fuel mileage/overheating

[Jaynelson]

Ok, I'm with you now and I agree. Unless in heavy snow all the time then you can throw it all out the window. BC smartass, I understand MPG isn't much use to you in deep snow all the time but in this case the OP seems to be riding on very little snow and if the sled only gets 7 MPG when I would expect it to get 12 or more in those conditions, that doesn't seem like a good sign for when you actually get the thing under a load.

I know it's a bit smartass and I'm going to come across as a jerk.....but I don't understand.....buy a mountain sled with a big track, big paddles, no bogie wheels, factory scratchers, small lightweight coolers, low gearing, etc, etc. Then get worried that it heats up in low-snow conditions, gets crappy fuel economy and needs the scratchers down all the time in such conditions. The pro is a pretty wrung out mountain sled and, frankly, it handles like arse on the trail, so it seems like a weird choice for such things.

 

[polaris6]

Rode yesterday in Il at almost 40 degrees with scratchers down and awesome new PDP long snowflap. Ditch banging never went over 130. Had to break it in before Togwotee. Too bad took out lower A arm at 14 miles. This is on a 155 stick pro. If ur concerned with overheat always use scratchers and long flap. Im almost tempted to put on my sidekick flexible scratchers as well.

 

[08DRG700]

I am running the cable scratchers as well as the wire ones. Going to change my flap to an IQ one also. I still get up to 160 going in and out of the cabin to the parking lot. A packed 1 mile run, but have to go slow due to the dogs running with me. I know these aren't made for that

 

[Skeld]

I wasn't saying I expected it to get good mileage. Good mileage woud be like 15 to 20. I ride back country up in Maine. There are few opportunities for fuel, but I also need a Mountain sled at times...ok maybe not NEED, but it makes it easier and yes there are days and places here where you would be screwed with a short track. Everything is a compromise. I'm going to carry 2 gallons on the back and I need to be able to make it 100 miles + on hard going.

 

[duamy]

thanks skeld for backing me up , here in michigan we can get heavy lake effect snow and most of the time it can get deep. We try to boondock it but have to use the trails/roads at times. We also ride in the u.p where there is a big area with no gas so you have to be concerned like you are. sorry to offend the b.c guys but we can have pretty deep snow too. I mean if you seriously dont care about mpg then good for you ride you fifty mile s and go home

 

[xc6rider]

Rode in what I consider pretty crappy snow conditions this weekend in the snowies. Lots of crappy riding to get to decent snow. Scratchers down and never saw over 125 while moving at a steady pace.

Never saw over 140 even when crawling along through some bare spots.

Engine would heatsoak up to around 150-160 while parked.

I have a short PDP snowflap.

No more worries for me....

 

[forreboy]

pro vs m8

I can only compare to my m8 -11 I had last year.
My m8 drank about 7mpg last year and pro about 5mpg, about same condition.
But with the m8 I could get down to 17mpg when riding on hard trail.
Seems impossible to even get close with the pro.

 

[tchriste]

Hey guys, thought I'd share something I found last year after doing some mods to my sled. Redline makes a product called water wetter that is claimed to transfer heat better (up to 25%) and run the engine cooler. There are other products out there that claim to do the same thing, I used the redline (I run their oil) and find that it does work. Might be something that would help.

 

[tard]

I did a 40 mile break in at the local lake. 2" of snow on top of glare ice that was thin enough to push water thru the stress cracks as I rode around. Short PDF? flap, scratchers down, temps were 130-156. Boot heels down on the ice to keep the hyfax from burning, temps 123-125 with a high of 136. Yes, the insides of my legs are sore from dragging my feet for 40 miles. Air temp 17-21f there should be no overheat problems with this sled in adequate snow conditions.

 

[gman086]

Hey guys, thought I'd share something I found last year after doing some mods to my sled. Redline makes a product called water wetter that is claimed to transfer heat better (up to 25%) and run the engine cooler. There are other products out there that claim to do the same thing, I used the redline (I run their oil) and find that it does work. Might be something that would help.

Yeah I've posted about this before. Water Wetter needs surface area to work well (that's how it works - surfactant that increases wetted surface area). The problem with the Pro is that it doesn't have much surface area to begin with so... there's less coolant and less coolant = less effectiveness for WW. I still use it but don't get nearly the results I did in my Doos and it definitely isn't the answer for the Pro.

Have FUN!

G MAN

 

[800dragonwillrockyou]

Hey guys, thought I'd share something I found last year after doing some mods to my sled. Redline makes a product called water wetter that is claimed to transfer heat better (up to 25%) and run the engine cooler. There are other products out there that claim to do the same thing, I used the redline (I run their oil) and find that it does work. Might be something that would help.

I use the water wetter stuff from them in my enduro car and you can really tell a difference! love this stuff!!!!

 

[Skeld]

Rode 190 miles this weekend. Had to ride about 2 miles of a plowed icy road, and that was the only time I put the scratchers down. Temp stayed about 127. I did notice the hyfax was getting sticky a few times though, so that seems to be more of a problem for me than the engine temp. I'm hoping that hyfax just needed to be tempered some being new and that it will be better now. I also can add another set of idler wheels inside where the scratchers are and I might do that. Mostly just for the rare plowed road section I have to run to complete a loop.

Also I made it 90 miles without running out of fuel, breaking trail maybe half the time in 1 to 1.5 feet of powder. Not sure how much is left in the tank, maybe 1/8.