Fan Cooled Snowmobiles

9880 Views 16 Replies 12 Participants Last post by 63November, Mar 14, 2007

lovetheride

Discussion Starter · Mar 11, 2007

hey i'm just snowmobile shopping right now and i found a few fan cooled snowmobiles that I'm really interested in. what are the pros and cons of having a fan cooled snowmobile? thanks

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

63November

· #2 · Mar 11, 2007

The only downside is their lack of high horsepower and consequent response when you pull the trigger. Fan machines have fewer downsides than do the liquid cooled machines. You can run them on icey trails and mixed terrain after the snow has gone or before it covers well if that is your thing. They weigh less and have fewer reliability issues with no coolant system to spring a leak, no pumps to run, etc. The LCs are quite reliable don't get me wrong - and powerful, which is what the LC guys fall in love with: power, to the exclusion of their sense about what is reliable.

I have ridden well over 50,000 and likely closer to 100,000 miles on fan cooled machines. I have run over 300 miles in a day on them and have pulled loads over 1000 pounds many times with them. I must admit I am in awe of some of the trick aerial stuff people do with snowmobiles. I think, however, that many folks would be surprised to see the "tractor pulls" that happen when people put snowmobiles (snowmachines), many of them fan cooled machines, to work in the arctic on a daily basis.

Don't be afraid to consider a fan unless getting there fastest is your first priority.

See less See more

raceguy

· #3 · Mar 11, 2007

The only downside is their lack of high horsepower and consequent response when you pull the trigger. Fan machines have fewer downsides than do the liquid cooled machines. You can run them on icey trails and mixed terrain after the snow has gone or before it covers well if that is your thing. They weigh less and have fewer reliability issues with no coolant system to spring a leak, no pumps to run, etc. The LCs are quite reliable don't get me wrong - and powerful, which is what the LC guys fall in love with: power, to the exclusion of their sense about what is reliable.

I have ridden well over 50,000 and likely closer to 100,000 miles on fan cooled machines. I have run over 300 miles in a day on them and have pulled loads over 1000 pounds many times with them. I must admit I am in awe of some of the trick aerial stuff people do with snowmobiles. I think, however, that many folks would be surprised to see the "tractor pulls" that happen when people put snowmobiles (snowmachines), many of them fan cooled machines, to work in the arctic on a daily basis.

Don't be afraid to consider a fan unless getting there fastest is your first priority.[/b]

Well said! :thumbsup:

dooman

· #4 · Mar 12, 2007

depends on the sled but many fan cooled sleds get poor mpg, or less than the same (cc) lc sled.

CORY9

· #5 · Mar 12, 2007

Lighter weight is the reason we chose fan cooled for the wife, and of course the lower price doesn't hurt.

73Lifeliner

· #6 · Mar 12, 2007

I purchased a 2007 Arctic Cat Z570 LX fan cooled and could not be happier with it, except for the starter. I will consider a 4-stroke liguid cool on the next purchase however and pass this one on to the wife.

Richard

sledchad

· #7 · Mar 12, 2007

how does a LC motor produce more horses than a FC? I have ridden some pretty powerfull and fast FC sleds and one of them was a 550 supersport.

michahicks

· #8 · Mar 12, 2007

<<<<how does a LC motor produce more horses than a FC?>>>

The liquid cooling guarantees the engine will have more consistant cooling over a wider range of operating conditions, allows the manufacturer to hold tighter tolerances, and use more radical port timing. Other things that might be considered is that all else being equal, the liquid will generally run further between overhauls, hold higher resale value, and are generally quieter operating (one of the biggest reasons the mfgs. push them).

Plus they don't sound like a vacuum cleaner coming down the trail.....

FormulaDan

· #9 · Mar 12, 2007

Doesnt the fan cooled pose a problem on days where the temp is above, say 20*-25*?

Pepsi_fuzz

· #10 · Mar 13, 2007

The LC does have more benefits than the fan, unless you are driving slowely and don't care about HP. We have ridden in warm conditions, but there was plenty of snow down for the LC to stay cool; while witnessing numerous FC break down. Unless you are driving slow (cutting trail, or narrow/rough trail through woods) LC is the way to go. They are also a lot more reliable within the past 5 years, I would say they run par with today's cars (when's the last time you had a coolant problem with your car? Mine was last year, car is 13 years old, can't complain about that... at least with the temperature gauge you don't have to worry about doing any damage if there is a coolant leak).

