I have 13 KX450 with a thermostat and In deep fluff see temps stay mostly 85-100 which is really tough on a motor to run that cold. Has anyone run a shroud around their motor to keep the snow off and seen that work to keep temps up to a better operating range of 140 or better?
Engine Shroud-do they work to keep temps up
- Thread starter DarenC
- Start date
Yes they work. Make a set.
The one that I sell/use (same one Camo323 uses) seems to be good for about 25-30 degrees on powder days. It still allows enough air flow that the bike won't over heat on the non-powder days.
New to the snowbike world!! I have a 2012 WR 450f with a LT and have installed the Avid T-stat. Do you have any images of the shrouds that you make or any suggestions on what material to use if I were to fab something up?
They're much thicker than crazy carpet. Lots of time into making templates, molds, and having them cut. Also comes with factory type mounting hardware.
Your post doesn't offend me, I'm sure you can build something on your own that will work just fine - I just wanted to clarify that it's more than a "crazy carpet job"
Make your own
I use ABS plastic to cover my KX engine and radiator block off plates. Have seen everything from milk jug plastic to welding blanket used for engine shrouds.
Along with coolant thermostat, engine temps now 160 to 215 depending on conditions. Pull radiator cover if running to hot.
I use ABS plastic to cover my KX engine and radiator block off plates. Have seen everything from milk jug plastic to welding blanket used for engine shrouds.
Along with coolant thermostat, engine temps now 160 to 215 depending on conditions. Pull radiator cover if running to hot.
Any ideas on where to source sheet ABS plastic from?? Online or locally I live in the Bozeman area and have been trying to find those old roll up style sleds that you can buy at wallie world or any other box store to try and dice up and make something but no one has them and I don't even know where to start to find industrial plastic from. I'll figure something out eventually just would like to keep those temps up and save my motor in the long run.
Order it from jegs. They sell it for $20 delivered. I posted the product name and product code in another thread. I'll dig it up....
Here it is. Check out the rest of that thread as well.
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3552318&postcount=43
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Here it is. Check out the rest of that thread as well.
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3552318&postcount=43
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This one is a crazy carpet job. $4 crazy carpet, some zip ties and foil tape where the exhaust runs. Works just fine
another advantage
beside keeping heat in, I have way less ice build up on my foot pegs when I run my engine shroud, un shrouded the powder hits the side of of the engine melts and blows back / falls down back as slush, with the shroud the cold fluff going by goes right on by without sticking. Same goes for pipe wrap, he more pipe I wrap, the less ice build up issue I have on my right foot peg.
beside keeping heat in, I have way less ice build up on my foot pegs when I run my engine shroud, un shrouded the powder hits the side of of the engine melts and blows back / falls down back as slush, with the shroud the cold fluff going by goes right on by without sticking. Same goes for pipe wrap, he more pipe I wrap, the less ice build up issue I have on my right foot peg.
Yes I am being serious.
For all that don't believe in engine shrouds i have crossed over.
This season I built two 2014 WR450's with Avid 180deg thermostats. KoSo mini gauge with the sensor mounted into the end of the Avid thermostat housing. Yesterday, 15deg. ambient temp 1 1/2' of fresh.
I let the bikes come up to full flow operating tempature of 190deg. I took the same runs through the trees just a few feet apart and saw 113deg. and a continuing drop on the un-shrouded bike and 173deg, constant on the shrouded bike.
Going down the trail un-shrouded ran a constant 180deg. and shrouded ran 173deg. The difference could be in the opening of the thermostat or even temp sensor resistance. This was the thermostat opperating temps I saw as a constant all day.
I did let the shrouded bike sit an idle to long one time and saw 240deg. I was with a beginner that was struggling and would not charge very fast. It took a while of moving slow to cool back down. I even stopped and packed snow in it I was so concerned.
Ending the day on the shrouded bike the ambient temps had dropped below 0deg. and I did see the bike temp drop below the thermostat to 163deg. at 40mph going down the groomed trail.
I conclude shrouds do keep snow build up off the motor and keep the motor temps at the thermostat set point. The bike might carry a little less snow weight.
This season I built two 2014 WR450's with Avid 180deg thermostats. KoSo mini gauge with the sensor mounted into the end of the Avid thermostat housing. Yesterday, 15deg. ambient temp 1 1/2' of fresh.
I let the bikes come up to full flow operating tempature of 190deg. I took the same runs through the trees just a few feet apart and saw 113deg. and a continuing drop on the un-shrouded bike and 173deg, constant on the shrouded bike.
Going down the trail un-shrouded ran a constant 180deg. and shrouded ran 173deg. The difference could be in the opening of the thermostat or even temp sensor resistance. This was the thermostat opperating temps I saw as a constant all day.
I did let the shrouded bike sit an idle to long one time and saw 240deg. I was with a beginner that was struggling and would not charge very fast. It took a while of moving slow to cool back down. I even stopped and packed snow in it I was so concerned.
Ending the day on the shrouded bike the ambient temps had dropped below 0deg. and I did see the bike temp drop below the thermostat to 163deg. at 40mph going down the groomed trail.
I conclude shrouds do keep snow build up off the motor and keep the motor temps at the thermostat set point. The bike might carry a little less snow weight.
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I have a 300 ktm and experienced carb icing for the first time this weekend. Temps were 0-15 degrees. What a pain in the arse. The previous 8 rides no issues with temps in the 25+ range. Would the sx snow shields help with the carb icing? Well worth it if is solves the issue? Thanks for the replys.
L
lacesout
Active member
My ktm450 with the avid thermostat and carb heater kit runs at 170-190 all day long. This is just a home made skid plate. If the engine gets packed with snow i can just poke it out easily by hand but I never had a problem. I do want to make a small rear plate. It did ice up pretty bad in the back.
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Well here it is, after last weeked riding in waist deep cold smoke and seeing temps dip to an appalling 77 degrees I decided to make up some shrouds for the WR. Thanks to Chad X for the useful info on where to source plastics from.
Well update when I get a chance to test them out, hoping to get temps at a constant 175 ish.
Well update when I get a chance to test them out, hoping to get temps at a constant 175 ish.
