Overheating ruined the day.....

[sam97]

Alright, I just got back from Silver Lake, after having my shee ruin my weekend . I just bought a 450 off of a guy (great deal), and invited my non-quad-riding brother in law to go with me for his first time out. I usually go with a huge group, but just me and him this time. Anyway, I start the shee up, and leave it idle for about 10-15 minutes, then we slowly move around the parking lot, learning the take off procedures. He is on the shee btw, and only stalled like twice. We make a lap in the lot, head out to the dunes, and he slowly moves down the entrance rode in first. We hit the riding area, and he stalls like 2 more times. I noticed a little smoke on the pipes, but thought it was just the new polish I had used burning off a bit. Then it got out of control, and I saw the green antifreeze .

 

I pulled him back to the lot, where we found out it was coming out of the the overflow. I filled up the reservoir and the radiator, started it, rode around the lot, and it overheated again. I then thought about how Shees are known to throw out a certain amount of antifreeze before coming to equilibrium, so we let it overheat and caught the antifreeze until I was sure too much had come out. (At this point we gave up on riding, making the 3.5 hour drive to there pointless due to only 5 minutes of riding.)

 

I took the water pump cover off, expecting a melted impeller, but it wasn't and it turns when you move the kicker. I have now flushed the engine and the radiator and found no restrictions. Compression test performed today on cold engine, and read 115 and 116psi.

 

I have checked the air filter, hoses, engine compression, water pump impeller, etc. I run 20 oz Yamalube 2r to 4 gallons of 93 octane. What could this be? A buddy says it could still be a head gasket, another says its a water pump oil seal, another says that the radiator isn't flowing enough (but I haven't had a previous problem). Plugs are dark dark brown, meaning its not lean. It is also running perfect before it overheats. Crankcase oil seems a little watery looking, but not milky.

 

Sorry for the book, I'm just a little angry at the wasted trip at this point . Any help is appreciated. The only mods are in my sig. Thanks a lot.

[wesw]

sounds like your doing to much idling if your bikes not moving its not getting air thru the radiator

 

 

also 20 oz of oil to 4 gals of gas is rich

 

try 16oz of oil to 4 gals which is 32-1

or 16 oz to 5 gals 40-1

[bansheefreestyler]

my quad always has antifreeze come out the overflow. that means its overheating? what do you do to stop this? i always thought that when i stop it all moves forward and out the overflow cause thats when its comes out so am i overheating or just have to much antifreeze in the rad?

[sam97]

sounds like your doing to much idling

Edited August 14, 2005 by sam97

[MonkeyBoy]

Couple of things I see. Run the oil in the manufacturers specified ratio. Whatever the oil recomends, go with it.

 

I am not convinced you overheated. My Banshee has always spit all the coolant out of the overflow. Make sure that the radiator is full. If the radiator is low, then add coolant. I never check the overflow anymore. It's just an expansion bottle on most Banshees.

 

Next, move that lin away from the pipes. I moved mine down the swingarm to dump on the skid plate. I don't want that crap on my pipes. If you get paranoid, run it up to the bars, so it spits warm coolant on your glove, so you know it's overheating.

 

Otherwise, check the radiator and keep riding.

[Machwon]

Unless the coolant level drops more than an inch in the radiator its not overheating. Make sure it has water mixed with the coolant. If the water goes below 1 inch in the radiator and it boils over after riding in the parking lot. Is this the first ride for your shee? Or have you run it before?

[odaen]

sometimes a head gasket or more commonly an o-ring if you are running a cool head will fail and won't really show when you're doing a compression check, but will pressurize your coolant system as your head and cylinder heat, forcing coolant out the overflow

[lincster]

Putting around will make it overheat, these bikes don't have fans on them.

Don't put a beginner on a Banshee in the dunes, it will spell trouble.

 

Ride the bike, don't let it idle.

[sam97]

Thanks for the help guys, going to get a aluminum impeller and new bearing seal etc, then try a hot compression test. Thinking he just wasn't riding fast enough.

 

Thanks again, I'll let you know.

[applpro]

Alright, I just got back from Silver Lake, after having my shee ruin my weekend . I just bought a 450 off of a guy (great deal), and invited my non-quad-riding  brother in law to go with me for his first time out. I usually go with a huge group, but just me and him this time. Anyway, I start the shee up, and leave it idle for about 10-15 minutes, then we slowly move around the parking lot, learning the take off procedures. He is on the shee btw, and only stalled like twice. We make a lap in the lot, head out to the dunes, and he slowly moves down the entrance rode in first. We hit the riding area, and he stalls like 2 more times. I noticed a little smoke on the pipes, but thought it was just the new polish I had used burning off a bit. Then it got out of control, and I saw the green antifreeze .

 

I pulled him back to the lot, where we found out it was coming out of the the overflow. I filled up the reservoir and the radiator, started it, rode around the lot, and it overheated again. I then thought about how Shees are known to throw out a certain amount of antifreeze before coming to equilibrium, so we let it overheat and caught the antifreeze until I was sure too much had come out. (At this point we gave up on riding, making the 3.5 hour drive to there pointless due to only 5 minutes of riding.)

 

I took the water pump cover off, expecting a melted impeller, but it wasn't and it turns when you  move the kicker. I have now flushed the engine and the radiator and found no restrictions. Compression test performed today on cold engine, and read 115 and 116psi.

 

I have checked the air filter, hoses, engine compression, water pump impeller, etc. I run 20 oz Yamalube 2r to 4 gallons of 93 octane. What could this be?   A buddy says it could still be a head gasket, another says its a water pump oil seal, another says that the radiator isn't flowing enough (but I haven't had a previous problem). Plugs are dark dark brown, meaning its not lean.  It is also running perfect before it overheats. Crankcase oil seems a little watery looking, but not milky.

 

Sorry for the book, I'm just a little angry at the wasted trip at this point . Any help is appreciated. The only mods are in my sig. Thanks a lot. 

404652[/snapback]

check the plastic gear on the inside. it's probably stripped out.

[tOj]

I know my banshee likes to get hot if I am just putting around not getting into the powerband at all for like 5 minutes. You are probably right he wasn't riding it fast enough.