Has anybody removed the front radiator in an 06 600 RMK or other IQ RMK?, If so, how much does it effect the temp, I've heard mixed opinions on it.
06 RMK radiator removal
- Thread starter Brandon in AK
- Start date
I have an 06 600 RMK that had the rad. removed when I got it. If you ride the trails at all, dont do it. Mine will run 130 in the deep stuff and 150 to 170 on the trail with scratchers down.
I am looking for aftermarket u coolers for the thing now.
I am looking for aftermarket u coolers for the thing now.
S
sldgy
Guest
Mine (06 900) runs 165 on trails with the scratchers up, drop them down and temp goes to 128 within a matter of seconds. Dump the rad!
AKRMK.... Did you install a rad delete kit that made a "loop" of the radiator hoses (joined the radiator hoses together)
OR
Did you join them together with a SLP "restrictor"
OR
Did you delete the radiator loop alltogether?
The first two scenarios will actually INCREASE the operating temps of the sled.
If you are thinking of increasing your cooler size (IMO unneeded on a 600), Vanamburg makes a great twin pass rear cooler and new tunnel extension to replace the stock tunnel extension with the hole in it for the stock cooler.
You have to be mindfull that with a stock tunnel and a U-cooler, you are decreasing the lug-tip clearance to the tunnel and robbing horsepower...possibly rubbing as well.
If you think about it, the "radiator" depends on airflow THROUGH it that means that the nose-grille and the area behind the the radiator must be free of snow... When you use the SNOWmobile in the SNOW... the grille and the area behind the rad pack with snow...That turns the "radiator" into a "heater" inside the nose of the sled...adding heat to the under hood area . Remeber this is a free-air design, no fan or ducting force air thru this snowpacked grille.
PLUS
This "heated box" in the nose makes the plastic soft (really soft) so that when you yank on the already weak design of the RMK nose assy by the bumper, things tear off!
The radiator design was, IMO, one of the bigger blunders on Polaris' part, taking into account the plastic construction and lack of airflow in real world use, ... that they remedied in 2007 and 2008.
Think of the 2008 800 Dragon 163" RMK.... This is probably the lightest, Highest HP stock sled that Polaris has made with one of the highest loads (163" track)... That power and load make a lot of heat... not only does the dragon 163 run in an acceptable temp range in most conditions, it does so without a radiator or running board edge cooler (which your 600 and 700/900's have) AND on the 163's it does it, STOCK, without a front tunnel/bulkhead cooler.
Power to the people.
See any snow on this TRAIL machine grille (much less a mountain machine).
How 'bout behind the radiator??
PLUS
This "heated box" in the nose makes the plastic soft (really soft) so that when you yank on the already weak design of the RMK nose assy by the bumper, things tear off!
The radiator design was, IMO, one of the bigger blunders on Polaris' part, taking into account the plastic construction and lack of airflow in real world use, ... that they remedied in 2007 and 2008.
Think of the 2008 800 Dragon 163" RMK.... This is probably the lightest, Highest HP stock sled that Polaris has made with one of the highest loads (163" track)... That power and load make a lot of heat... not only does the dragon 163 run in an acceptable temp range in most conditions, it does so without a radiator or running board edge cooler (which your 600 and 700/900's have) AND on the 163's it does it, STOCK, without a front tunnel/bulkhead cooler.
Power to the people.
See any snow on this TRAIL machine grille (much less a mountain machine).
How 'bout behind the radiator??
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N
NewfieBullet1973
Active member
I have mine removed and with any amount of loose snow my temps stay down - but on harder trails I need the scratchers down (this keeps the temps way down though). I have not experienced any problems - mine is a 700 - might run alittle cooler then a 900.
The diagram shown is for the 755/900, not the 600, which is plumbed differently. Agreed that the 900 rad loop is in parallel with the rear loop, which doesn't allow good flow to the rear loop. The 600 is more of a series setup, when the T-stat opens, it sends the coolant to the rad first, then to the rear. When you remove the rad, you just couple the hoses together, so now when the tstat opens, its goes directly to the rear.
The problem is that when we do that, the bypass loop is in parallel with the rear loop. Even when the tstat opens, it tends to short circuit the rear loop and just runs through the bypass loop, as it has very little resistance.
