2008 Dragon 163" overheating problems

Biegs · Jul 15, 2010

Does anyone else have cooling problems with their sleds? I run with the ice scratchers down constantly - as I am always running in the 150 to 180 degree range - unless I flat haul "---" down the trail. Unless we have a foot or better of powder - I'm running on the high end of the temperature range. I've been looking for an aftermarket heat exchanger - but no luck on this either. Any suggestions or ideas? This is worse than my last GEN II until I put a larger heat exchanger on it.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Pat B.

AKSNOWRIDER · Jul 15, 2010

Biegs said:
Does anyone else have cooling problems with their sleds? I run with the ice scratchers down constantly - as I am always running in the 150 to 180 degree range - unless I flat haul "---" down the trail. Unless we have a foot or better of powder - I'm running on the high end of the temperature range. I've been looking for an aftermarket heat exchanger - but no luck on this either. Any suggestions or ideas? This is worse than my last GEN II until I put a larger heat exchanger on it.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Pat B.

hmm something isnt right, I have over 3000 miles on my 08 163, never runs over 130 unless the snow is ice hard...what kind of scratchers are you using?(the cable scratchers dont seem to throw as much snow as the bar scratchers do, also have you tried replacing the thermostat? it is possible that it isnt opening all the way...Kurt at fastrax motorsports makes an add on cooler for these sleds if you do want more cooler..you can also try waterwetter it should help pull more heat out of it ...

suitcase · Jul 15, 2010

That does not sound right, I have that same sled. My normal operating temp. is 126 to 133 on the trail. Off the trail it never runs more than 126 in the powder. My wife now rides that sled and see rides at about 30 to 40 mph all the time never gets off the trail much, and it never gets that warm with her.

Now my 09 will get to those temps on the trail with out the scratchers down. With them down it does run a little warmer around 135. and on a dry trail is the only time it gets to that 150 range with the scratchers down. How many miles have you put on the sled with it running that high temps? Would check for air in your cooling system. Is the heatexchanger hot or cool?

WyoRMK · Jul 16, 2010

Check the thermostat, I had a similar problem on my wife's 08 600 144. Turns out the Thermostat fell apart and was stuck closed so very little hot fluid going through the coolers.

Timbre · Jul 16, 2010

Termostat Mod

Might also try the "thermostat mod" where you drill an extra little hole in it opposite of the one in it already. Did that on mine early on and it never overheats. Also, after the dealer did the update, the system had air in it so i did get up to about 150 degrees that one time, until i bled the system. Then only around 125 degrees ever since.

I always run with my display showing the temperature when on the trail.

Good luck!

rmkboxer · Jul 16, 2010

how fast are you riding when its over heating, you need some speed for scratchers to work. going slow does not throw enough snow. I have not had any issues with mine and I have ridden with people who had theres over heat and it was rider error and not knowing how cooling works on them. if you are riding on hard pack and slow it does not matter how big of a cooler you put on it you will still over heat

MORSNO · Jul 17, 2010

If you are "always" running in the 150-180 range I would say you have air in the system and/or a bad thermostat. Both of my RMK's run around 126 on the trail, not extreme hard pack but a trail none the less. I don't think I have ever seen anything over low/mid 130's and I run traditional spring style scratchers on one sled and cable style on the other.

Biegs · Jul 17, 2010

Thanks to all for the input. Everything that has been stated in reply to my post is accurate. I might just change out the thermostat and drill the small hole as in the suggestion above.

I pulled the thermostat last December, and tested it to make sure that it opened at the rating stamped on it - so I thought it was good. I know my sled circulates the coolant through the exchanger, and I have bled the system numerous times- no indication of an airlock.

I always run with the temperature display showing - as this issue really has me stumped.

I run the spring steel ice scratchers and can get the temperatures down to the mid 140's if I lead the group I sled with. I agree that going slower would raise the temperatures - but kind of hard to enjoy the scenery running at 50-60 mph most of the time.

In the group I sled with - there are 3 other dragons/rmk's running with me. I have the only 163", but the others are always running 20-40 degrees cooler that I am depending on trail conditions or what we are playing in. The deeper the snow - the lower the temps seem to be - no matter what the speed is. That is why I was wondering if the IQ's had similiar issues at the 800 gen II had for cooling. In our country - alot of people added a larger heat exchanger, scratchers, and track buttons to help on hyfax also.

Anyhow, thanks for the suggestions up to this point and I'll keep looking at this post for more suggestions.

rmkboxer · Jul 17, 2010

spin the track on the road occasionally to throw the snow up. that helps alot also

Clarke673 · Jul 17, 2010

your dragon has no front cooler where a rmk does. They have alot more cooling capabilities then you do! IMO, there is nothing wrong. You wouldn't buy a trail sled for mountain riding and expect it to perform well? so why buy a mountain sled for trail riding?

Ohh and don't try running with out a thurmastat. With out one, you engine will run ot much water to fast and it won't have time to cool.

EricW · Aug 29, 2010

I run a 08 T-Dragon with a 163 Camo Extreme. I did the Water Wetter, Themostat Hole, rail & ski scratchers. I never see 130* even in the spring hard pack trails. I run between the high teens and 128 or so.

I have the Fastrax tunnel cooler that I have never needed if you want to try it. I just don't think in a stock application that you should need it if all else is working properly. You might take a digital temp gun with you on your next ride and shoot temps along the system to see where heat is developed and displaced. I did this and found the problem to be the T-Stat. You can get good numbers all along the flow path of your system and see just how well everything is working.

Keep us up on what ya find, and let me know if I can help ya with anything I have. Good luck. EW

winter brew · Aug 29, 2010

Is the snowflap still intact? Or shortened?

95RXL · Aug 29, 2010

Does it seem like your using a lot of oil? Too much oil can create more heat too.
Those oil pump arms tend to hang up.

mountainhorse · Aug 29, 2010

your dragon has no front cooler where a rmk does. They have alot more cooling capabilities then you do! IMO, there is nothing wrong. You wouldn't buy a trail sled for mountain riding and expect it to perform well? so why buy a mountain sled for trail riding?

Ohh and don't try running with out a thermostat. With out one, you engine will run ot much water to fast and it won't have time to cool.

Do not run without a t-stat in these motors..

Second... the front tunnel/bulkhead heat exchanger on a std. RMK is only plumbed into the bypass circuit on these sleds... does not have a drastic affect on the overall cooling.. maybe if you plumbed it in parallel.

Sounds like a snow-flap issue like Paul said, a defective thermostat etc.

Add some Redline "Water Wetter" to the coolant.. It will help.

There is no reason why your sled should be overheating with a standard cooling system. Turbo Dragons dont have problems with the stock coolers running scratchers.

Since the thermostat is so inexpensive... replace that. ... Look for any kinks or pinch points in the coolant hoses.... add the Water-Wetter.

BTW...What kind of scratchers are you running??

Try these items before you cut/splice into the aluminum tubes etc to install an FTX cooler... IMO.

Search

2008 Dragon 163" overheating problems

Biegs

Free Member

AKSNOWRIDER

Well-known member

suitcase

Well-known member

WyoRMK

Well-known member

Timbre

Well-known member

rmkboxer

Well-known member

MORSNO

Well-known member

Biegs

Free Member

rmkboxer

Well-known member

Clarke673

Somewhere between too dumb to quit and flat earth

EricW

Well-known member

winter brew

Premium Member

95RXL

Free Member

mountainhorse

Well-known member

Similar threads