Heat Exchangers

tyler540

tyler540

New member
Alright guys now that the snow has melted and the trees have leaves for the most part... its time to get ready for next season haha... ive got an idea and i wonder what you guys think of it...

im thinking about building an aluminium wedge for under the seat... this would serve two purposes.. first off i imagine it could hold about 3-5 gallons of gas at least... kinda like a tour buddy but only under the seat... and also it would jack the the seat up probably 1.5in resulting in what im told will be more comfortable, although i am not uncomfortable now...

problem is... the current heat exchangers have plumbing under the seat near the taillight... im thinking of removing them resulting in greater track clearance and much easier to build the accesory gas tank... i was checking out my cousins SX-r and it has heat exchangers on the running boards... maybe something like that would work for me?...

anyone ever think of this... anyone have any input...

also im in search of a 96 xt skid and a 1inch or 1.25 track... i possibly already have the skid lined up but if anyone has one they are dieing to get rid of let me know
 





something like this.... it would have a filler neck sticking up into the trunk where it could be filled

dont know why my picture isnt working right but the pink aread would be the tank/ riser
 
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Just a suggestion but rather than remove exchangers and what not would it be easier to accomodate the rear exchanger plumbing in the design of your riser. ie. leave a cavity where the plumbing will fit into.
 
well thats what i thought first too... but from what i can see it wont work that way...

sure i can make a cavity just like the seat has molded in but heres the problem... the cavity is around 2 1/2 inches deep and i was planning on making a riser that was around 3 inches tall in the back... that only leave like 1/2inch space for the gas to run thru before it get to the bigger are under my butt... i would think i would have to be real careful and fill up the tank real slow or else there would be a mess in the trunk.... make sense?
 
Sounds like a cool project. While it would be nice to carry more gas and have a more comfortable ride, I wouldn't compromise the cooling system on a Vmax-4. Your cousin's SX-r doesn't need as much cooling as we do. Under the footrest heat exchangers won't get as much snow thrown up on them. The rear heat exchanger is actually more important than the tunnel exchangers because it gets the most ice and snow thrown up on it. I would try to keep that intact if you can, even if you need to make new plumbing for the back under the seat. I have to think that Yamaha made the back plumbing that way because they had the room under the seat and trunk. Seems like you would be able to fabricate something more low profile that would work.

Shark
 
I'm working on increasing the fuel capacity of my vmax4 also. Having the back half of a Polaris Fusion gas tank plastic welded together to the back of the stock tank. Well have to gut the seat a little and should be able to keep origanal lines.

There is a guy in Eagle River, WI that designs and welds up aluminum tanks to replace the tanks in vintage sleds. If you have the skill replace the tank with a bigger aluminum tank. Or I have seen someone here install a 12 gallon tank from a newer Yamaha in their Vmax4.

If your looking to increase your mileage you could first blueprint your drive line. This doesn't cost alot and makes your sled roll easier.
 
yeah there are many point to be argueed... thats why i brought it up on here hahaha... im not really too sure what the cooling needs are for a 4 compared to the 3 cyclinder sxr... one could argue that the vmax has a radiator, tho small, the sxr doesnt have one at all... (so apparently the running board heat exchangers work pretty good, or else the motor doest make much heat im not sure which)

honestly i havent even got a real good look at either set of exchanges... it was more or less and idea i thought of and figured i would run it past you guys.... once i get a xt suspension and start fabbing that up im going to get serious with the heat exchangers... i agree that the rear very important and i dont know why i should be able to use it... or one from another sled... ill just have to start ripping and tearing and measuring and thinking and blah blah blah... :)
 
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Well, I think that your idea is an interesting one, and I hope it doesn't turn into an argument over cooling system capacities. :3star-war Just kinda thinking out loud throwing ideas back and forth.

I've had my sled for 16 years and it has only overheated twice. Once was on an extended trip on a dirt road trying to get from one section of a trail to another, and the other was in a freezing rain ice storm. Both times I wasn't getting any snow thrown up on the heat exchangers due to conditions. So even though having a radiator helps, the engine still needs cool water running from the heat exchangers. I'm not sure of the significance of having the cooling system go up through the tunnel, through the rear exchanger, back up through the tunnel, and then back down to the other side. I wonder if you could fabricate something to go directly from the tunnel exchangers through the rear exchanger and back to the other tunnel exchanger. That way, everything would be inside the tunnel?

That reminds me of an old Arctic Cat that I saw at a garage sale years ago. It must have been from the 70's, and somebody had converted it to liquid cooled. He had put some sort of radiator under the hood, and run 4 rows of copper pipe from under the hood all the way around the outside of the tunnel, around the back bumper, and back up under the hood. Just rows of copper pipe, like you would find in your basement. Looked like a plumber's nightmare! LOL. I really wish I had a camera with me that day.

8BU is right about blueprinting the chassis. quadzillaracer has a long and detailed post here on how to do it. It would be worth a look.

