Where is the coolant going?

Twostroke · Nov 9, 2009

My buddy has a 02 or 03 RMK 800. It sporadically looses coolant. Filled it yesterday, ran it, topped it off and then went riding. When riding it yesterday it got low, so topped it off and it never got low again. Some rides the topping off is constant, sometimes not. We can not find any visible leaks. I'm thinking he may have a bad head gasket/o-ring and it leaks until it gets hot? any ideas?

winter brew · Nov 9, 2009

How much is it losing?

KrazyKen · Nov 9, 2009

Probably out the exhaust. Do you smell any anti-freeze smell when it's first fired?
I recognize the issue because I just replaced my base gaskets and o-rings in my 800. Same problem, I noticed the coolant was slowly dropping and when I fired the motor, cold, I would smell a slight anti freeze smell. Pulled the pipe and there was the evidence.
By the way this was the first time I used the metal base gaskets, I hear they are much better. We'll see since I plan on taking it on it's first outing on Friday.

rmkboxer · Nov 9, 2009

definately look at the stuff above, but the other thing to check is the coolant bottle and if it is egg shaped replace it

devilrmk · Nov 9, 2009

Coolant bottles like to leak or crack at the seam where they are glued(or whatever) together. Base gaskets are notorious for that too. I need to change one.

theultrarider · Nov 9, 2009

The leak on mine that took me two seasons to find was the running board edge cooler line where it meets up with the belly pan. It had rubbed a small pin hole leak by my right foot. Never could see it actually leaking there. I would park it for an hour in the snow and leave a very small patch of anti freeze in the snow but can out in the center of the belly which meant it could be coming from anywhere. It would only use about a cup anti freeze per tank of fuel. Drove me crazy til I finally found it. I was working on something else one day and had a tiny drop of antifreeze hit me in the face from that area. It wasn't til I actually pulled the belly pan loose that I could find where it had rubbed. Good luck with yours.

BCDan · Nov 9, 2009

I had a 2002 800 with a similar leak, after a LOT of searching, I finally found that a rock had worked it's way behind the front heat exchanger and had rubbed a very small hole in the exchanger. I had to remove the driveline and drill out the rivets to get to that one. What a PITA. Keep looking, losing coolant is not normal.

JakeR · Nov 10, 2009

Have you put a pressure tester on it? You can get them from an auto parts store then pump it up and see if anything drips...

midwestmountain1 · Nov 14, 2009

i would avoid running it any longer then you have to. I believe my coolant leak lead to my engine replacement.
I suddenly started using coolant, but a very small amount, never found out where from. I stopped riding it as soon as I could, about 2 miles. I replaced all the top end gaskets and the leak stopped. About 300 miles later a piston rod let go at high rpm and the motor literally exploded. I believe at some point there was enough coolant in the crankcase to stress the piston rod.

psycho sid · Nov 15, 2009

theultrarider said:
The leak on mine that took me two seasons to find was the running board edge cooler line where it meets up with the belly pan. It had rubbed a small pin hole leak by my right foot. Never could see it actually leaking there. I would park it for an hour in the snow and leave a very small patch of anti freeze in the snow but can out in the center of the belly which meant it could be coming from anywhere. It would only use about a cup anti freeze per tank of fuel. Drove me crazy til I finally found it. I was working on something else one day and had a tiny drop of antifreeze hit me in the face from that area. It wasn't til I actually pulled the belly pan loose that I could find where it had rubbed. Good luck with yours.

I had the exact same experience with my 02 700. took the cooler tube off, got it welded and no more anti-freeze usage.

Mitch P. · Nov 18, 2009

My '03 Escape did the same thing on the LH side two years ago. Since then, every Edge I see I check it out and a large number are on there way to rubbing through, and most of them are the LH side also.

WestMont · Nov 18, 2009

I had the right side edge cooler start leaking. Hole worn thru. Sounds like it's pretty common.

Twostroke · Nov 30, 2009

Okay, where is the wetness/coolant coming from, it's wet under the carbs but no coolant lines are in that area? Finally got the sled into my shop tonight.

again, wet with coolant under the carbs.

Twostroke · Nov 30, 2009

Mitch P. said:
My '03 Escape did the same thing on the LH side two years ago. Since then, every Edge I see I check it out and a large number are on there way to rubbing through, and most of them are the LH side also.

This could be it. the leak is under the carbs.

Treesfearme · Nov 30, 2009

I had a button weld break on my tunnel cooler. It was the craziest thingto find.

Keep digging till ya find it

Chris

Woodstock · Nov 30, 2009

Weld on the back of the cooler here also.

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Where is the coolant going?

Twostroke

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devilrmk

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