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I tried engine ice, still boils in my 220. I think I'm gonna look for a higher pressure rad cap. I was riding at about 11,000' yesterday and emptied my recovery tank and some out of the radiators too. Has anyone used Evans at high altitude? This is beginning to irritate me. Okay, I'm past the beginning stages. I was about as hot as my bike is. Who rides a 220 at 9-12,000' and what do you do to keep the coolant in?

Thanks for being there,

Hi Mike!

First...as I'm sure you know, 220's do get hotter faster than the 200 models. Why you ask? I don't know. Higher displacement maybe? If I was you (and I'm not) I would pull the impeller cover and look at the impeller. Are you getting all the flow you can? Or is it gummy? Also I would power flush the system. Sometimes gasket material can get in the way of flow also. Did you excavate the system when you changed coolant? That little screw on top of the head needs to be cracked when you refill the system or else there will be air trapped in the system.

I think you are pushing the systems limits at that altitude but you should be able to come up with a workable solution. I don't ride at that altitude but I have been around cooling systems long enough to know what to look for.

Something else... try running a little richer on your jetting and see if that helps. Running too lean can make you overheat quicker....

Let us know how you come out!

Yeah, I flushed the system when I put the Engine Ice in. The radiators are practically new (about 1 year old) and look that way. I think the impeller is moving plenty of water, judging from my bonehead move when I was refilling the system. I had the rad cap off with the motor idling, making sure any big air bubbles could escape and that the pump was working. I could see the coolant moving, then I revved it and about half of it shot out onto the lawn! I did crack the bleeder screw on top of the head too. I just think the radiators are too small for the high altitude. A freind of mine has a KX that doesn't overheat, but I think his rads are a little bigger. I have my jetting running pretty good, so I hate to change it, but I might do it anyway. Before I do that I 'll try taking the rad braces off and see if that makes enough difference. Of course I'll probably dump it and crunch the radiator then.

re: 'about half of it shot out onto the lawn!'

Ha!..sorry I missed that one!

How 'bout this?

!Clicky!



No, I haven't tried it myself...I rarely have cooling problems. From an earlier thread, though (maybe you were on it...I didn't go looking), this stuff had some good input. It READS real good .

It's worth completely zip...but I feel bad for 'ya! My Duster (car) is too hot all the damn time...don't make no matter what I do with it. Electric fan, brand new 3-core rad (yes, brass), dynowhoppin' aluminum flex fan, cavitation plate on a hi-falutin' water pump, heck...I even thermo-coated the inside of the dang headers...it's still too hot most of the time.

So...it's not my bike, but I know too hot is a great big PITA!

Good luck!

If you DO try the RC-20, let us know how it works?

Thanks.

My idea might be a long shot but here it is. Are you experiencing any pinging? If so the pinging could be adding to the over heating problem that some 220's experience. My 04 200 developed a pinging issue that I cured with a mix of pump gas, aviation fuel and toluene.

I run the same mix in my 69 Chevelle (minus the premix ) and the coolant temp is consistently 15 degrees cooler compared to straight pump gas.

Mike... have you measured the KX radiators? Is it possible to actually mount larger radiators on the KDX? Hmmmm..... How are they larger.... depth or height/width? What about adding a extra? I had a oil cooler on my Harley and it was a little bitty ol thing.... I believe it could be adapted to add some extra cooling surfaces!

Something to think about anyway.....

I haven't measured the rads on the KX, but they just seem larger. If you get near one of the '05 KX250F's (4 stroke) check out the rads on those things, they're huge. I did think about adding another one, but the mounting location would be tough. I'd try that Evans coolant before doing that. The biggest problem on mine is when I'm barely moving, not enough air flow. I spose I could get a hotter lighting coil and put a couple little fans on the back of the rads.

Colorado Mike wrote:I haven't measured the rads on the KX, but they just seem larger. If you get near one of the '05 KX250F's (4 stroke) check out the rads on those things, they're huge.