So, what I'm doing this week is installing a new t-stat, and some reducer fittings, for the splice, which will take me down from 1" to 3/4" in the bypass loop. Hopefully this will force the coolant to the rear coolers, which have plenty of cooling capacity, they just need to get the fluid back there. Since I've taken out my rad last winter, I've been running quite warm on hard pack trails, hopefully this will take care of it.
The problem is that when we do that, the bypass loop is in parallel with the rear loop. Even when the tstat opens, it tends to short circuit the rear loop and just runs through the bypass loop, as it has very little resistance.
So, what I'm doing this week is installing a new t-stat, and some reducer fittings, for the splice, which will take me down from 1" to 3/4" in the bypass loop. Hopefully this will force the coolant to the rear coolers, which have plenty of cooling capacity, they just need to get the fluid back there. Since I've taken out my rad last winter, I've been running quite warm on hard pack trails, hopefully this will take care of it.
I stand corrected....good catch!! ( I edited my post above)
You MIGHT be able to run your system without a bypass loop and plug the bottom of the cylinder head bypass like Polaris does with the 2008 700 /800Dragon 163's that dont use the front-tunnel cooler. The head and Thermostat setup on 2008's is different looking but should be the same in operation to the 2006 600. On the 2008's the front cooler is run on the bypass loop instead of the radiator on the 2006's
The difference when the bypass is plugged is the thermostat... I believe that part # 7052452 (2008 163" thermo) has a buit in bypass that allows partial flow thru the system when the engine is running but the thermo is closed on the sleds with the plugged off bypass in the head.
I'm going to ask my contacts at Polaris corporate engineering if the bypass can be plugged and the 800-163" thermo can be used 0n the 2006 600's
Below are diagrams of the 800-163" cooling system
You MIGHT be able to run your system without a bypass loop and plug the bottom of the cylinder head bypass like Polaris does with the 2008 700 /800Dragon 163's that dont use the front-tunnel cooler. The head and Thermostat setup on 2008's is different looking but should be the same in operation to the 2006 600. On the 2008's the front cooler is run on the bypass loop instead of the radiator on the 2006's
The difference when the bypass is plugged is the thermostat... I believe that part # 7052452 (2008 163" thermo) has a buit in bypass that allows partial flow thru the system when the engine is running but the thermo is closed on the sleds with the plugged off bypass in the head.
I'm going to ask my contacts at Polaris corporate engineering if the bypass can be plugged and the 800-163" thermo can be used 0n the 2006 600's
Below are diagrams of the 800-163" cooling system
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thanks for a great answer mountainhorse
Jax,
Not an answer... Mopar21277 has the hands on experience with the sled... It would be posible to cause problems based on the good points that he brought up.
Stick with what he says unless there is a definitive answer pointing to the use of the Dragon T-stat and plug idea.... but right now, that is just an "idea".
The only part that I AM convinced of is that the radiators weaken the front-end-plastic of the sled as pointed out above. When the plastic gets hot, it gets soft.
Not an answer... Mopar21277 has the hands on experience with the sled... It would be posible to cause problems based on the good points that he brought up.
Stick with what he says unless there is a definitive answer pointing to the use of the Dragon T-stat and plug idea.... but right now, that is just an "idea".
The only part that I AM convinced of is that the radiators weaken the front-end-plastic of the sled as pointed out above. When the plastic gets hot, it gets soft.
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Well, I just got the word back from a contact at Polaris Factory...
Looks like the different thermostat is the best bet to do the radiator/cooler delete on the 600's and the 700's in 2006 thru 2008 small blocks.
Plug off the bypass line on the head under the thermostat housing and install the 2008 163" thermostat # 7052452, for the coolest running of these sleds without damage to the pump or seals. This will also eliminate quite a bit of heavy plumbing with coolant in it and clean up the underhood appearance a bit. Probably leave the "inspection" hatch off of the radiator accesss to allow any of the air that might make it thru into the engine bay where it might do some good.
As a note to those who dont speak "bypass"... This is the line that lets enough coolant flow thru the motor to keep the pump and other seals from blowing out and allow a bit of circulation inside of the motor once the thermostat closes.
Looks like the different thermostat is the best bet to do the radiator/cooler delete on the 600's and the 700's in 2006 thru 2008 small blocks.
Plug off the bypass line on the head under the thermostat housing and install the 2008 163" thermostat # 7052452, for the coolest running of these sleds without damage to the pump or seals. This will also eliminate quite a bit of heavy plumbing with coolant in it and clean up the underhood appearance a bit. Probably leave the "inspection" hatch off of the radiator accesss to allow any of the air that might make it thru into the engine bay where it might do some good.
