Getting Air out of cooling system & track tension help

[indy_500]

I got a 99 xc 700, finally got the heat exchanger welded! i'm only 90% sure how to pour the coolant in and get the air sucked out. I need some instructions on that just to make sure i don't do it wrong. also, i need some help with the track tension. i got a 10 lb. weight, how far from the rear bogie wheels do i need to put the weight on the track?

thanks

 

[jim_golding]

I had a 99 XCSP 500 which I had to replace the HX for the same reason as you. What you need to do is fill the system and start it on level ground first. Let it run a few minutes and fill the reservior as needed to maintain the level. Then shut it off. Raise the front end up on a couple of feet, I used 5 gallon buckets. Start it again and let it idle long enough such that you can feel the heat coming through the rear HX and the return hose. You should also have a little screw at the inlet to your head that you will have to open and let the air vent out. It is best to have a rag as there will be some coolant that will also come out. Fill the reservior as needed. Close the vent screw when no more air comes out and the hoses are warm. This will take about 10 minutes or so.

 

[indy_500]

ok thanks, any track tension help?

 

[ezra]

mid track and I think it is a 20 lb weight but I just eyeball it with a push of my hand on the off trail sled I run as lose as I can before it ratchets.on the drag sled I run that baby rubber band tight.I usually park my sleds on the trailer ramp and fill them up then let them sit over night and check then start and make sure coolers are getting hot.

 

[xcsp]

ok thanks, any track tension help?

Measuring point should be 16" from the center of the rear track wheel, using a 10 lb weight is correct.

 

[indy_500]

i mastered track tension, tomorrow i will attempt to get the air sucked out of the cooling system, any more tips before i screw it up? lol

 

[mjkaliszak]

Like said above all good info, the best thing to do is raise the front end of the sled higher than the rear . Then start the filling & running & topping off process. See jim_goldings method.

 

[indy_500]

after it's running and the coolant gets sucked in, do i need to shut the sled off? and start it up, pour in, and let it get sucked in and shut it off? someone told me to do this once. or just keep it running?

 

[mjkaliszak]

YES, go thru the fill process, raise sled , top off, run again get hot, let it cool and see where your bottle level is at when cold. If it is too high when hot is will over ride the spring pressure 6-13 lbs ( I'm guessing ) of your cap and leak out. Just go & do it, sometimes there is no better teacher than " the experience ".

 

[G]

I once had a Pol - not sure of the model - that was a real bear to get the air bled out of. Just about anything goes as I learned. Tip up the front, tip up the back. Turn on left side, turn on right side. Do what ever you must do but get the air out. If your hoses and HX are warm you are O.K. As far as track tension, as loose as possible without ratcheting.

 

[indy_500]

I once had a Pol - not sure of the model - that was a real bear to get the air bled out of. Just about anything goes as I learned. Tip up the front, tip up the back. Turn on left side, turn on right side. Do what ever you must do but get the air out. If your hoses and HX are warm you are O.K. As far as track tension, as loose as possible without ratcheting.

btw everyone, i got the sled filled up with coolant and i think i got all the air out. so grub, do you think it's possible that i might go down on coolant because i don't have 100% of the air out?

 

[lofsfire]

i mastered track tension, tomorrow i will attempt to get the air sucked out of the cooling system, any more tips before i screw it up? lol

I think you are forgetting something, track alignment. I have always just eyeballed the tension or used the two finger rule should be able to get 2 fingers in where the track sag is the greatest with no weight on it. But it sounds like your passed this now.

Here is what you need to do once you get the sled running.

First you will need to check see track is centered.
With rear of vehicle supported off the ground, start
engine and allow the track to rotate slowly.
(Once I know its not really far off I give it some gas too.)
Check that the track is well centered; equal distance
on both sides between edges of track
guides and slider shoes (hyfax).

To adjust, loosen the rear idler wheel retaining
screws then loosen or tighten the adjuster bolts
located on the inner side of the rear idler wheels. Remember a little adjustment goes a long way. Also remember adjusting the right side will push the track to the left and vice-versa.

Also I'm sure you have seen this link on here before:
http://chadt.us/manuals/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=36&Itemid=57
he does not have your sled but the procedure for everything you are doing will be the same. If the Poo book does not cover it I know the Doo book does.

 

[mjkaliszak]

btw everyone, i got the sled filled up with coolant and i think i got all the air out. so grub, do you think it's possible that i might go down on coolant because i don't have 100% of the air out?

