well, just got back from another weekend of riding at the Wayne National Forest, one of my favorite spots to ride. this time its the 650's turn with a wrench. its been troublefree since i bought it in 05, but yesterday it was overheating, and at first i thought it might be mud in the rad, but i didnt really hit any big mudholes, so when we got back to camp, i popped the top off the rad, and it was EMPTY! which is nuts b/c i checked it after we rode last time which was less than a month ago. so i start pouring in water, and as it gets to the top, i notice its spilling water everywhere, so i look from the wheel well and notice that the plastic nipple molded onto the top endtank, broke where the hose clamps on, broke off from the radiator. im gonna start pulling stuff off tommorrow and see if i can fix it first or if not get a new radiator.

and another thing, my gas filler neck broke, right about under the second thread from the top, it cracked, not completely off, but about half of it, the cap still screws on, but it is loose and gas leaks out while under aggressive conditions, do i have to replace the whole tank, or is it a separate piece? the online microfiche's dont show enough detail to tell for certain.

 

With regard to your gas tank. If you have both pieces maybe JB Weld or I hear that there is a way to Weld plastic back together.

 

those are the holes i found in the radiator. i think my cap didnt release the pressure, cause that looks like a blowout on the front, it should have been flat, no connector or anything. dealer says a new core is 199, oh well, ***** happens...

 

the first pic is the backside of the radiator where the coolant hose attaches, but the second pic is the front side and should be flat.

 

You are lucky the engine did not melt down. Another reason that I like air/oil cooled engines.

 

AC4life,

By any chance does your ATV sit outside during the winter and does it get cold enough where you live to freeze things solid?

The reason I ask is I have seen here in Alaska a car with antifreeze in the radiator that was not at the proper mixture for the temps and it froze the radiator solid. Because the car was not driven much after they snow bird returned and began driving the car it all of a sudden overheated and blew the head gasket. During the head gasket repair I noticed that where his lower hose connected the radiator was bulged to the point that the radiator split or cracked. Once cracked a little pressure inside and it popped open and drained.

Just a thought.

SJ

 

it does get pretty cold here in cleveland, but the quad sits in the shed, but it will freeze, the mixture was what was put in from the factory, so im not sure on that. this just happend this past ride, b/c it was fine the rest of the summer, plus i ride in the winter alot too. it would have been nice that even though its a water cooled motor, that they could have put heat sinks on the heads to help out a bit more.

 

check ebay there a gas tank and a radiator both on there

 

i live in michigan and never thought about the raditor freezing solid ive had my cat 4 years and it sits during winter

 

Here in Alaska I have seen cracked engine blocks from someone not having the proper antifreeze mixture in their radiator.

The thin walled radiator I have found to be the most suseptable to this type of breakage.

SJ

Welcome to the Forum Arty.