New Ski-Doo overheating? - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

josseppi · 12-30-2012, 11:28 AM

Sorry to post right after registering but I thought someone would have a probable cause for my new Ski-Doo grand touring 1200 4-stoke overheating.
I put about 12 miles on it and it overheated twice. The first time I checked the coolant and there was none in the bowl. It was filled at the dealership when I picked it up. I add coolant to the reccommended level and ran the snowmobile for another couple of miles. It slowly began to overheat again and then alarms sounded. It seems like coolant maybe not getting through. Thermostat? Water pump? Dealer will not be open until after new year!

DanM675 · 12-30-2012, 02:22 PM

It takes a while for all the tubes and the radiator to completely fill up with coolant keep filling it up.

josseppi · 12-30-2012, 03:31 PM

I kept filling it and the level is where it is supposed to be. It still gets very hot. All the metal (clutch and belt housing) was too hot to touch???

DanM675 · 12-30-2012, 04:01 PM

So while its hot is the coolant at full level?

**smallengineguy** · 12-30-2012, 05:38 PM

Is it new? Has it been apart? Are the exchangers under the tunnel getting hot?

Rczr600rider · 12-30-2012, 05:55 PM

If there are no coolant leaks then it may have a defective thermostat, or there may be air trapped in the cooling system. First, check for coolant in the bellypan. If you find none, try filling the coolant to full, start the sled, and let it idle. Watch the coolant level, if it drops, add to the full level again. Keep doing it until the level stops dropping. Make sure you watch the engine temperature and don't overheat it. If the coolant boils over while you attempt this, you probably have a bad thermostat.

DanM675 · 12-30-2012, 07:54 PM

But don't fill it while the engine is hot!

Rczr600rider · 12-30-2012, 09:18 PM

You can add small amounts to it as long as there is still coolant in the reservoir when the engine is warm. Do not poor coolant into a hot engine that has none in it. The rapid temperature change can cause severe engine damage.

nunrleft · 12-30-2012, 10:44 PM

I wouldn't mess with it. Bring it back to the dealership.

josseppi · 12-31-2012, 08:58 AM

Thanks for the replies! I decided to let the dealership find out what the problem is since this is just the first time on the sled. If the overheating caused any damage I want them to find it. So much for my first snowmobile trip, a real disaster!

DanM675 · 12-31-2012, 10:04 AM

Yeah sorry about that

I hate it when that happens.

josseppi · 01-02-2013, 01:38 PM

Just got back from the dealership. They immediately took the sled in and checked it out. The computer indicated no problems? Mechanic said I was probably running the sled in packed snow and powder was not getting into where it has to go to cool the engine. The coolant stayed at the correct level when he ran it in fresh powder. Also, the temp did not indicate overheating during the entire test. I asked about the clutch cover being too hot to the touch. He said they all get very, very hot when the sled is run??

I guess I will give it another try and see what happens. Thanks for all the input. I guess I'm just an ignorant novice when it comes to snowmobiles.

**RJ Gleason** · 01-02-2013, 02:27 PM

You might want to consider adding scratchers to aid in cooling on hard pack and ice.
Get the flexible ones so you do not have to remember to pick them up every time you use reverse.

steveg_nh · 01-02-2013, 10:12 PM

I'm thinking about getting the ice scratchers too. They really do work? I have a large pond behind my house, and the trails around here are pretty packed. Having a liquid cooled Yamaha Viper, I know I'll have heat issues over time...so the consensus is these are worth it? We're talking about Duraflex Ice Scratchers right?

smokingcrater · 01-03-2013, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josseppi

I asked about the clutch cover being too hot to the touch. He said they all get very, very hot when the sled is run??

Clutch cover or clutch itself? Any shroud around the clutch should be cold, unless ski doo is using some unusual design with that. The clutch itself will get warm, but hot indicates something else. Could be the result of lots of slow driving or hard launches, or it could be a clutch/belt that has some junk built up on it and is slipping. (can happen from the factory if the clutch and belt have leftover material on them from production)

**RJ Gleason** · 01-03-2013, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveg_nh

I'm thinking about getting the ice scratchers too. They really do work? I have a large pond behind my house, and the trails around here are pretty packed. Having a liquid cooled Yamaha Viper, I know I'll have heat issues over time...so the consensus is these are worth it? We're talking about Duraflex Ice Scratchers right?

Yes they work!

steveg_nh · 01-03-2013, 09:25 AM

Thanks. what I like about these is that they are flexible so reverse isn't an issue, vs the hard metal spring loaded ones. So the feeling is they also do a good enough job vs that style and are worth the $80? Can you install without removing the forward idler wheel?

Phaze · 01-03-2013, 10:31 AM

Here's a vid of them in action. Tips are replaceable.......

Snowmobile Slides | Snowmobile Hifax | Ice Scratchers | SlideKicks | Hi-Performance Engineering

**RJ Gleason** · 01-03-2013, 11:14 AM

I saw them mounded on an IQ just behind the front idlers.

josseppi · 01-09-2013, 01:09 PM

Just to update you on my new Ski-doo grand touring SE - 4 stroke.
Drove it about 75 miles, some very packed icey roads. As long as I went to some powder once in a while the sled stayed pretty cool. Glad of that!
I think I will add some scratchers though. After watching a video I think it would do the trick!