Yama49601
Member
Long story short... I had the rear heat exchanger off my sled and put it back on. I filled the coolant at the rear through the bleed hole. I checked the front and it was still full and acted like I hadn't lost any. However, I also had my carbs off installing remote adjusters and I forgot to plug the heated carb lines. It didn't leak any while it was sitting, but after I got the rear exchanger back on I decided to add some water wetter and that's when I realized that I hadn't plugged those lines for the carbs, and when I started adding the water wetter I lost some coolant out of the mag side line. I made sure it was full though after adding the water wetter and getting everything back together. Last night I took it out and the temp light kept coming on. It would flash several times then go back out. I was able to bleed it once we got to Lost Pines Lodge. I parked it on a hill with the front way higher than the back and filled it, ran it and bled it several times and was sure I had gotten all the air out. The heat exchangers were all getting hot too. But we left there and about half way to Mesick it started doing it again. And, my overflow is full. I didn't add anything to the overflow because it was at the full line. Why is it spewing it into the overflow?
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Air, you still have air in it...at the rear heat exchanger loosen the right hose clamp a bit & stick a small pointed driver down the side of the hose...make sure the rear is raised up & shes gonna puke a little air/coolant...keep at it...you'll get it...
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bluewho
Active member
The thermostat is stuck...sticking ...it needs to be changed.
Yama49601
Member
It doesn't have a thermostat. I bled it better yesterday but I haven't been back out yet to see if it's fixed. I'm guessing it is though because I did get some air out of the rear.
davessrx
New member
Air locks are a PITA!!!! They make a spill free funnel for about $20 at auto stores and it sits higher up and locks to the cap opening.
There should be a bleed screw at the back under the seat. You might want to lift the back up and try to bleed it there also.
SWEDE
New member
Mine practicly bled itself after I had the rear cooler off.I elevated the rear of the sled and warmed it up good then opened the rear bleeder once, done deal.I was actually surprised that it was that easy, maybe you have some other issue.
Yama49601
Member
I tried it with the rear bleeder Saturday after I had the problems, I just haven't been able to ride it again yet to see if it's fixed. When I had the rear exchanger off I never opened the front up or anything, that's why I just filled it through the rear bleed hole and didn't think it'd get air up front but I guess it did. I didn't have the back end up when I took it off (the rear exchanger), maybe I should have held it up somehow. Oh well, I'll get it figured out.
fruitfarmer
New member
It's a good idea to bleed the cooling system, but I want to tell you that you can't heat this engine by overheating. My 97 lost coolant when a stud went through the front heat exchanger, by the time the temp light went on, the red head was a chocolate color. I pulled the head and everything looked good there, but did need to mill the head. I am still running it and it runs strong, one of the strongest of the 4 I have, additionally I pitched a recoil cage and it took out a fist sized chunk of upper and lower crankcase, but didn't get into the bottom of the engine. Recoil is only held on with 3 of the 4 bolts. Have a set of fresh cases in the garage, but cosmetics is the only reason to swap them out. That's one great motor.
Yama49601
Member
Hey I just figured I'd tell you guys what caused this. It had nothing to do with having the heat exchanger off. I (like an idiot and knew I shouldn't have to begin with) did the head gasket mod using the old gaskets with over 5000 miles on them. 
Well it didn't hold. I was getting air in the system from at least the PTO cylinder head gasket leaking. They are torqued right too. My guess is they just weren't in good enough shape to use to begin with and when I did the mod I would have used new ones had I had them and had I not just spent over a grand on the pipes, skis, skid plate clutching for the pipes etc... But, I noticed this because there was the copper permatex spray running down the sides of the cylinders so I guess it's possible that I used too much spray too (which I wondered about) when I did this mod. Anyway, I won't be doing this again with used gaskets. I torqued the head down and it stopped leaking and blowing the cap of the jug off. Does anyone know if torquing the head down more than stock specs will warp it? I put about 50 miles on it with it torqued to about 22 ft lbs instead of 17.
Well it didn't hold. I was getting air in the system from at least the PTO cylinder head gasket leaking. They are torqued right too. My guess is they just weren't in good enough shape to use to begin with and when I did the mod I would have used new ones had I had them and had I not just spent over a grand on the pipes, skis, skid plate clutching for the pipes etc... But, I noticed this because there was the copper permatex spray running down the sides of the cylinders so I guess it's possible that I used too much spray too (which I wondered about) when I did this mod. Anyway, I won't be doing this again with used gaskets. I torqued the head down and it stopped leaking and blowing the cap of the jug off. Does anyone know if torquing the head down more than stock specs will warp it? I put about 50 miles on it with it torqued to about 22 ft lbs instead of 17.
that little bit more of torque on the studs shouldnt be enough to hurt anything, it just sounds like to me you didnt have the parts clean when you assembled it and most likely this is why you had the problems, you have to wipe all the parts off with laq. thinner or acetone then just dust the gaskets with a couple light dustings, just like your spray painting it. let it dry before you assemble it, dont rush this. The steel gaskets dont wear out, they are metal your cylinders and heads are aluminum, which is harder steel or aluminum? so I dont buy the gasket wore out thing, it wasnt clean and done right most likely, thats why the failure. I have done 100's of these on 600,700, and 600 twins, and have yet to ever have one fail.
take it back apart and place a good straight edge on the bottom of the head, you shouldnt be able to see any light under the edge and head surface, if so its flat and good to go, just reclean all your stuff and redo it.
take it back apart and place a good straight edge on the bottom of the head, you shouldnt be able to see any light under the edge and head surface, if so its flat and good to go, just reclean all your stuff and redo it.
Yama49601
Member
OK cool thank you. But what layers should I use? Maybe you're over posting in the other thread already and I'll check in a minute. I used the 2 outer rubber coated looking layers. Is that what you're supposed to use? That's what it says to do on the tech pages and that's the only way I see that you'd be able to use 1 or 2 layers. Thanks. I'm gonna go take these back off today and clean them.