18 MC EB overheating

dboivin · Jan 9, 2018

anyone else having issues overheating on trail out to ride.

where i normally ride i have to hike groomed trail out of town for 3-4 miles before i can jump off and start riding. This weekend my overheat light was coming on multiple times. Seems like i can get about 1-2 miles before i'm over 150°. It didn't matter if i had scratchers down or not. I was dipping as much as i could but its hard in this location due to ditch one side, road on other. It was also super cold (0°)....was even some fresh fluff on it and didn't matter. It would not start running decent temps til i got track in powder.

looking for tips on getting the temp down. ski scratchers maybe? putting another set of scratchers more forward maybe. Only have stocks on there right now.

pic for attention.

Hagenpolsa · Jan 9, 2018

seems odd but i remember a guy who filled 2 dl of coolant as it was not on max, and it worked for him(weird)

jrizman · Jan 9, 2018

Top off coolant level?
The stiff 3" seems to get hotter faster on hard pack trail runs. Move faster with scratchers down to make sure snow is getting to exchanger and cooling sled off.

Hagenpolsa · Jan 9, 2018

jrizman said:
Top off coolant level?
The stiff 3" seems to get hotter faster on hard pack trail runs. Move faster with scratchers down to make sure snow is getting to exchanger and cooling sled off.

he said so

mine gets hot on packed snow with 15cm of fresh on top at trailing speeds, scratchers wont work, will try the coolant level but i dont know if it will work^^

dboivin · Jan 9, 2018

yeah i was gonna pull out of trailer tonight and get front in the air and just make sure i dont have a bubble or something. will check my coolant level and see where its at.

TNTCOPP · Jan 9, 2018

I've got a '15 that heats up quick, my '16 (3" track) was always getting a temp light if I didn't have the scratchers down on the trail, and the '18's seem to be no different?

I myself would sacrifice the few lbs extra to have a rear exchanger back. I would rather see the motor run cooler.

eldereldo · Jan 9, 2018

Was riding in heavy snow, twisting packed trail thru the trees this last weekend, following a buddy who was riding my 2014. Scratchers down and kept lighting up the warning, 2014 did it a few times as well, but always later. I do notice that it seems to be raising the point a total which it flashes the warning, seems to me it was around 52c in initial break in, now seems to be up around 60c. So maybe it has to do with the ECU wanting cooler temps for the first while until the motor breaks in? Hopefully it gets better as a lot of places I ride there is a slow trail in.

Toyotajoe · Jan 9, 2018

I put the first 75 miles on my 2018 MC yesterday. The first hour or so went off without a hitch. I even noted that while trail riding the coolant temp was only half way through the range on the gauge. Fast forward around 20 miles, the light started blinking despite me now riding in conditions that I felt offered better cooling (several inches of powder on the trail). Continuously dipping off to the side of the trail did not work. I took a detour and headed down an access road with about 16” of fresh powder on it and broke trail at various speeds between 15 and 50 mph for around 3-4 miles. The light continued to blink. Crawled underneath and confirmed the exchanger was warm/hot and I wasn’t dealing with a sensor malfunction.

I pulled the side panel and confirmed the coolant level was within the specified range. Loosened the reservoir cap one click and heard a gush of air escape (normal as under pressure) and observed several large bubbles travel up through the coolant reservoir. I believe there was air trapped in the system somewhere but don’t know why it didn’t escape sooner, or give issues during the first part of my ride. Continued another 25-30 miles to home without issue.

I too wouldn’t mind a few extra pounds on the sled just to have the full length cooler.

My shortlist for 2018 was the MC or a Polaris 155” SKS. Don’t let me down AC...

dboivin · Jan 9, 2018

well my coolant bottle is literally dry. theres none visible at all in the neck.

will add fluid and see how it does.

hobbes · Jan 10, 2018

I put the first 80 miles on my sled this weekend. I'm all smiles btw!! As far as the heating on the trail I kept my scratchers up on a fairly beat down trail with little loose snow on it just to see how quickly it would heat up. The ambient temp outside was about 28-30 degrees btw. I could get it to go about 3/4's of the way to hot in about 4-5 miles but never saw a flashing light at all. Because I was just breaking it in I dropped the scratchers and the gauge stayed right dead center for the rest of the time. Long story short, I think anyone with any major heating issues has some other problem than lack of heat exchanger from the factory...

