# Brute still overheating



## BlackDawg (Jul 4, 2011)

Every time I pull something with my bike, it overheats. The first two times, I was pulling a set of ATV discs to disc up my food plot. And today I planted my food plot and was pulling a box spring frame to cover the seed (yeah, its pretty *******, but it works), and it overheated again. Anytime I pull or drag anything, I put it in low like I'm supposed to. After the first time, I brought it to the dealership and they said it was because my radiator was muddy (I just sprayed it out before it overheated the first time, so that's BS). The next time, they said they repaired a loose fan connection. Now I'm at a loss. I've pulled these same discs with a Honda Rancher and Artic Cat 400 and never once had a problem. I'm getting burnt out on the overheating issues. Please help!


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## NMKawierider (Apr 11, 2009)

BlackDawg said:


> Every time I pull something with my bike, it overheats. The first two times, I was pulling a set of ATV discs to disc up my food plot. And today I planted my food plot and was pulling a box spring frame to cover the seed (yeah, its pretty *******, but it works), and it overheated again. Anytime I pull or drag anything, I put it in low like I'm supposed to. After the first time, I brought it to the dealership and they said it was because my radiator was muddy (I just sprayed it out before it overheated the first time, so that's BS). The next time, they said they repaired a loose fan connection. Now I'm at a loss. I've pulled these same discs with a Honda Rancher and Artic Cat 400 and never once had a problem. I'm getting burnt out on the overheating issues. Please help!


So...for sure its overheating...I mean when it happens, the fan was running nonstop for a while and then the hot light comes on..right?

Normaly, if the airflow is unrestricted through the core, and the fan comes on when its supposed to, the only other thing besides an engine issue that can cause the temp to continue rising is lack of fluid flow. Low fluid level, bad thermostat or pump or plugged radiator cores can do this. 

Now a bad head gasket pumping gasses into the cooling system can make it appear to be overheating by overpressuring the system and forcing coolant through the cap and into the coolant tank....some steeming around the cap is common too but this isn't overheating.


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## BlackDawg (Jul 4, 2011)

No doubt its overheating. The light starts flashing, the fan's running. I always stop the bike immediately, turn it off, and turn the key to let the fan keep running. After a while, the temp like will stop flashing. But like I said, this only happens when I pull something in low at low speeds (5-10 mph). I know the bike has the power to pull, but I can't ever get the job done without overheating issues. I need to get this figured out before the warranty goes out.


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## BrutemanAl (Jul 3, 2009)

I would double check your rad , make sure it is not clogged . I had a similar problem with mine and I always spent alot of time cleaning my rad after every ride , this spring I did the temp gauge mod and toggle switch mod to turn the fan on when I felt like it . I decided to flush the rad out and put new coolant in it since I had the plastics off anyhow . When i removed the rad I was amazed at how clogged it was , it was clogged all the way around the outter edges of the rad . I couldn't believe it !! 

Like I said ,I spend alot of time cleaning my rad after every ride , and thought I was doing a awesome job on it , but apparently not a good enough job lol .

I would start by removing the front plastics and make sure the rad fluid is circulating when the bike gets up to temp and since your there anyhow , drain the system and remove your rad and soak it and give it a good cleaning . Just becareful to NOT bend any of the rad fins , and since you have gone this far ( if you choose to do all this lol ) , might as well add a temp gauge and toggle switch to your cooling system , then you can at least keep an eye on it and turn the fan on when it gets to hot .

Thats all i got for ya .


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## brutemike (Mar 23, 2010)

sounds to me that u got mud in the edges of your rad it looks clean but not.


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## wyo58 (May 13, 2011)

I agree somethings plugging up airflow through the radiator. Hopefully you did not "spray out the radiator" with a pressure washer. This tends to bend over all the fins and shut airflow off. With it in the atv the only way to check it halfway good is witha flashlight on the backside and you looking from the front side (might take two people). But as stated look mostly around the outside of the fan blade diameter thats where it tends to clog up the worst.


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## BlackDawg (Jul 4, 2011)

Thanks for the advice guys. As soon as this tropical storms goes away I'm gonna take a good look at it and probably bring it back to the dealership. Should pulling something at a low speed have any affect on this?


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## NMKawierider (Apr 11, 2009)

BlackDawg said:


> Should pulling something at a low speed have any affect on this?


In my opinion...NO.. I was out in the desert mountains with some sport quads once when two broke-down and it was my Brute we tied both to in tandem with riders and pulled both at the same time well over ten miles up and down hills in the 100 degree heat. NO overheating problems at all and this was before I installed the oil cooler so... No, you should never have a problem pulling at or under its towing capacity in high or low range if all is well.


