Just wondering what coolant everyone is using in their quads. I have the green one but heard the orange is better?? What's everyone's thoughts? I found my quad quick to overheat when the rad was full maybe better coolant would make it run a little longer.
Best Coolant?
- Thread starter szprod
- Start date
evenson
Active VIP Member
Engine Ice is pretty good I hear. It's blue.
- Thread starter
- #3
whoDEANie
Active VIP Member
I swear by it. These days, the only time I seem to overheat is when my rad it totally caked and it's only happened to me once so far this season.
I'm going to order a coolant temp gauge off ebay, see what temps I runt at with the normal coolant I currently have in my quad, then swap it out for Engine Ice and see if it makes a real difference. I think they claim 10 degrees cooler?
STYKO
Active VIP Member
Ya, sounds expensive I guess, but I don't think you change it as often as oil...not 100% sure tho. Maybe every two years???....whats everyone else do??
- Thread starter
- #7
dodgeguy
Active VIP Member
Hah, I think we read the same thing...I googled it last night and read a similar story. If it works to keep things cooler TOTALLY worth the extra dough IMO!!
zeebs
Active VIP Member
Keep us informed on how it works. It would be interesting to hear from ya after you use it.
whoDEANie
Active VIP Member
Well unfortunatley, that's the catch. I run mine all winter because my quads are stored indoors and never get cold enough for the Engine Ice to freeze, but you have to be careful because it freezes at -26c.
Regardless, I'm pretty sure you should still flush your coolant as often as your manual recommends.
dodgeguy
Active VIP Member
Sorry had to I know it was a typing error....BTW -27F = -32.7C
TheMuffinMan
Active VIP Member
I've never seen it used in an ATV before but I've run Evans NPG coolant in motocross bikes with great success. Its a waterless coolant that's basically impossible to boil over and it transfers heat much better than traditional coolants. The NPG-R type is a pure high performance version that gives awesome cooling ability but not recommended for casual use (it will freeze in extreme cold). They also make a year-round variant (NPG+) that's not as effective as the R-type for heat transfer but it's still much better than water-based coolants and I guess it's a lifetime coolant...never has to be changed.
dodgeguy
Active VIP Member
What he said.....LOL!! I used it in my old old GM and it worked awesome, ordered it online...can ya get that stuff in Alberta somewhere?
Riverjet
Active VIP Member
It's not the type of antifreeze/coolant that determines if your engine will overheat or not.
You have a thermostat in your cooling system that maintains a specified engine operating temperature. If your thermostat is failing or has failed it will overheat or not reach the proper operating temperature.
Another little but very important item is the "rad cap". The rad cap has a pressure rating on it. Increasing the pressure in a cooling system increases the temperature at which the coolant will boil. That is the job of the rad cap. It works in conjunction with the coolant overflow bottle/reservoir.
If your rad is plugged no special coolant is going to prevent an overheating condition.
Water or urine in your cooling system will do the same as any coolant, except coolants have special additives to prevent corrosion etc in your engine.
You have a thermostat in your cooling system that maintains a specified engine operating temperature. If your thermostat is failing or has failed it will overheat or not reach the proper operating temperature.
Another little but very important item is the "rad cap". The rad cap has a pressure rating on it. Increasing the pressure in a cooling system increases the temperature at which the coolant will boil. That is the job of the rad cap. It works in conjunction with the coolant overflow bottle/reservoir.
If your rad is plugged no special coolant is going to prevent an overheating condition.
Water or urine in your cooling system will do the same as any coolant, except coolants have special additives to prevent corrosion etc in your engine.
- Thread starter
- #16
Well I spoke with Kevin from Rapid and he essentially said the same thing as riverjet. Engine Ice might delay the engine over heating longer than traditional coolant but if the rad is plugged it's going to overheat regardless of what fluid you put in. If you want to really solve the problem get a rad relocate or stop and clean your rad lol. I guess with mine not being in a heated garage during the winter I would have to do as Quadboy suggested and switch coolants or just stick with the green stuff good to -45
rzrgade
Active VIP Member
Just buy a polaris ,they make a decent rad....lol When is the last time you seen a guy with a rzr overheating.......
- Thread starter
- #18
See that's the thing my rad on the 850 XP is big but on the S&M ride I was overheating and I only went through 5 mud holes. I went through them fast but still I went through more mud on the rocky rail line ride then the S&M ride and didn't overheat
Quad was anoying because it kept going 1km then going limph mode and then after 5 min of cool down another 1km.
Riverjet
Active VIP Member
I did some reading on the Evans coolant. It sounds like they are allowing the operating temperature of the engine to be increased above what we would normally see when using ordinary coolant.
They are doing this for the purpose of being able to have your fan not come on, (by adding a resistor to the fan circuit) as often or as soon as it normally would so they can claim improved fuel economy. Remember though, they are talking heavy trucks.
Extra heat is never good. Engines are meant to operate at certain temperature levels for a reason. Allowing an engine to operate at higher temperatures then they were designed to isn't a good thing. Thats why thermostats are rated at the temperatures they are.
If more heat is good then we would already have been running higher temperature cooling systems a long time ago. Heat is the enemy in any internal combustion engine.
Change your coolant as specified by the manufacturer, keep the freezing level at the recommended temperature for your area, keep your rad clean, test your rad cap if you're overheating and you shouldn't have any problems.
Antifreeze mixed at lower than recommended temperature levels can also hurt your engine. Straight antifreeze doesn't dissipate heat like properly mixed antifreeze does and can cause engine damage.
They are doing this for the purpose of being able to have your fan not come on, (by adding a resistor to the fan circuit) as often or as soon as it normally would so they can claim improved fuel economy. Remember though, they are talking heavy trucks.
Extra heat is never good. Engines are meant to operate at certain temperature levels for a reason. Allowing an engine to operate at higher temperatures then they were designed to isn't a good thing. Thats why thermostats are rated at the temperatures they are.
If more heat is good then we would already have been running higher temperature cooling systems a long time ago. Heat is the enemy in any internal combustion engine.
Change your coolant as specified by the manufacturer, keep the freezing level at the recommended temperature for your area, keep your rad clean, test your rad cap if you're overheating and you shouldn't have any problems.
Antifreeze mixed at lower than recommended temperature levels can also hurt your engine. Straight antifreeze doesn't dissipate heat like properly mixed antifreeze does and can cause engine damage.
Last edited:
- Moderator
- #20
See that's the thing my rad on the 850 XP is big but on the S&M ride I was overheating and I only went through 5 mud holes. I went through them fast but still I went through more mud on the rocky rail line ride then the S&M ride and didn't overheat
If you add a mud flap inside the fender beside the rad. I found the spinning front wheel tossed mud into the front grill and back into the rad.
This flap closes this opening and keeps mud in the fenders
Similar threads
