Tunnel Close - Both Holes?

[sniperviper]

What overheating issue have you experienced? If you talking about engine overheating this thing have nothing to do with cooling of the exhaust. As I earlier wrote, I have spoke with yamaha scandinavia about closing the tunnel. They told me that the holes were there because yamaha under testing had noticed high temprature on seat and plastic cover around muffler in tempratures around 10 degr celcius/50 deg farenheit. He confirmed that if I had tunnel closed and dammage occured to seat/plastic cover this would not be covered by warranty. Other than that there was no issues to closing the holes and warranty on rest of the sled was as before closing the holes.

 

[halftag]

Project Photos

I had anticipated closing off both tunnel holes yesterday and after much thought, I decided only to close the back one for now. Why?, I didn't feel like dropping the skid yesterday. To access the front hole from the top you need to remove the seat, gas tank, take apart the heat shield and remove, then take off the exhaust. If I ever close the front hole, I will definitely do it from the track side of the tunnel.

The project:

In reverse order, I don't know how to do it in the correct order?

 

[SharkAttak]

i wasn't going to close the tunnel but there is way to much ice build up on the foot wells, it is dangerous, going to close it in, wife loves the machine but the snow/ice build up is crazy

 

[teerex]

No more ice problems after closing the big hole with the turbo kit (will also close the tiny hole from the first exhaust tube version).
This is taken after 2 hours of driving:

 

[phzmtnlite]

where can a guy find the material to close off the hole

 

[halftag]

Short ride

Took the FX for a rip around the yard yesterday. Closing the rear hole took care of the problem. The front hole had very little snow up by the header pipes.

Next area to close will be the triangles on the rear bumper on either side of the side reflectors. I couldn't believe those little holes could allow spray of the wet snow up on the floor boards, but they did. This may be caused by adding the studs or the slushy snow. we will observe this coming weekend on the trial.

 

[Yellowknife]

Canadian Tire...lol

 

[phzmtnlite]

I closed off both holes and I would would not remove the skid to get to the front hole. I did it in this order and it was simple. Remove the seat and rear plastic, remove tank plastic and tank. There are five bolts that hold exhaust to the frame that mounts on the tunnel. Remove these hanger bolts, heat sheild, let taillight loose of this same frame. Remove that frame ontop of tunnel with 4 bolts. Now I realize that I listed a bunch of parts there but they are easy to get to and fairly fast. Nothing complicated in the slightest. This also give you a good look at the exhaust if later you wanna do mods to it. The gas tank is a breeze, the breather line on top, just turn it and pull gently, don't grab it with pliars, it pops right off. The fuel supply connection is quick connect and simple. I drained my tank before hand so not to spill fuel. I still think it would be easier than droping the skid.

 

[phzmtnlite]

forgot to mention, when you remove the tank plastic you need to remove the headlight adjusting screws, not a bid deal, just note how many turns in so when reinstallling same beam direction is accomplished. The little plastic cover on top the headlight pops off with no fastners. Pull it on the corners by the bar risers and slide it down, simple as could be

 

[halftag]

What's left to close

Well last Thursday we were in Forest County WI and were into our snowmobile trip 20 miles when my wife while driving the FX with 160 miles on it, ran it into a tree. The estimate is $2352.84 to fix it, thankfully I have a $250 deductable and the insurance company will pay for the rest.

Prior to her wrecking it I rode it. The tunnel closure was a 100% success along with the studs and 4.5" shapers, it was supurb oh snow. It handled like it was on rails, you couldn't ask for a better performing snowmobile.

Last place to close up in around the rear bumper reflectors. I'm thinking a litght piece of aluminum or plastic rivited on the back side.

Any comments or suggestions?

 

[Superman]

I talked to a Yamaha "person" the otherday about closing off the tunnel. He told Me on a warm day (say 35F or above)
you are going to run the risk of melting plastic around the seat. I got the impression that anything to block the snow from
the running boards was fair game. Just don't block the snow from hitting the exhaust. Don't shoot Me here I'm just
conveying what the guy told Me.

 

[sniperviper]

I'v also talked to yamaha about this issue. The guy I spoke with told me that yamaha under testing in tempratures like 10deg/C - 50F had experienced heat problems with seat and plastic around muffler.

I have closed my tunnel (rear hole) and I have tested this out in tempratures around 2deg/c - 35F without any problems. After a loooong lake run the plastic was maybe a little bit hotter than my balls and my balls are not hot at all

Anyway, if tunnel is closed and you have a melt down on seat or plastic the warranty will not cover this. Thats the only parts you ruin warranty on by closing the tunnel. The choice is yours

 

[teerex]

My plastic gets really hot from the turbo muffler, hot like balls on fire after a few full power pulls in the powder or up some hills. But still no damage done.

 

[phzmtnlite]

I just got back from a trip to the UP of Michigan. Before the trip I closed off both front and rear hole. I rode mostly logging roads with very deep powder, the kinda powder most people with 121's cannot stop on without trenching in. Anyways, closing off both holes does not solve the problem. The problem is not just snow from inside the tunnel exiting through the front and rear holes and melting down the outside of tunnel and freezing. It is rather the heat from the exhaust transfering to the entire tunnel (of course much less the further you get from the pipes) and melting any snow that touches any part of the exterior of the tunnel. Let me illustrate this for you: When riding trail, this issue nearly goes away with holes closed off because snow cannot exit the holes and melt down the exterior of tunnel. If you are carving in powder, snow is scooped up with each turn with the footboards. As the snow than comes over the footboards and you change foot positions you compress the snow and pack it tight, the heat from the exhaust is just enough to not melt the snow but enough to pack it hard under your feet. As soon as you stomp on it a few times it packs tight enough to where you have to smack it off from the underside. I will say that with closing off both holes, the problem outside was greatly reduced probably by 80-90% but not the solution I hoped for. Outside temps were about +10 degrees f, plastics and seat were not hot but slightly warm, no concern there. My 03 RX1 did not have this problem because it had heat exchangers under the footboards and snow melts off fast. Bottom line is that I am still NOT satisfied with both holes closed off. Trail riders keep in mind that I am almost all powder riding so this makes a big difference compared to trail. I meet a husband and wife both with 07 phazers and they had the Yamaha side panels and they said it nearly fixed the problem 100% but they never get off trail. I think I am gonna re-open the holes to reduce the heat, close off the sides and possible modify the foot boards to allow snow that comes onto the footboards to fall through. I cannot think of a better solution. The phazer mountain is the machine I have dreamed of and now it is here. So I need to make it work better for me. If I get rid of it than I am in worse shape because nothing out there compares to it.

 

[SharkAttak]

Dont think this look so bad....

nice job, on closing the tunnel, where did you get the stock and what size is it, length, width and thickness