serious coolant question

[sledmanhof]

this last summer i took the head off my 02 rmk700 and lost a bunch of antifreeze... i had a post on here this summer about how to get rid of the air lock in it but havent had any luck...

well tonight we had just enough snow to ride a bit so i did and thought i had the coolant problem fixed...i rode about a half mile and everytime i hit around 7000rpm it would sound like it would cut out. everytime that did that the temp light would come on so i came home to check it out and found no antifreeze in the resevoir and the motor steaming like no other...ive tried the breathing screw right above the head but it doesnt seem to take the air out...

if anyone has any input please post it
thanks... ryan

 

[Uphill]

Are you sure your water pump belt is not broken? Which is also your oil pump.

 

[Timber700RMK]

I don't know how you bled the system, but you have to lift the front of the sled higher that the rear cooler/s then use the bleeder screw so that all the air gets out. Some drive the sled up on a ramp or hill or just use a hoist. After bleeding the system this way, run it for a bit & then re-bleed. Should be good

 

[NoSecondChances]

I'd be double and triple checking everything to make sure that you're not losing it on the trail or burning it up, might want to do like Timber said and lift the front up, wayyyy up and fill the system to make sure that as much air is bled before starting. Was the motor steaming from the exhaust (indicates that you're burning it in the exhaust and you have an internal leak) or was the motor smoking because it was so hot? If you get it all bled, run it and still goes empty, you have an internal or external leak. It would be good to run it on a track stand to make sure that once the system is pressurized, it isn't spitting it out somewhere underneath (hole in your cooler somewhere, don't know if you have running board coolers, they get cracked and leak bad, hole in a hose, etc).

Good luck.

 

[winter brew]

First make sure the water pump/oil pump belt isn't broken.
Start the sled and add coolant to the reservoir, as the engine warms up the coolant should begin to circulate through the running boards and rear cooler. Feel them to see if they get warm after a few minutes of idling. If the engine is getting hot ad no circulation, then do as mentioned by timber 700 and elevate the front of the sled about 2 ft, or try rocking the sled hard laft/right to release any trapped air pockets. It should begin to circulate and the res. level should drop...add more coolant. If nothing works, verift the pump is turning and then it is likely a thermostat.

 

[sledmanhof]

i did notice that the exhaust smokes alot...ive never seen it smoke that much before could that be with an internal leak?

 

[chairman]

Do everything mentioned above. Heres a trick if you have to replace the water pump belt. While you have the starter housing off, measure out from the motor too the belt and take that measurement and come out the same distance on your starter housing. Then drill a 5/8 hole in the starter housing for a belt inspection hole for the belt. Put a small peace of duct tape over it and when you need to check and see if it's a belt just look in the hole instead of pulling the cover off.

 

[devilrmk]

Put your ski's up on something a foot or so up and compress the rear suspension with the motor running, let it idle till it gets fairly warm and keep it topped up. Shaking it around a bit helps. Once you get warmth from both sides of the running board coolers, it should be fine.
If there is any bubbles left in there, riding should bring them out.

 

[Wyoming T/A]

we always had the best luck starting the sled and rocking it up on its side and reving it up 5 or 6 times and letting it down and tipping up on the other side and doing the same thing..usually works 1st time--usually

 

[sledmanhof]

well i took the head off expecting the worst and found that the gaskets were bad between the cylinders and the head there was anifreeze goin through the cylinders and out of the exhaust. Hopefully i'll have better luck next time i put the head back on and get the coolant flowing right