advise

[styylesnwife]

Hello,I am new to sleding and we went out on the weekend for the 1st time. I have a 800 rmk polaris 2003.We were going down the road and about 5km in it started to smoke like crazy. I stoped the sled and opened the hood to find antifreeze all over the place. I dont see any loose hoses or clamps. Closed the hood and tryed to start but would not. Today went and put new antifrezze in and started no problem, reved up the engine and didnt see any leaks. Should I be concern or does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do. I am not a mechanic and dont pretend to be...lol. I would hate to take it some where to have them charge me 200 dollars and tell me there is nothing wrong. Talk to a guy on the road that stoped and he didnt see anything. He also said that there was not enough snow on the road and the cooler on the back may have just over heated, would that cause the antifreeze/pressure build up to drain the tank?Like I said any help would be great.Thanks

 

[markoo]

you overheated it. check cylinders for scoring. also check for leaks after you fill it up and run it.

 

[styylesnwife]

How do I check cylinder for scoring?

 

[800ccmeathead]

Similar thing happened to me and it turned out the thermostat was stuck.

 

[styylesnwife]

I did fill up today and didn't see any leaks. Seemed like it was empty. Took a lot of antifreeze

 

[MrHankey]

uh oh

 

[suzuki_ryder]

How do I check cylinder for scoring?

You have to tear the motor apart. If you stopped as soon as you saw the smoke, I 100% guarantee you did no damage. You'd have to ride it for a good few mins after to cause any engine damage. Fill it back up with coolant and ride it for another few years.

 

[barleyfarmer]

At the very least pull off the y-pipe and look at your pistons.It sounds like you heat seized it and it started after it cooled off!Was your temp lite flashing on the dash?Did it stop on it's own or you shut it off?If it quit on it's own that is not good!I bet you have scored pistons at the very least!

 

[capt. crunch]

You are running a deep snow machine. You either need snow on the trail or get some ice scratchers. Sounds like you overheated it.

 

[styylesnwife]

Turned it off myself as soon as seen smoke. Filled up today ran fine. If the pistons are scored will it do damage if i keep running it. I wouldn't know how to pull engine apart. If i take it out on Thursday is there anything I could listen for, feel or see if they are scored.

 

[styylesnwife]

No light were flashing, and looked lime most of coolant was under sled when I droped

 

[barleyfarmer]

Turned it off myself as soon as seen smoke. Filled up today ran fine. If the pistons are scored will it do damage if i keep running it. I wouldn't know how to pull engine apart. If i take it out on Thursday is there anything I could listen for, feel or see if they are scored.

Pull off exhaust and y-pipe.Easy to do and look at pistons it will be easy to see any damage.And if there is any scoring and you keep running it you run the risk of totally destroying the engine if the pistons come apart or the nikisil starts coming off the jugs!Cheaper to fix now with a little damage instead of later with alot of damage.

 

[styylesnwife]

Pull off exhaust and y-pipe.Easy to do and look at pistons it will be easy to see any damage.And if there is any scoring and you keep running it you run the risk of totally destroying the engine if the pistons come apart or the nikisil starts coming off the jugs!Cheaper to fix now with a little damage instead of later with alot of damage.

Ok thanks I will go have a look tomorrow.Thanks for all the advice from everyone, any more advice is welcome.If they are scored does anyone know a good mechanic in Calgary?

 

[barleyfarmer]

If the pistons look good and you fire it up again with coolant,check for excess bubbles in the coolant with the engine running.If it is really bubbling it might be your head leaking.Those engines I think had o-rings for a head gasket,that's also a cheap fix too!

 

[calgarysledguy]

As long as it wasnt harder to pull sled over when you couldnt get it to start again.I'm sure everything will be fine in there.If you want me to stop buy tomorrow afternoon ill pull the Y pipe off and we can take a look.If you don't have ice scratchers its probley a good idea when your out trail ridding.

 

[FatGuy]

If I were you I would get a new thermostat and put it in. There cheap and easy to install and gives you peice of mind knowing you got a good one inyour motor. And if it does overheat on you again the you know it's not the thermostat.

 

[trench]

Easy thing to test the thermometer, just remove it and put it in a pot of water on the stove, watch to make sure it opens before the water starts to boil.

 

[j.c.higgins]

Check your compression with a compression tester, maybe before you start pulling things apart. Find out what the spec is for the motor, maybe someone on here knows. Get yourself some ice scratchers because low snow or no snow equals overheat.

 

[plio7]

i've over heated my cat, if you shut it down at the first sign of smoke, which was more than likely steam you will be fine. if she pull sover ok starts and runs good, wait for more snow and tray again, run her easy for a little while ot see if it acts up, and then giver chit. jmo

pulling y pipe is good advice too just to take a peak, but i doubt you did anything. also if you drained the tank almost completely when you refill, might want to get the front up a bit and let it warm up to see if the tank drops, make sure you dolnt have an air lock.....thats how mine over heated in the first place

Turned it off myself as soon as seen smoke. Filled up today ran fine. If the pistons are scored will it do damage if i keep running it. I wouldn't know how to pull engine apart. If i take it out on Thursday is there anything I could listen for, feel or see if they are scored.

 

[Modman]

Ok thanks I will go have a look tomorrow.Thanks for all the advice from everyone, any more advice is welcome.If they are scored does anyone know a good mechanic in Calgary?

I can do all the above for you in under 1/2 hr. compression test and check pistons. Won't cost you a dime. Send me a PM with phone #. Hopefully it just heat stuck and didn't do any damage.