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2001 RMK Leaking Coolant

ssr384

New Member
Messages
3
Age
42
Location
Colorado
Country
USA
Years Snowmobiling
2
Snowmobile
2001 RMK
2014 Summit 800
Morning all

I just recently purchased a 2001 RMK for my fiance, and after a few days of running great, we had a problem with it out the other day. It started draining all of its coolant, draining out from the bottom near the exhaust. Thankfully I think I caught it in the process of happening and we killed the sled and towed it out. When I attempted to refill the coolant reservoir, the just continued to drain out, even with the engine off.

I have the area it is pooling in and draining circled in the pictures. I don't see a leak anywhere apparent when looking from the top. I'm fairly mechanically inclined and love fixing a problem, just a little lost as to where it could be coming from. I will also try and get all of the snow inside the engine bay out today and take some better pictures.

From the bottom of the coolant reservoir, the line Ts and I think from looking at the diagrams, I think one side goes down to the water pump on the engine, the other to the heat exchanger that sits right in front of the track. My first thought was to pull the bottom panel off and see if the leak was apparent looking from the bottom, but I will be doing this outside at 11000ft in Colorado in the middle of January, so I was hoping someone here might have some advice or tips for the quickest way to track down the coolant leak.

Thanks a bunch in advanced, I'm only a couple of years into sledding and the support and help I've already received in the sledding community is unreal.


Cheers

Sean
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Probably just a hose rubbed a hole in it. Get ride of all the snow and you should be able to see it. If you have access to a cooling system pressure tester it makes things a little easier.
 
Looks like you circled the problem in the first picture, that hose off the brake caliper to the coolers is likely shot. All those hoses on that sled are 20+years old now and are looking dry and aged in those pictures.
Also don't use newer coolant in that sled, the seals in the older sleds can't handle the newer organic acid based coolants.
Zerex still makes the original green blend, NAPA can order it in if they don't have it on the shelf at your local store.
 
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Looks like you circled the problem in the first picture, that hose off the brake caliper to the coolers is likely shot. All those hoses on that sled are 20+years old now and are looking dry and aged in those pictures.
Also don't use newer coolant in that sled, the seals in the older sleds can't handle the newer organic acid based coolants.
Zerex still makes the original green blend, NAPA can order it in if they don't have it on the shelf at your local store.
Thanks a bunch! I'm, just about to get in there and see what I can see once i get all the snow out.

And yea I definitely didn't know that about the coolant and put some new stuff in there, I will go and find some green to refill her once I track down this leak
 
Hey

So finally got it to a friends garage and was able to pull the exhaust and pressure test it. After it pooled up again in the right foot area, i stuck my camera down there and recorded some videos, and unfortunately looks like it is leaking from the front of the running board cooler on that right hand side. I pulled the hose from the cooler to the brake caliper just to make sure it was good, and it was.

So unfortunately looking like I have to have that running board exchanger repaired or replaced. Looking at this diagram it looks like it is attached to the running board by 9 rivets. I need to go get some better drill bits to take them out, but is it as simple as just removing the 9 rivets and the cooler should slide off?

Thanks!
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The service manual doesn't give any information on those coolers other than to give the same diagram you posted, but looks like the 9 rivets is it.
 


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