On another note however, half way through our second day I DID have a temp light issue in about 2 feet of snow... a low temp light and subsequent low temp limp mode. I popped the side panel to check it over and even at an idle with the coolant gauge all the way cold it was circulating coolant like a mofo. Stuck open thermostat ended my day. I let it idle to get back up to temp and within just a few minutes of riding it was all the way back down to low temp limp. Again this is at about 30 degrees F outside with about a foot of fresh snow. Even though I had some thermostat trouble, this also reiterates the fact that there is PLENTY of stock cooling capacity on this sled.

If you have a heating issue, check your coolant level, "burp" your coolant system, drive a little faster on the trail with your scratchers down (slower you go the worse it will be, seems simple but some guys don't know this) and finally... get your thermostat checked... if they can stick open they can stick shut too. Just my opinion.

kiliki · Jan 10, 2018

just remember the 17 and back didn't flash until 170* the 18 starts to flash at around 145* same cooling system for the most part.

dboivin · Jan 10, 2018

kiliki said:
just remember the 17 and back didn't flash until 170* the 18 starts to flash at around 145* same cooling system for the most part.

my 18 flashes exactly at 150°+ just for the record. and for those that don't know you can hold down one of the buttons to bring up digital temp on that bar. i think lower left button...or hold left 2 buttons. can't remember exact button it was.

Toyotajoe · Jan 10, 2018

dboivin said:
my 18 flashes exactly at 150°+ just for the record. and for those that don't know you can hold down one of the buttons to bring up digital temp on that bar. i think lower left button...or hold left 2 buttons. can't remember exact button it was.

I only learned of this last night while scanning through the owners manual for the second time.

At what temp does the light illuminate constantly?

Does the new 800 have a limp mode for overheating? My owners manual states to stop riding the sled when the light illuminates constant. Just wondering what that point is?

Woody67 · Jan 10, 2018

Toyotajoe said:
I only learned of this last night while scanning through the owners manual for the second time.

At what temp does the light illuminate constantly?

Does the new 800 have a limp mode for overheating? My owners manual states to stop riding the sled when the light illuminates constant. Just wondering what that point is?

167 degrees

Toyotajoe · Jan 11, 2018

Woody67 said:
167 degrees

So let’s get this straight...

The 800 coolant warning will START TO FLASH at 150* as per dboivin.

The 800 coolant warning light will ILLUMINTE CONSTANT at 167* as per Woody67.

My owners manual states that when the light ILLUMNTES CONSTANTLY (167*) that I must shut the engine immediately and allow to cool.

This doesn’t seem correct considering previous models were reported to blink at 176* and illuminate constant around 200*. So now I have to park my new sled at 167* whereas my old sled wouldn’t even consider a warning was warranted?

nytro41 · Jan 11, 2018

Try our scratchers out. Ibexx universal ice scratchers. www.Ibexx.com

summ8rmk · Jan 11, 2018

My 18 162 doesn't require scratchers on a groomed trail, runs 111°-126°. If its icy i need scratchers and it will still never hit 150° unless it is a sheet of ice going up hill. And thats riding 5-6miles. Off trail sled runs 98°-105°.

My 14 153 3in needed scratchers on any trail even if there was a couple inches of new on it and scratchers would keep me down around 135°-156°. Off trail it runs 125°. If there is any ice, i will have to stop with the ski-doos and Polaris to let the sled cool.

Mountain Cat

Toyotajoe · Jan 11, 2018

Dropped mine off at the dealership this afternoon. Even breaking trail in 12” powder temps got up to 152* and stuck there. Temps ran between 140-150* all day with scratchers down on the trail with 3-4” of new powder on top.

Hardly ever do I see temps below 135* and I’m riding in very good conditions. I don’t understand it.

Mr. BB · Jan 23, 2018

overheating

Did dealer find what was causing the hi temps. If yes would like to know. Thanks

evandaigneault · Jan 23, 2018

nytro41 said:
Try our scratchers out. Ibexx universal ice scratchers. www.Ibexx.com

How is that any different than the DOO scratchers?

18 MC EB overheating

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Most handsome

Member

Member

Well-known member

Similar threads