YES your system should stabilize eventually.You may have to run it thru several cycles to get it to do so. It will expand when hot & contract when it cools.Having a little air will make the effect more dramatic. From time to time when I have to top off coolant levels due to working on the sled, I carry the coolant in a little bottle of gatorade in my storage compartment. They don't seem to leak. IMO.

 

[indy_500]

YES your system should stabilize eventually.You may have to run it thru several cycles to get it to do so. It will expand when hot & contract when it cools.Having a little air will make the effect more dramatic. From time to time when I have to top off coolant levels due to working on the sled, I carry the coolant in a little bottle of gatorade in my storage compartment. They don't seem to leak. IMO.

Ok i'll make sure to bring some! thanks for the tip!

 

[indy_500]

I think you are forgetting something, track alignment. I have always just eyeballed the tension or used the two finger rule should be able to get 2 fingers in where the track sag is the greatest with no weight on it. But it sounds like your passed this now.

Here is what you need to do once you get the sled running.

First you will need to check see track is centered.
With rear of vehicle supported off the ground, start
engine and allow the track to rotate slowly.
(Once I know its not really far off I give it some gas too.)
Check that the track is well centered; equal distance
on both sides between edges of track
guides and slider shoes (hyfax).

To adjust, loosen the rear idler wheel retaining
screws then loosen or tighten the adjuster bolts
located on the inner side of the rear idler wheels. Remember a little adjustment goes a long way. Also remember adjusting the right side will push the track to the left and vice-versa.

Also I'm sure you have seen this link on here before:
http://chadt.us/manuals/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=36&Itemid=57
he does not have your sled but the procedure for everything you are doing will be the same. If the Poo book does not cover it I know the Doo book does.

i did measure from the flush end of where u put the track tensioner bolt into, to the head of the bolt. So i'm pretty sure i got it aligned

 

[dcsnomo]

My 98 XLT gave me a lot of trouble as there is no bleed screw. I finally solved it by parking on a steep hill, nose DOWN, with the engine running, then nose up with it running, then level ground to top off, then repeat. This year when it gets new pistons it gets a blled screw!

 

[G]

As far as track alignment the very first thing you should be doing is to get a long straightedge - I use a piece of angle iron - to align the skis with the track. If your skis are not going straight relative to the track you are losing all kinds of performance and handling. Put the straightedge along one ski when you have the handlebars straight. You can of course also check ski alignment this way. Adjust your skis so they have about 1/4 inch toe out. Then you can align the track to the skis. Over the years I have actually shimmed my skidframe in certain circumstances when things don't line up. A complete front to back alignment will also help find any bent components in the suspension or tie rods. It can be amazing how much top end a person can pick up when everything is running true. Again, run the track as loose as possible for max top end. Just about all the mfgs recommend track settings that are too tight. You only have to be tight enough so you don't slip the drivers. Certain suspensions like the ones in the '07 Yami RTX force you to run tighter tensions. The only way to get around this is to install the extrovert drivers in addition to the factory involute drivers.

 

[lofsfire]

i did measure from the flush end of where u put the track tensioner bolt into, to the head of the bolt. So i'm pretty sure i got it aligned

You will still need to align the track to the skid once rotational force are put on the track. All you will need to do is pick a somewhere near the rear of the skid measure before running the track, then shut off measure again, and repeat till the distance it the equal on both side as I described above. Then if you need you can align the skis to the track. Not a bad idea to check every few years any ways.
Good luck!

 

[rblscoot]

air bleed

I had a 90 indy 500 that I lost a hose on about a block from a dealer(lucky). It was the hardest sled to bleed and refill. Start out on level ground fill and warm up shutdown. Lift front real high 2-3ft refill start run to warm, have a couple extra bodies, with front up then tip to the rightside so left ski is 1ft higher that the right ski. Hold it there for about 2-3 minutes let down and cool. This what the dealer told me to do and it worked. Recheck on level then ride.

 

[dcsnomo]

I had a 90 indy 500 that I lost a hose on about a block from a dealer(lucky). It was the hardest sled to bleed and refill. Start out on level ground fill and warm up shutdown. Lift front real high 2-3ft refill start run to warm, have a couple extra bodies, with front up then tip to the rightside so left ski is 1ft higher that the right ski. Hold it there for about 2-3 minutes let down and cool. This what the dealer told me to do and it worked. Recheck on level then ride.

Never thought of side to side, only front to back. Good info, thanks!