# My 08 Brute keeps overheating



## shaner82 (Jul 11, 2014)

Almost every time I go out on my bike it overheats. It doesn't seem to matter how dirty or clean my rad is, it will eventually overheat. This is so frustrating. 

hearing about so many other people with overheating issues, I'm ready to trade this thing in for a Can Am. I was riding with 30 other people yesterday, and only 2 people overheated, both of us had Brutes. 

Is there anything I can do to try to get this POS to stop overheating? I basically can't go on any long rides because I will hold the whole group up.


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## dman66 (Feb 20, 2011)

Mine runs hot but does not overheat . What year and model brute do you have ? When was the last time you flushed the coolant from the entire system ? Did you run the quad with the rad cap off until she heats up , and see if any bubbles came out from the rad cap area ? Are you using a 50/50 coolant mix or water wetter or Engine Ice ? Do you have snorkels ,aftermarket exhaust , programmer ? So many more questions but without you posting what you have and any maintenance on it , kinda hard to help you out .


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## NMKawierider (Apr 11, 2009)

Brutes only overheat when there is a problem. Finding and fixing what ever it is will be your best bet.


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## JBYRD8 (Aug 15, 2013)

Mine got hot once only cause it was caked with mud then I flushed and cleaned it out and threw it on top


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## dman66 (Feb 20, 2011)

When I ride at a very slow pace and it is hot out ,mid 80 - 90 degrees , yes she gets **** hot . But as soon as you get moving , then she'll cool back down , but I never get any over heating . As stated in other threads , check to insure your rad fan is operating efficiently - if it is not , then you'll overheat , an oil cooler has also been proven to lower the oil temps and help cool the beast down . I find that the brute is one of the easiest quads you can work on for a big bore and parts seem to be less costly than some other brands , and if you do your home work , you'll find the others brands have issues too , but parts seem to be more expensive . I do find that those can ams look sweet , but I'm content with the Brute for now - always puts a smile ear to ear when I ride her .


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## Dkh100 (May 20, 2014)

Check for rad fins being bent , water pump blade good . And the thermostat is opening correctly . And if the fan kicks on and off correctly . It might be the water pump blades wore down and not pumping fast enough


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## shaner82 (Jul 11, 2014)

dman66 said:


> Mine runs hot but does not overheat . What year and model brute do you have ? When was the last time you flushed the coolant from the entire system ? Did you run the quad with the rad cap off until she heats up , and see if any bubbles came out from the rad cap area ? Are you using a 50/50 coolant mix or water wetter or Engine Ice ? Do you have snorkels ,aftermarket exhaust , programmer ? So many more questions but without you posting what you have and any maintenance on it , kinda hard to help you out .


I have a 2008 750. No aftermarket exhaust, snorkel or anything like that. In fact, I just put a brand new exhaust on it, but it's a factory exhaust, not aftermarket. 

The coolant I use is a 50/50 mix. 

I haven't run the bike with the rad cap off. Can you explain a bit more about what exactly to do here? Are you referring to the cap on the white jug on the side of the bike, or is there another cap somewhere you're referring to? When I do this, what am I looking for and what might it tell me? 

How often should I flush the coolant and what's the best way to go about doing that? I'll do it later this week.


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## NMKawierider (Apr 11, 2009)

He means the radiator cap. And you may have to remove the front plastics to do that. There can not be any air gap in the radiator or water jacket so we run then with the cap off until the fan comes on. Some lift the front up about 6" too. After the fan comes on fill it to the brim and put the cap back on.


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## Jakesbrute (Jun 23, 2012)

Have you actually taken the front plastics off and thoroughly cleaned the rad out. What looks like clean from the front is not usually clean at the back. In fact my buddy with a brute had the same thing happen to his brute. It constantly overheated and the rad looked clean, until I took his plastics off the front and found his rad was plugged. I cleaned it out really good, and it has never overheated again.


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## shaner82 (Jul 11, 2014)

Jakesbrute said:


> Have you actually taken the front plastics off and thoroughly cleaned the rad out. What looks like clean from the front is not usually clean at the back. In fact my buddy with a brute had the same thing happen to his brute. It constantly overheated and the rad looked clean, until I took his plastics off the front and found his rad was plugged. I cleaned it out really good, and it has never overheated again.


Yes I have. It's spotless on the front and back. I took out today on paved roads. After about 20 minutes the FI light started flashing, then the temp light. I let it cool down and then eventually took it home. Going to flush the coolant and see if that changes anything. 

How much coolant do these things take?


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## Dkh100 (May 20, 2014)

shaner82 said:


> Yes I have. It's spotless on the front and back. I took out today on paved roads. After about 20 minutes the FI light started flashing, then the temp light. I let it cool down and then eventually took it home. Going to flush the coolant and see if that changes anything.
> 
> 
> 
> How much coolant do these things take?



Use a coolant called engine ice if u doing a flush it, it's a premixed coolant u just poor I'm and keep the bike up to 30 degrees cooler


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## shaner82 (Jul 11, 2014)

Dkh100 said:


> Use a coolant called engine ice if u doing a flush it, it's a premixed coolant u just poor I'm and keep the bike up to 30 degrees cooler


Is that stuff okay for cold temps too?


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## Dkh100 (May 20, 2014)

shaner82 said:


> Is that stuff okay for cold temps too?



Yes sir


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## Jakesbrute (Jun 23, 2012)

I use a coolant called Evans. It is a waterless coolant that is used in many racing applications and also runs much cooler than other coolants. My dealer told me this was his secret weapon for years in his motocross race bikes when no one even knew about it. He even recommended over engine ice. You can find it online under Evans coolant. I know my bike runs cooler with it.


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## vogie (Jun 16, 2010)

might be a silly comment but why not pull the thermostat out and try running it like that. If it clears up then your thermostat was no good.


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## shaner82 (Jul 11, 2014)

vogie said:


> might be a silly comment but why not pull the thermostat out and try running it like that. If it clears up then your thermostat was no good.


Sure, I'll give that a try tomorrow. I'm moving the rad to the rack and obviously flushing it all in the process. Where do I find the thermostat?

The bike is definitely running way too hot, it's not just a bad sensor.


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## vogie (Jun 16, 2010)

RH side of the quad if your sitting on it, top section its in a 3 bolt housing i do believe. I attached the parts breakdown hope it helps.


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## BuscoKawi750I4x4 (Apr 22, 2014)

my wife drove my brute at busco beach nc and it got hot and the light came on while she was riding, she noticed it, let it sit for awhile to cool off. drove it again after cool down it made alot of steam the second time the light came on, then got it towed back after that. i know the radiator was clogged because i know the mud there. and this is what she told me. and my buddy checked the oil when it got home it was still on the stick but on the low end area. she hasnt run it since and waiting for her to change the oil in it before she does. is the brute ok???? i ordered a relocate for it. other than that its stock no lift or snorkels just little over size mud tires (zillas). And im not in the states at this time to really know whats up with it, im stationed in oki and this is all they told me. to me i think its good cause she did the proper procedures to prevent damage. and i really miss my riding my atv


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## shaner82 (Jul 11, 2014)

The bike will be fine. The rad was probably just clogged. Ever since I flushed mine and relocated the rad, it's running cooler than ever before. The fan hardly comes on, and when it does, it goes off a short time later.


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## BuscoKawi750I4x4 (Apr 22, 2014)

her and my buddy just did the oil change and the engine is good, and you were right about the rad. i got the relocate kit for it and its being installed hopefully it works out fine with fresh fluids


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