I'll tell you what I did and I hope someone can help me out. Here I go....

I went quading two weeks ago and a quading buddy and I found a big pool of water, so we started to go play in it. Well I guess after about 30 minutes of driving around in the water the sand at the bottom mixed with the water and was leaving sand on the fenders and all over the frame of the quad. Now the water was at times over the racks. That day the quad ran fine. I was then asked to go quading next weekend and when we went again the quad worked great for the first 30 minutes, I then noticed the engine temp light came on for the first time ever on the machine. I stopped and I didn't hear the fan going so I turned off the quad and let it sit for about 10 minutes. The motor was very hot, I could have easily burned my hand if I held it on the motor for more than 1 second. So I got a tow back to town.

Now back at home I checked to see why the fan didn't work. The fuse was blown, no problem. I changed the fuse and the front and rear differential oil as well as the engine oil. All of the oil looked good. So I went for a ride the next day. The fan ran for almost an hour straight before the motor overheated again. So the problem wasn't the fan, but it was part of it.

Back at home again, I look into the rad and notice alot of sand and grit in the rad. So I wash out the rad and alot of sand came out. I thought the problem was fixed this time, so I went out the same day again. During my ride the quad overheated in about 30 minutes again and the fan did not kick it. I checked the fuse and the fuse was good. So now I'm stumped.

Is there a thermistat on these machines? Is there a waterpump on quads? Any one have any ideas on what the problem could be? I really would love to go biking again this weekend. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

You got me! While first reading your post I thought blown fuse, as that has happened to a friend of mine while we were riding our suzuki 500's one day. But then you said it was blown, but replaced. Then went on with the rest of your story. Anyhow, I cant think of what else it could be. The fan is running right?????? And your not leaking coolant? And the coolant level I assume is all good? I will keep thinking about this and if anything pops in my mind I will post! Good luck!

 

The story continues.....

Last night I talked with my dad, he suggested to look in the rad to see if it was full of coolant. Well guess what the coolant is all gone. No wonder the quad over heats. And that would also explain why the fan stopped working. The fan has a clear rubber hose running from the rad to the bottom of the fan, I think the tube gets full of coolant. Once the coolant reaches a certain temperature the fan will kick it. Thats my theory.

So I fill the rad full of water like my dad said to and watch for leaks. Nothing leaked out, so I put the cap back on the rad and jumped on my machine to go for a little ride. I drove the quad really hard for about 20 minutes and the motor just got warm, not even really hot. So the problem is coolant.

When I got back home I noticed water was leaking from the front end, I couldn't pin point the location. Does anyone know how to pin point the leak? Thanks for the help.

 

To look for the leak, fill up the coolant level again, let it idle, and get a good flashlight and lay on the ground and Look for it!! I hope you didnt run it to long without any coolant!!

 

I'll try that tonight, although I looked at the rad during lunch and the water was still inside. It wasn't full but I could see the water near the top. The water only leaks out when the quad is running. So would that mean a hose or connection is faulty? Or can the rad leak when the motor is running? Thanks.

 

It could be a hose connection? or maybe a "pin hole" type of deal in a hose where it only will leak when engine is running and pressure builds up in the system and forces coolant out? Good Luck!

 

OK, I filled up the rad with water again and let the quad idle. The leak comes from the very top of the rad. You can see a wet strip of fins, top to bottom, on the rad. I talked to my dad again and he says to turn the cap on the rad half way. So I filled it back up and turned the cap to half on only.

I went for a ride and drove for about 10 minutes, not very hard driving but every now and again I would make the quad work hard. I stopped the bike and looked for coolant leaking, it still was leaking just like before. I don't think the rad cap thing worked. So I left the cap half on because it was a little hot. So I keep driving and for about another 10 minutes and check again, its still leaking. OK, this time I drive for about 45 minutes. The fan kicked in during my ride, thank god because I thought the fan was broken too. Well I stopped again after driving and looked for a leak. It was leaking still but very slowly. I guess once the coolant gets to a certain level in the rad, like past the leak, then it stops or almost stops leaking.

This is what I want to do because there is a big trip coming up this sunday. I want to put some rad repair stuff into my rad. Can you suggest anything to me, what seems to work the best? Also how can I drain the water out of my rad and replace the water with a mixture of coolant and water? Thanks for the help everyone.

 

You'd probably be better off taking it to a radiator shop and getting it fixed instead of monkeying around with additives. I wouldn't ride it until it is repaired correctly. Why risk engine damage?

 

I'd agree with Mike about getting it repaired properly. I've tried the aluminum additives on a truck radiator and it seemed to work ok. I don't know about ATVs though.

 

My plan is to plug it up, if it will plug up and go ridding this weekend. If it doesn't plug up then I won't be going riding this weekend. So now what I want to do is drain the water and what ever coolant I have left in the machine and add new coolant and water and then add my rad plug stuff. Then go riding until August 3rd. Thats when I will have the quad back at the dealership to get a new rad for it. Thats my plan and I'm sticking to it. I hope it works because I really really want to go quading this weekend !!! Its going to be fun, 4 or 5 quads I hope. Its been along time since I went riding with a group of people. I can't wait.