceeded 135 degrees F and the Genesis powered Cat settled at 142 degrees F and maintained. We even tried riding harder, slower, drag raced the sleds, and even purposely sought out the spots on the trail with the least amount of snow. Nothing could cause the temps to climb above that 135-142 F temp range. Those are indeed impressive results.
Over the course of this season we have ridden the sleds in all types of conditions, several times in even lower snow conditions. Not once have the machines even come close to over heating when the scratchers are being used. They are even more valuable in spring riding conditions when you leave the truck early in the morning and ride up snow that is as hard as the back of your head. The scratchers just keep doing their job. In this situation we have ridden the entire day with the scratchers down. We also found them very handy when towing a broken sled out to keep the towing sled cooler as your moving slower and not throwing as much snow off the track as you might normally.
I was doing some research on a simple add on "ICE SCRATCHERS" and here is an excerpt from a test that was done, (With and Without)
The affect on water temperature was even more impressive. We ran three test sleds in this situation. First was the above mentioned 2000 800RMK with 2x156 track. Second was a 2001 800RMK SCS with the stock 2x151 track. And third was a 2000 Arctic Cat ZR800 with Genesis 890 motor and 2x141 Challenger track. All three machines were equipped with Avenger gauges with water temperature probes. In deep fluffy powder all three of these machines run water temps in the 125-130 degree F range. We ran the machines down a packed powder trail, very typical of what one sees in Western riding areas when going to or coming from backcountry riding areas, for 5 miles with the scratchers snapped up out of the snow. We watched the water temps on the Avenger gauges closely. After just 2 miles the Genesis Cat was above the 165 degree F threshold we had established as our upper limit and we had to pull over and cool it down. The two RMKs both saw temps climb to just over 160 degrees F with the '01 settling right at 163 F and the '00 at 160 F. They held this temp pretty consist over the five mile stretch, making us nervous about exceeding 165 F, but never causing us to stop and cool them off.
Snow is thrown off the scratcher onto the track, slide rail, and tunnel.
We then deployed the scratchers and ran the 5 mile stretch of trail again. The results really were amazing. Engine temps all started at 125-130 F for both tests, but with the scratchers deployed the RMKs never exceeded 135 degrees F and the Genesis powered Cat settled at 142 degrees F and maintained. We even tried riding harder, slower, drag raced the sleds, and even purposely sought out the spots on the trail with the least amount of snow. Nothing could cause the temps to climb above that 135-142 F temp range. Those are indeed impressive results.
Over the course of this season we have ridden the sleds in all types of conditions, several times in even lower snow conditions. Not once have the machines even come close to over heating when the scratchers are being used. They are even more valuable in spring riding conditions when you leave the truck early in the morning and ride up snow that is as hard as the back of your head. The scratchers just keep doing their job. In this situation we have ridden the entire day with the scratchers down. We also found them very handy when towing a broken sled out to keep the towing sled cooler as your moving slower and not throwing as much snow off the track as you might normally.