One of the differences between the 04 and 05 KX250F's was the radiator size. The 05's have bigger radiators. Not that this has any bearing on your problem but I thought i'd toss that out there.

Colorado Mike wrote:I haven't measured the rads on the KX, but they just seem larger. If you get near one of the '05 KX250F's (4 stroke) check out the rads on those things, they're huge. I did think about adding another one, but the mounting location would be tough. I'd try that Evans coolant before doing that. The biggest problem on mine is when I'm barely moving, not enough air flow. I spose I could get a hotter lighting coil and put a couple little fans on the back of the rads.

I use Evans. It doesn't drop the temperature that much. My bike will run, when working hard between 194 and 203 degrees. I have gotten it up to 230+ degrees though. The Evans won't expand as much as water based coolants do, and that's it's selling point. Very little venting into the overflow. So little I gave away my overflow tank and now have even more air flow over the rads. That overflow tank really blocks the airflow on that side.

Side note: Since getting the RB modified AirStryker carb, the bike runs a tad cooler. I also had Ron re-shape the 220 head for high altitude and race gas. I highly recommend the re-shape no matter what fuel you run. It really puts some snap back into the 220 at 8,000+ feet that I've had mine up to.

yeah I plan to send Ron my head this winter. I'd like to avoid race gas though. have you found a good source for the Evans coolant?

I mail ordered mine direct from them. If you want, I can send you some of mine. It comes by the gallon and I think a KDX only holds a quart of fluid. At least I think I still have 3/4 of the gallon jug left over from 2 years ago when I put it in. Let me know how much of the stuff you want and I'll send it your way.

skipro3 wrote:Let me know how much of the stuff you want and I'll send it your way.

SKI... Has anyone told ya today what a top bloke you are ?? The world needs more people like you. Always willing to help out in any way you possibly can. I'm sure your son's would be proud to have a dad like you. Sorry about the suck job guys but I just thought Ski deserved a little gratitude for all the help he has given me and others here.

Exploiting CMike in order to clean the crap out of my garage isn't my idea of a top bloke! You have low standards, Trev. I like that.

skipro3 wrote:Exploiting CMike in order to clean the crap out of my garage isn't my idea of a top bloke! You have low standards, Trev. I like that.

HA! Nice try, but too late! Thanks for the help you have given me, too.

Well alrighty then....so much for the rc-20....

I don't know that 'top bloke' is a good thing...but Ski is surely a good guy!!


...like good at excuses for not coming up riding....stuff like that....



just kidding...he is a good guy!!

Anybody want an aluminum kickstand? One just came available! (Waka Waka)

Top

Not to be surpassed; "his top effort"

Bloke

A fellow; a man.

Have you looked at this? http://www.ziptyracing.com/display/eCom ... oryID=2186

Ty Davis offers your money back if you can make this stuff boil out. Hmmmm might have to ask if they offer the same guarantee on a 2 smoke.

A BTW with likely no application in this application whatsoever....


Some heavy heaters (big block V-8s) must run with a restrictor in the rad hose to slow down the coolant flow. Without it....guess what? The thing overheats!!

The coolant isn't in the rads long enough to cool off without the restrictor.

There are certainly instances with which I'm familiar that a vehicle overheated when the t-stat was removed. Another 'restriction' thing.

Yeah...it's a matter of balance for sure...but think about it. It's not unreasonable.

What brought this up was the comment of coolant shooting out across the yard when the bike was started with the cap off.

..maybe it's (the impeller) is moving coolant too fast!!.

Maybe? Maybe??? Maybe a restrictor...say a plate with a somewhat smaller sized hole in the piece on top of the head would do it.

Who's going to try it out?

CC's comment on the big block engines made me think of something. Is is possible for a leaking head gasket on the KDX to pressurize the cooling system too much as it would on a car engine ? I haven't had the top end apart on my 04 yet to see how the cooling system, head gasket and cylinder are configured. I have seen car engines overheat and loose coolant because of a leaking head gasket.

Does the coolant or radiators have an exhaust smell? That smell would signal exhaust gasses being in the cooling system.