Radiator cap blown and leaking Antifreeze?

[Polaris-DitchBanger22]

I have a 1991 Polaris Indy 400 XCR Liquid Cooled. So today before I left my house for the trails I filled up my gas, oil and antifreeze. After about 20 miles of riding I had a temp light lit up on my dash, I poured in about 2 quarts of antifreeze and headed home and about a mile before my house my temp light turned again and I thought I could make it home before the sled overheated. When i got home I opened the hood to find that my radiator cap, still on the tube that leads to the cylinders, the whole stem of the tube just blew off. WHAT HAPPENED? The sled ran fine all day and the day before and how did i go through so much antifreeze so quick?

 

[indy_500]

So today before I left my house for the trails I filled up my gas, oil and antifreeze

you shouldn't ever have to fill up on antifreeze.

 

[Polaris-DitchBanger22]

why?

 

[indy_500]

why?

you don't "go through" antifreeze, it's like oil in a car, it should stay the same level, if it ain't, somethings wrong. You see any leaks? What is this "stem" you are talking about? got any pics?

 

[Polaris-DitchBanger22]

thats why i posted i assumed that somethings wrong ill take a pic tommorrow its dark out right now

 

[snowbuff]

Stuck thermostat. Replace.

 

[fish633]

blown head gasket,piston is pressurizing cooling system

 

[Polaris-DitchBanger22]

okay i started it up today and drove it down my driveway, it seemed to run fine. i dont see why it would still run when the radiator cap is off.

 

[ezra]

radiator cap has nothing to do with it running .it will run till it overheats then it will still run till it gets to hot and takes out a cylinder or worse

 

[anonomoose]

okay i started it up today and drove it down my driveway, it seemed to run fine. i dont see why it would still run when the radiator cap is off.

If you are NOT joking here.....just drive this unit up on the trailer and take it to a good snomo mechanic....belieeeeeeeve me, it will be much cheaper for you in the long run.

 

[wisyooper1]

blown head gasket,piston is pressurizing cooling system

I agree with Fish...this sounds like a leaky head gasked resulting in pressure in the cooling system, which blew the cap off.

 

[wisyooper1]

It will run just fine with the coolant cap off just like it will run just fine with the oil or gas cap off. Might get messy, and you might end up contaminating your fluids, but the cap isn't needed for it to run.

 

[hednup2]

OMFG from some of the responders, don't butcher the sled, take it in and get it checked out, if you are savy in mechanics, get a radiator pressure tester it will eliminate the blown headgasket part which I agree you'll probably find out what is doing it. As far as dumping all the anti freeze in it, I can't believe you didn't see the steam or smell it burning on the engine. Maybe it was a bad cap, buy a new one and see if it blows off like your old one did, just don't go on a saddle bag trip until your confident it's not gonna happen, If it does you've got a problem, when one of my sleds breaks it takes a while before I can trust it again, do the same here with yours. Always process of elimination but start with the cheapest and easiest to do before jumping in and throwing your money out the window.