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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

Just wondering, does the brute force absorb more air when in low or high? Before I installed the Fan Switch mine would overheat when using low going less then 5mph. Using high and going 10+ it would not overheat.


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## NMKawierider (Apr 11, 2009)

tx_brute_rider said:


> Just wondering, does the brute force absorb more air when in low or high? Before I installed the Fan Switch mine would overheat when using low going less then 5mph. Using high and going 10+ it would not overheat.


Like any radiator, the more air that is forced through the fins, the better it transferrs the heat, but the fan is supposed to make up for low air movement when going slow. Some don't quite make it because even when everything is operating perfectly, the radiator is sized too close and the fan moves the minimum required so they can keep the amp-load down. That's way so many HL tripple-cores have been sold and so many up-sized aftermarket fans have been installed. I have been lucky (knock on wood) with all my desert and hill climbing that mine has been fine....plus sence the oil cooler the entire engine stays much cooler. Good mod..highly recommend it.


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## eagleeye76 (May 7, 2010)

I had an over heating issue when we were rideing double. Caused by radiator 100% plugged around the outside. Looking through the front with light in back there was a perfect circle in the middle. The mud was dried so it was best to use a airhose and blow out the fins. Blowing back to front hen front to back over and over until it was 100% cleaned as much as the air could get. Then right back on the trails with no problems. Now I use my garden hose after every ride. That way there isnt enough pressure to hurt anything but enough to do the job. This would be my guess on yours. jmo.


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## All i ride is Kawi (Dec 12, 2010)

Heres my solution i noticed when my tow strap would hang off the rack over the exhaust a bit the over heat light would come on.. take the strap away let it sit for 2 minutes it goes away.. when i pull my garden cart its right by the exhaust over heat light comes on.. any time im riding and there no strap or garden cart by the exhaust over heat light doesnt come on.


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## Roboquad (Sep 8, 2009)

Check your rad with a bright flashlight for mud. also pull the cap & run the bike and see if you have flow it could be just a little low, sounds ridiculous but just a little bit low will do it. I now run engine ice in my bike. 10% cooler. there are lots of tricks but your bike shouldn't be that hard to solve. when you top it off. squeeze the hoses you can reach to eliminate any air stuck in there. your dealer should check flow and fan if you have a warranty and they are worth anything. good luck and keep us posted. Forgot to mention, put flashlight on one side your eyes on the other....just in case you never did it, you would be suprised how many don't know that....


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## MOSTHATED59 (Apr 24, 2011)

Agreed. Sounds like a radiator problem. I was haveing the same issues till i pulled the radiator out and gave it a very good cleaning. (Then racked it)


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## All i ride is Kawi (Dec 12, 2010)

I'm wrong i think because yesterday i was going slow in the woods over heat light came on and im in 60 degree weather and i shut it off let it cool down started it back up light was off then the FI light popped up and i shut it off turned it back on still on so i road it back home like 1/4 mile once i get home i smell radiator fluid pouring out of the over flow the radiator is clean... and the fan isnt coming on i noticed the gray box under the seat with 2 plugs one of them is broken off and the other is bent last time my fan didnt come on i burnt 1 of the 4 relays in the back by the roll over sensor.


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## brute for mud (Jul 15, 2010)

the fan relay is toast i would put a 15 amp fuse in place of the relay because the relays are junk and go from their


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

brute for mud said:


> the fan relay is toast i would put a 15 amp fuse in place of the relay because the relays are junk and go from their


Just to clarify...yes put a 15 amp fuse. But the part you need to replace with a fuse is a little grey box with a tiny green button on it....not the actual fan relay. This is a circuit breaker....yes they do go bad, both of my brutes have them removed and replaced with a fuse. It is located just behind the kebc controller and has blue/white wires. Hope this helps.

Fueling The Addiction Using Tapatalk


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## All i ride is Kawi (Dec 12, 2010)

filthyredneck said:


> Just to clarify...yes put a 15 amp fuse. But the part you need to replace with a fuse is a little grey box with a tiny green button on it....not the actual fan relay. This is a circuit breaker....yes they do go bad, both of my brutes have them removed and replaced with a fuse. It is located just behind the kebc controller and has blue/white wires. Hope this helps.
> 
> Fueling The Addiction Using Tapatalk


 Yeah i know exactly what your talking about but the thing is do i just have that little fuse tied to the open wires or what thats the part i do not understand


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

Yes just unplug the grey breaker and slip a fuse back into the male connectors, or cut the connectors off and get an inline fuse holder and wire it into those two wires. All that wire does is make a loop right there. The fan wouldnt work if you left the two wires open and didn't put anything back in there to connect them

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