2009 500ss overheating

anyone know of a fix for the overheating on these sleds when running in poor snow or at slow speeds?

ex. running 2 miles into town on a plowed road to get gas, 20-3-mph. Im getting the the overheat light.


frustrating that I have to drive fast or dip off trail to get fresh snow. - or fly through a residential area doing 60mph and slid sideways up to the gas pump. Cops love that one ...
 

snowfish

Member
The only true cure is to have snow hitting the coolers and lubricating the hyfax. Hard pack, glazed, plowed roads, and glare ice, does not allow snow to be kicked up on the heat exchangers. Thus, over heat. Only sled that would not over heat, in those conditions, is a fan cooled. But the hyfax will quickly burn up. Liquids need snow, or at least snow and ice dust, to stay cool.

And scratchers are a cure for over heating. They've save my butt, many times, when we've run into a long stretch of un-expected plowed forest service roads.
 

indy_500

Well-known member
Scratchers don't work so well on short tracks. They more or less fling the snow up for your buddy behind you!
 

snowfish

Member
But they will solve over heating. Doesn't matter what size skid, scratchers will pummel those following.
 

renegade600

Active member
Need to just dip it off into snow whenever you can... I usually get into the banks on plowed roads if possible... running on ice or plowed roads with nothing going up into the tunnel will make you heat up quick...
 

snowfish

Member
How if they fling the snow past the skid it ain't helping much...
On short tracks, the scratchers need to be mounted a little further forward. For instance, on a ZR500 121" the scratcher is mounted on the forward idler using a scratcher wheel mount. My CrossFire 136 has them mounted just behind the forward idler. I rarely run them deployed for the entire ride. They're just for getting from point A to point B.
 

booondocker

New member
Another answer is to get a stackable heat exchanger....more exchanger means more heat disipation and it alone will draw down the coolant temps.

Also take the time to install a temp ga. Maybe the unit isn't so hot as you think it is.

I did this on a Yamaha and found out that the hot light was going on at 180 degrees and the sled never went over 200 so long as you were moving. Digital temp g will tell you what's going on at all times...way better than an idiot light.
 
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