Well, one cannot expect each of these to give you the full coolant temperature drop when combined. Each by themselves. Perhaps. But that was never my intent.
I didn't like rolling down a trail at 192 to 200 degrees. Why? I dunno. Just seemed hotter than necessary. My experiences the the previous 25 years had been with air cooled engines. So the RZR 800 was a big change. I installed the UTV Inc. Fan Override kit on the RZR 800. And used it all the time the machine was moving. That cut the coolant temp. How much. Sorry, I don't remember.
Early in the life of the General I added the UTV Inc. Fan Override switch and that helped by close to 10 degrees. I had done the Polaris recall to replace the Steering Column fastener and the ECU reprogramming in September 2017. I got my DuraClutch kit just about the same time and installed it. Had no problems until we got to Gold Camp, AZ in January 2018. First day out we got about 8 miles from the RV Park and experienced the Misfire Detection issue. We experienced it quite few times that day. Contacted DuraClutch and began doing some field engineering for them. They sent me different weights, different belts, then another Primary Clutch. Nothing changed. We returned to Colorado the middle of February 2018. That's when I found Terry Gilomen. I purchased a new ECU with his full program. That was the end of the Misfire Detection issue. But talking with Terry, he told me about richening the mixture a bit and that would reduce the coolant temperature by perhaps ten
degrees and provide perhaps eight or nine more horsepower. Sounded good to me!
I believe it was early in 2019 and we were in Arizona, that I read about the SuperATV HD radiator. The cost wasn't much more than a stock radiator, and being a curious Mechanical Engineer, I ordered one when we got home to Colorado. Open the box and was immediately impressed with the construction. Managing a number of major boiler repair in Coal Fired power plant boilers I've seen lots of welding. The TIG welding on this radiator was impressive. The welder a true attention to detail. Now, to be honest. It took me more than a month to figure out how to install the radiator and get it standing vertical. Today the lower bracket you get with the kit, I think, is from the drawing I shared. SuperATV's top bracket, it's better than mine. But, I had to completely drain the coolant system to make the radiator change. I had seen Engine Ice mentioned somewhere. So I thought, why not give it a shot. Bought it online at Amazon for a decent price, delivered in two days. And filled the coolant system and bled it in accordance with the Polaris instructions at the Bleed Screw. So all of this work was completed by Spring 2019 before we headed to Moab for the ROTR.
In Moab my coolant temp rand in the 175 to 187 degree range. Going up grades makes the coolant temperature rise. I have to think that's a function of the size of the coolant passages in the engine, the length of the coolant hoses between the engine and radiator and the efficiency of the water pump. Probably some of each. The coolant system operated in this temperature range until April 2022. We were at Sand Hollow. On our second day, having a great time on the sand, then heading back to camp. The right side bearing of the Idler shaft failed catastrophically, the case broke open. The break being probably 6 inches in length. The outer race of the bearing at the right side of the transmission, Idler shaft, broke into seven pieces, the ball retainer strips broke into numerous pieces and the balls were released into the transmission. So we were DONE for the trip. I ordered a Rev6Sports remanufactured transmission with lots of upgrades including the 12% gear reduction.
I only have about 350 miles on that transmission. Yes, from April 17th to September 16th the General was a hanger queen for a variety of reasons.
But getting out riding again I noted that the "normal" coolant temperature had risen to 194 degrees F. Thus far I suspect the gear reduction in the "H" range of the new transmission is the reason.
The rpm at a given speed in "H" is now the same rpm as in "L". So running the higher rpm may be the reason.
I believe what I read on Engine Ice was a 10 degree coolant temperature drop when driving. I never expected 50 degrees.
Again, making all the changes, I never expected the full advertised coolant temperature reduction with each one. Thermodynamics doesn't work that way. Some of the "upgrades" I did in my search for a cooler running engine were just curiosity. I've been retired since June 3rd, 2011. I've been a gearhead since I was a kid on the farm starting in 1967. (If I didn't want to walk a mile or more when the '51 Chevy truck quit..it was learn to fix it or walk. So I got an auto mechanics book and started learning.) Some of it was always dreaming of having a Mopar muscle car that I couldn't afford while paying for the Engineering Degree. So here I am, something gets my curiosity, I'll purchase it, install it, and see if I can get it to work. I have a good number of things in boxes that I couldn't get to work. But that's the way it goes. But it does help me answer questions here on the forum.
Perhaps this helps a bit??
Oh, and where did the Pirate handle come from. Clipped in a right and turn on a Harley, in Albuquerque, on May 23rd, 2008. Trauma to left optic nerve has left eye totally blind. Wore an eyepatch for two years. Now a laser engraved lens. Pirates often have an eyepatch over one eye. Me too. So moved from Iceman in the biking world to Pirate in the UTV world.
Pirate