As a note to those who dont speak "bypass"... This is the line that lets enough coolant flow thru the motor to keep the pump and other seals from blowing out and allow a bit of circulation inside of the motor once the thermostat closes.
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ttt
Jack Struthers runs his 860 kit with twins in a Raw chassis that has NO front tunnel cooler.
M
magician
New member
Radiator delete.......
I have a 06 600(660) 151 2.4 track and have the radiator removed. I bought the sled this way. The hose below the thermostat housing is plugged and the hose on the side of the bottle is also plugged. So it looks like the last 2 seasons I have been stressing the seals and pump. Before I ride this year I will either buy a new thermostat or why not just drill a small hole in the existing one?
As far as overheating it tends to get warm on hard packed trails. With the scratchers down it cools right down to 126 deg. I have noticed with the tall track like the 2.4 it takes some pretty loose snow to run without heating up. I did put in the block off plate and left the inspection cover somewhere in the garage so if any cold air came through the front vents it would go up around the engine.(They are allways plugged with snow)
Does anybody know the size of the hole in the new thermostats?
I would definitely do the delete unless I was running alot of groomed trails then I may leave it in.
Thanks for all the info........
I have a 06 600(660) 151 2.4 track and have the radiator removed. I bought the sled this way. The hose below the thermostat housing is plugged and the hose on the side of the bottle is also plugged. So it looks like the last 2 seasons I have been stressing the seals and pump. Before I ride this year I will either buy a new thermostat or why not just drill a small hole in the existing one?
As far as overheating it tends to get warm on hard packed trails. With the scratchers down it cools right down to 126 deg. I have noticed with the tall track like the 2.4 it takes some pretty loose snow to run without heating up. I did put in the block off plate and left the inspection cover somewhere in the garage so if any cold air came through the front vents it would go up around the engine.(They are allways plugged with snow)
Does anybody know the size of the hole in the new thermostats?
I would definitely do the delete unless I was running alot of groomed trails then I may leave it in.
Thanks for all the info........
ttt
So what do I need to remove the front radiator? The 08 800 thermostat and plugs. Where can I get plugs and where do I put them?
I
IQOUTLAW
New member
Complete
Finished up my Radiator delete today. I purchased the coolant tank from the 08 and the t-stat. After pulling out my stock t-stat I compared it to the new one. The new one has a hole in it about twice the size of the one from my stock set-up. I used a brass hose fitting for my plug on the hose that runs out of the bottom of the t-stat and I used the newer coolant tank that doesnt need a plug. Looks a lot cleaner and the entire project only cost me about 60 bucks. I ordered the parts from TCP and they had them to my door in OHIO in about 1 week. As soon as we get some snow and everything else is buttoned up Ill give it a try and see what happens!
Prey for snow!
Finished up my Radiator delete today. I purchased the coolant tank from the 08 and the t-stat. After pulling out my stock t-stat I compared it to the new one. The new one has a hole in it about twice the size of the one from my stock set-up. I used a brass hose fitting for my plug on the hose that runs out of the bottom of the t-stat and I used the newer coolant tank that doesnt need a plug. Looks a lot cleaner and the entire project only cost me about 60 bucks. I ordered the parts from TCP and they had them to my door in OHIO in about 1 week. As soon as we get some snow and everything else is buttoned up Ill give it a try and see what happens!
Prey for snow!
what is TCP and how do I get ahold of them?
TCP= Tri-City Polaris in Centerville, Utah..good guys and very knowledgable
http://www.tricityperformance.net/default.asp
801-298-8081
Good luck
http://www.tricityperformance.net/default.asp
801-298-8081
Good luck
I
IQOUTLAW
New member
Correct! The guys that I spoke with were very helpful. I live in Ohio and a good sled dealer is hard to find. The guys at TCP were more than helpful and knew exactly what I needed. As for the hose plug, I used some brass fittings and had to purchase bags of 5. Its a 2 peice set-up. One brass hose barb with male threads on the other side and a brass cap nut. Little bit of teflon tape sealing it up and a hose clamp and you're done. If anyone is interested I have 4 more assembled and sitting in the garage. 10 bucks shipped will get you one in the lower 48 states...
pm me if you are interested!
pm me if you are interested!
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