Most LC sleds are lighter than FC sleds. This wasn't true until the past few years when freestyle sleds and high performance sleds became high in demand. Their chassis and counterparts were made lighter, so although the coolant system is added weight, the overall weight of the sled is much lighter than the FC sleds. Depends on what sleds you are looking at though. I've found that a lot of people who used FC sleds are now switching to wide-trac 4-stroke LC sleds as the 4-strokes become closer and closer to the reliability of the 2-stroke.

Do your research, find out what type of riding you will do most (be honest with yourself) find out what sled you want, THEN make the decision of LC vs FC (what's offered might make the decision for you).

See less See more

tic

· #11 · Mar 13, 2007

Everytime I overheated this winter on my sled, the wife just motored on with her fan cooled sled... I just wish they could supplement the heat exhangers somehow for low snow, hardpack conditions on the LC sleds

Pepsi_fuzz

· #12 · Mar 13, 2007

Everytime I overheated this winter on my sled, the wife just motored on with her fan cooled sled... I just wish they could supplement the heat exhangers somehow for low snow, hardpack conditions on the LC sleds[/b]

We experienced the same thing, except switch it around. Everytime the FC sled overheated, the LC sleds just motored on. Until dad traded in the FC sled for his very first LC sled for that reason.

2 years ago, I'd be arguing against LC sleds. But they've managed to out-perform every time in the past 2 years for us.

63November

· #13 · Mar 13, 2007

The LC does have more benefits than the fan, unless you are driving slowely and don't care about HP. We have ridden in warm conditions, but there was plenty of snow down for the LC to stay cool; while witnessing numerous FC break down.[/b]

I've ridden in cold conditions, if -20 F is cold, where L/C machines were overheating and breaking down. Does the same logic applied in reverse mean F/Cs are superior?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pepsi_fuzz)</div>

Most LC sleds are lighter than FC sleds. This wasn't true until the past few years when freestyle sleds and high performance sleds became high in demand. Their chassis and counterparts were made lighter, so although the coolant system is added weight, the overall weight of the sled is much lighter than the FC sleds.[/b]

Not true. They are still a bit heavier even though they have come down overall in dry weight.

A fan cooled machine can be just fine at warm temps unless you push it to its limits. The FC engine does not put out as much horsepower as a L/C so trying to make it do the same thing as an L/C is bound to cause it to have problems. This is no different than expecting a 400 L/C to do everything a 700 L/C can do though.

It is not an advantage to have to ride fast in order to keep a machine from overheating.

10,000 miles to overhaul is no mean trick for a F/C engine. I actually see more folks opening their L/Cs and more often than fan riders. Of course, with either type it helps when the machine is properly set up too.

See less See more

Dave600

· #14 · Mar 13, 2007

Not true. They are still a bit heavier even though they have come down overall in dry weight.[/b]

Yess, dry weights are close, but we don't ride sleds dry. We ride them wet. And the wet weights of liquids are still noticeably higher than the fans.

73Lifeliner

· #15 · Mar 13, 2007

I can remember in the 70's having a few machines that did not even have fan cooled motors yet they always managed to run fine and was not aware of overheating issues. When did the fan cooled machines come into exsistence?
Richard

michahicks

· #16 · Mar 14, 2007

<<<<When did the fan cooled machines come into exsistence?>>>>

Back when God invented dirt - about the time snowmobiles were invented. Most everything was fan cooled until when? Maybe early 70's? Brut (sp?) brought out one of the early liguids, not going to get into a fight about exactly when or if they were first. Speedway, Cat EXT's, Chapparels, all had some of the early free air engines. Free Air types were about light weight, not good for much else from where I'm sitting. Noisey/rattley for the most part.

63November

· #17 · Mar 14, 2007

<<<<When did the fan cooled machines come into exsistence?>>>>

Back when God invented dirt - about the time snowmobiles were invented.[/b]

HEY! HEY! HEY! Wait just a minute. I remember the "big" red rectangular "snocats" putt-putting across and through drifts as they delivered groceries to folks who couldn't get out because of deep snow in the streets. I may smell like dirt now and I was a kid then, but I like to think I ain't quite as old as dirt. That was back in the early '60s in Roseau, Minnesota.

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.