One of the easiest ways to improve snow bike performance is by installing a thermostat or thermo-bob. A thermostat helps to maintain a constant engine and oil temp which improves fuel consumption and horsepower while riding. While this may seem like a no-brainer, we talk to guys everyday who ride in deep, fresh snow without one. If you’re one of those guys, this is a public service announcement just for you: install our thermostat kit now. We promise you’ll thank us later.
Why Do Snow Bikes Need A Thermostat?
Most internal combustion engines are already extremely bad at turning fuel into energy – a process measured in terms of “thermal efficiency”. Thermal efficiency basically measures the heat of the engine against the ratio of the work done by it to the heat supplied to it. The keyword being HEAT. It’s cold in the mountains. Because dirt bike manufacturers didn’t design bikes to be ridden in the snow they lack the ability to adjust to freezing riding conditions. This reduces your bike’s thermal efficiency which, at the end of the day, basically means lower horsepower.
What Happens When You Ride A Snow Bike Without A Thermostat?
You take a dirt bike that was designed to run on flat land, at sea level and at temperatures above 60-degrees and put it in the snow without a thermostat and you’re going to have problems.
Aside from a reduction in horsepower, the inability of your bike to adjust to colder can negatively affect the life of the engine. Manufacturers base their engine tolerances on an assumed operating temperature. Metals expand when heated. If you run these engines cooler than designed, the piston/cylinder tolerances will be less than designed. In 4-strokes the same can be said for valves and valve guides. EFI systems are also based on this same temperature.
Without a thermostat, most bikes will constantly over fuel due to EFI systems that are based on coolant temperature. The ECU sees the cold coolant and over fuels thinking the bike is constantly in “warm up” mode. Engine oil also needs to remain at a constant target temperature. If the oil isn’t at operating temperature the crankcase will slowly fill with fuel, and over long runs — like those in the cold mountains — the engine can hydro lock. Fuel in the oil is often the first sign that over-fueling is happening.
How Our Snow Bike Thermostat Works
Our snow bike thermostat kit has a mechanical auto adjusting valve that restricts the flow of the coolant system. When the engine coolant is cold, the valve is closed. Once the engine gets up to operating temperature, the valve opens a little and starts to allow coolant to flow to the radiator. When the engine is hot the valve opens more which allows the coolant to flow through the radiator to dissipate excess heat. As the engine heats up or cools down, the valve self-adjusts to maintain a targeted 180°F - the proper temperature needed for a dirt bike to run as a snow bike.
Don't already have one? Order online here.
Have questions about installing a thermostat on your snow bike? Call us at 877-326-6784 or message us on Facebook or Instagram.