Do arctic cats just overheat more?

[eou_edu]

I have a 2017 m8000 with 153" track mostly stock. It tends to overheat on the trail. If i'm in the deep snow it does fine. but even loose snow on the trail or with ice scratchers down it likes to overheat. At first it didn't have a snowflap on it so I put one on hoping that would solve the problem. Might have helped a little but not much. In the same conditions a 2015 didn't have any issues. I asked around a little and people said cats have a smaller cooler and just tend to overheat easier. Is this normal or do I have other problems?

 

[Old & slow]

The 15 and 17 have the same coolers. My 16 and 20 were cool running sleds cooler than other brands. If you have a 3 inch track you need scratchers down on groomed trails.

 

[IDspud]

Loose snow trail scratchers down no flap ours don’t overheat.
Only had two days of two decades with 8-10 sleds each trip where snow was froze hard enough to overheat us.

 

[deanross]

My 23, 3” x165 overheats like crazy. On the trail with loose snow and scratchers down it will still overheat sometimes. If the trail is hard, forget it. It constantly overheats. It’s very annoying.

 

[Vern]

Like said above, 15 and 17 have the same cooler so if one’s running hot and the other one didn’t, you may have other issues. There’s been complaints of bad thermostats over the years, so that may be worth looking into although I would think that would cause issues regardless of snow conditions. I’ve been running no flap on short cooler cats since 2014 and as long as scratchers were down never had an issue unless it was on straight up ice. Full length cooler Polaris’s in my group would often run hotter.

 

[IDspud]

As Vern says. If you’re struggling when there’s snow to throw, you need to look closer.
Easy to get a bubble in coolant, running low, looks ok.

 

[koolaid]

I have owned a '21 Alpha, as well as currently own a 25 Catalyst, both 154 x 3 tracks. They both would overheat quickly on trail if I didn't have scratchers down, like within a minute or two. You have to remember once getting off the fresh, to put them down or you'll quickly be reminded. I have just accepted it and only use the Catalyst for fresh powder days.

 

[boondocker97]

The 2018 and newer ctecs get warmer, and the 2025 catalyst seems to run warmer yet. However, in general even with the short cooler the Suzuki based engines like you have didn't seem to have cooling issues. My 2014 (same cooler as yours) with a big bore, 3" track, no snow flap, and scratches down never had a problem with cooling...until my stator got weak and wasn't supplying enough power to the fuel pump. Running a bit lean made the temp light come on. Tried a thermostat first but no change before I found that.

 

[Clark42]

Had numerous ranging from MY2014-2021 and never worried about it. Run scratchers often, make sure there's not an air pocket in your cooling system

 

[eou_edu]

Like said above, 15 and 17 have the same cooler so if one’s running hot and the other one didn’t, you may have other issues. There’s been complaints of bad thermostats over the years, so that may be worth looking into although I would think that would cause issues regardless of snow conditions. I’ve been running no flap on short cooler cats since 2014 and as long as scratchers were down never had an issue unless it was on straight up ice. Full length cooler Polaris’s in my group would often run hotter.

That's odd 2016 went with a bigger cooler and they went right back to a smaller one for 2017. Weight savings marketing perhaps.

 

[arcticridr]

Since cat dumped the rear exchanger cus everyone bitches about a pound or two of weight trails have been a problem . If ya don't have scratchers better get em if ya do and don't put em down pay the price yea it's a pain but everyone used to worry about HYfax wear when we had rear coolers never gave a thought to putting the scratchers down for cooling, it was for the HYfax . I have both versions of cats 2005 King cat 162 power claw, 2006 M6 153 attack 20 , 2016 m8 snow pro153 claw, 2020 hardcore alpha 165x3, 2025 858 154 3" , the 2016, 2020, 2025 all get warm on the trail other two are money but run scratchers on all !! Nature of the new beast of cats !!

 

[MTsled3]

Pretty much anything since 2010-2011 seems to need scratchers if there isn't at least a few inches of fresh snow on the trail. For those of you with twin rail sleds, I highly recommend using the new style Polaris reversible scratchers, they work extremely well. Might take some creativity to get them to fit on Cat rails, but shouldn't be too bad