Installing front heat exchanger

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beekmanSRX

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Mar 10, 2008
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Age
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Location
Cambridge, Ontario
Anything to look out for when replacing the front heat exchanger? never gone there before just thought'd id ask some of the guys who have done this before. Thanks.
 
Hope you have a 90 degree drill for the rivets along the side. While the motor is out, take a good look at your cooling hoses, mine had wear marks on them so I cut antifreeze jug pieces and taped them to where they were wearing. Also look at your wiring harness that runs underneath. I took some rubber hose and ran them through that underneath the motor. Other than that just take your time and it should go not too bad. You are going to have to pry your tunnel apart a little because the cooler is the exact same width as the tunnel. Good luck.
 
I wasn't sure if I had to yank the motor or not. I do have a 90 degree drill. Thanks for the tips hopefully I can get er back on the snow before the season is over!!
 
my my my this is gonna b a job. hoisted the sled up tonight to see what im in for. do I have to remove to track, suspension, and jackshaft to remove and install the new exchanger? yank the engine too??? didnt get into it i had to watch canada vs russia hockey game. Thanks for the help.
 
I think you will have to remove all of the above. I like to use a nice sharp chisel to cut the rivet heads off, then tap them through. You're in for a good time. i have also welded them, in the sled, to repair a stud puncture. Drain all the coolant & clean it very good.
 
How bad is the hole? Just a stud puncture? If so I've seen a guy tap threads in the wound and put a short bolt in there. It worked perfectly. Not a long term fix I'm sure but better than pulling the whole sled apart this time of year if you want to ride. Im not sure of the heat resistance of teflon tape but a little bit around the threads of the bolt should make it pretty coolant tight. Just a thought to get you back on the trails. Canada played pretty decent eh!

-Rustman
 
ottawaair said:
regular aluminum rod & a tig welder. I wouldn't try it with a spool gun or anything.
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If you use a spool gun, it will leak. Has to be done with a TIG. I have done about 20 cooler repairs in tha last 5 yrs including 2 of my own.
 
excellent tips here guys. I was riding the lake only around here due to the lack of snow and i was tryin to run that fine line of having the track as loose as possible without it ratcheting. well when i stepped into some deep powder the track spun hard and the deflection increased and hit the exchanger. so theres just one major stud puncture. i like the idea of inserting a bolt so i can enjoy the rest of the season. im just a beginner when it comes to welding so i wouldnt feel comfortable welding it myself. anyone else think that its a good idea with the bolt. seems like a good one to me. another thing, how come in my manual it doesnt even show the front heat exchanger??? thanks again guys.
 
beekmanSRX said:
excellent tips here guys. I was riding the lake only around here due to the lack of snow and i was tryin to run that fine line of having the track as loose as possible without it ratcheting. well when i stepped into some deep powder the track spun hard and the deflection increased and hit the exchanger. so theres just one major stud puncture. i like the idea of inserting a bolt so i can enjoy the rest of the season. im just a beginner when it comes to welding so i wouldnt feel comfortable welding it myself. anyone else think that its a good idea with the bolt. seems like a good one to me. another thing, how come in my manual it doesnt even show the front heat exchanger??? thanks again guys.
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A bud of mine did this on his Doo (used a sheet metal screw with teflon tape) and it lasted nearly the whole season except for the last ride.

He was getting a run-away idle, pulled over and got it so hot that he couldn't shut it off until he squirted it with the primer. Kill/ignition switch had no effect. That's when we saw the green snow.

You may be successful but may find that you're fighting that nagging feeling the whole ride. Tough call.
 
To remove

In order to remove the front heat exchanger you need to put a grenade under the hood and close & latch it tightly!!!! Seriously though, I've done a few. Big job. Complete dismantle. I've got an SRX front heat exchanger here if you decised to replace it. $75 shipped and it's yours.

Madmatt
 
I used quick aluminum compound on mine before, but it was the side rails in between the heat exchanger and the footrest. I still havent had any leak, it is worth a try for the season.
 
aluminum compound eh? it would b nice if i could temporarily fix this to ride the season out. the nagigng feeling will b there but i guess i will just have to deal with that. Im gonna check into this aluminum compound. if its a no go for my situation i will move to the short bolt idea. if that leaks still i will move onto welding it. got a guy who "says" he can weld it up. if that doesnt work the sled is getting overhauled and is done for the season. but she'll b clean clean clean come next season. what a job though i cant believe its not in the manual!!! and thanks for the offer but i already ordered an exchanger from a guy on this site. said it before, ill say it again this site rocks. thanks guys. i will for sure keep u posted
 
Rivets

Just make sure you use the correct rivets. It's really not a difficult job, just time consuming.

Madmatt
 
Hey just another vote from me on the bolt idea. the guy I know who did this has been running it like that for 2 seasons and counting. If your worried about it wiggling lose, use a little threadlocker. this is about a 10 minute fix at the most, it'll take longer to fill and bleed the cooling system. Just make sure you match your tap up with the bolt you plan to use and use a fine thread for a little extra wiggle protection. Self tapping screws would most likely do the job as well but I would recommend tapping new threads and using a new bolt.

-Rustman
 
Rustman said:
Hey just another vote from me on the bolt idea. the guy I know who did this has been running it like that for 2 seasons and counting. If your worried about it wiggling lose, use a little threadlocker. this is about a 10 minute fix at the most, it'll take longer to fill and bleed the cooling system. Just make sure you match your tap up with the bolt you plan to use and use a fine thread for a little extra wiggle protection. Self tapping screws would most likely do the job as well but I would recommend tapping new threads and using a new bolt.

-Rustman
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X2 - the sheet metal screw my buddy used didn't hold up the whole season but if he had tapped it I'm guessing it'd lasted longer. I would think this would work best on a flat surface repair to allow for a good seal under the bolt head.

Also, a friend of mine has used another form of aluminum brazing rod with a low working temperature. I believe it's the same stuff Billy Maze (rest his soul) advertised. Oxy weld or some such thing. Only requires propane or Mapp gas to get it flowing. It's also advertised as allowing for welding of disimilar metals.
 
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