Keep us posted on your progress. We're here to help each other. I'm one of those nuts who will be here every day, all Summer.

Shark
 
yeah your right there must be some reason they popped those hoses thru the top of the tunnel tho... ill have to get my head in there and look... too bad my sled in my uncles garage... maybe ill get my ass moving and go check it out.... that would just solve everything if i could go straight from the long exchangers to the rear exchanger... even if i have to get a rear from another sled for some reason
 
I agree with Shark you will still need a rear heat exchanger.

But it would be interesting to retrofit the running board heat exchangers.....if they will fit. I believe the added bonus of the running board exchangers would be a stiffer chassis, additional track clearance and warmer feet. You could always run a rear exchanger from an SRX or Viper. It would be interesting to compare the existing tunnel exchangers with the ones that you have available, compare the length, width, height of the cooler, as well as the hose size and volume of of the exchanger. That would give you a bit better idea of the cooling capacity of the running board exchangers. You would probably also want more capacity from the running board exchangers because they don't have as much snow being thrown on them.

Ken
 
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why don,t u put a srx fuel tank on that sled its very close 2 the same shape and not much adjustments 2 make and it looks stock, it doe,ent look cool when u start cutting these sleds up or adding a bunch of weight. i run my 750 mountain max4 with out the radiator and only front cooler above drive axle, it never runs above 150 temp with 4 inches of snow or more. it was set up that way when bought but i,m up dating that with the running board coolers off a srx 700. as its not really enogh cooling when ur running the packed trail, which we have 2 ride 2 get 2 the deep snow in the mountains. usually 15 to 24 km on average for trail rides every time i mountain ride. and the spring time when its only -8 to -10 it warms up quickly. actually this sled has a 11 gallon plastic polaris tank on it that fits with no mods at all except the tab 2 hold it down and from moving back. i,m not sure what polaris that comes off. but its clean and sits higher than the stock tank. i can find out on the polaris tank if ud like //???? AL
 
I wonder if you could mount some sort of ice scratcher on the skis to throw more snow on to the running board coolers? Ken is right, it sure would be nice to have warmer feet!

Shark
 
im not really to worried about warmer feet from the running board exchangers but i was thinking it would also stiffen up the chassis a decent amount which is never bad

allarson... have you already doen the leg work and figured that the running board coolers from a srx 700 will work? im curious to know how far you are on that project...
 
for the record... a 2003 sx viper 700 ONLY has the two running board exchangers and it appartently keeps cool... im still looking at OEM parts finders researching what has what and what i might be able to make fit i would like to find a sled with a big rear exhanger like the vmax 4 for and running board exchangers also... that would be awesome

this might be the best setup ive found so far... just a little worried about the legnth of the sides and how to get them plumbed to and from the motor
http://216.37.204.206/xtremepowersports/Yamaha_OEM/YamahaSnow.asp?Type=13&A=223&B=1
 
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So it looks like the pipes go from the footboard exchangers, under the plastic bumper cover, through the side of the tunnel to the rear exchanger? That would give you plenty of room for the seat extension.

Shark
 
yeah thats the idea... im just wondering what role the 15 vs. 17 inch tunnel is going to play... may have to cut and weld some fittings... good thing the neighbor is good with his aluminium mig hahaha... still tossing around ideas tho
 
tyler540 said:
for the record... a 2003 sx viper 700 ONLY has the two running board exchangers and it appartently keeps cool...
http://216.37.204.206/xtremepowersports/Yamaha_OEM/YamahaSnow.asp?Type=13&A=223&B=1
Click to expand...

Is this a Viper that someone removed the front and rear heat exchangers on? The 2003 came from the factory with 4 heat exchangers, front tunnel, running board and rear tunnel. The 2002 Vipers didn't come with the rear heat exchanger and had some overheating problems.
 
that sled and that link dont match up...

the 03 sx viper 700 i was referring to is here:
http://216.37.204.206/xtremepowersports/Yamaha_OEM/YamahaSnow.asp?Type=13&A=294&B=5
it shows two sides and, i assuming, rear exchanger which is (also assuming) an option?

that think points to a 99 srx 700
http://216.37.204.206/xtremepowersports/Yamaha_OEM/YamahaSnow.asp?Type=13&A=223&B=1
that has both sides and a rear exchanger... i dont see a front exchanger on either of the drawings

nice to know the 02 vipers at cooling issues... ill definitly stray away from that...
here is the drawing for a 02 sx viper 700
http://216.37.204.206/xtremepowersports/Yamaha_OEM/YamahaSnow.asp?Type=13&A=278&B=4
 
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You have to go to the tunnel assembly in the microfiche and you'll find the front heat exchanger, it's there......trust me I have one.

The rear heat exchanger came stock on the 03 Viper, Yamaha offered it at a discounted price on the 02.
 
running board exchangers, rear exchanger and plumbing off a 500 should be the setup your looking for.
 
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