AMSOIL PSAF - Powersports Coolant

Click the following link for more info and to place an order:

AMSOIL PSAF Powersports Antifreeze and Coolant

Machine: 2019 CAN-AM Defender Max Lone Star (HD10)
Hours/Miles: 235.7/1834.6 (actual engine hours are less, as it was replaced at around 140 hours)

We weren't able to get to swapping the coolant out on the UTV until this past weekend, but we got it done nonetheless!

Here's my observation when swapping coolant on your machine: A case of PSAF goes a long way - literally!  We needed about 9 quarts to get 90-95% of the old coolant out and diluted the rest.  The machine takes approximately 1.6 gallons of coolant, which is ~7 quarts.  We estimated we were able to get about 6ish quarts drained out before we started filling it with the good stuff.  After bleeding and draining, and accidentally removing the coolant reservoir pressure cap when it was still hot (the cap was not hot) - I think it is safe to say, we removed another quart or so of diluted factory and fresh AMSOIL PSAF coolant. 

There was still a hint of orange coolant in the system, but the great thing about the AMSOIL Powersports Coolant is that it is safe to mix with other coolants.  In addition to the coolant, we also changed out the factory plastic water necks with cast aluminum due to the front water neck leaking at the bleed screw.

When deciding to swap the coolant over on your machine, ensure you get enough coolant the first time around.  I didn't think we were going to need to use 9 quarts - but we did. We will have plenty of extra left over for natural burn off while we are out hitting the trails, hunting, or putting the machine to work around the property.

Here's some photo's of the work we did, in case you happen to have a CAN-AM Defender and want to tackle replacing the water necks (it really isn't that hard).

1. Crack open the coolant drain at the bottom of the engine (it takes an 8mm socket), but don't remove it completely, just enough for a steady stream of coolant to flow:

Once that is done, gently tighten the drain and move the drain bucket under the radiator return hose (lower, right side of radiator) to allow any left over coolant to drain from the radiator. Place the lower hose back over the radiator return port, but just enough that it doesn't leak.

Place your catch bucket back under the original drain and raise the front of the UTV.  This will help the coolant in the hoses and any trapped in the radiator to drain.  Crack open the coolant drain once again and wait for more coolant to come out, once it starts to trickle again, gently remove the lower radiator hose just enough to create a "vent" at the top lip.  You will notice doing this broke a slight vacuum that was trapping fluid.  Repeat this process two or three times. 

Once you have managed to get nearly all of the coolant out, proceed to replacing the water necks.

Cylinder #1 (front, it is behind [or in front?] of the throttle body), you can see that is has been leaking:

Cylinder #2 (rear):

Here is a pic of the new water necks:

Comparison of the old water necks to the new, aluminum water necks. The new water necks are more universal (for various CAN-AM models), but still works on the Defender.  The original water neck to the left is for the rear cylinder, so the new water neck tugs on the hose a bit, since it has to point forward due to lack of clearance next to the cylinder head (to point it to the rear).  The water neck to the right is identical to the new water neck, so there is zero problems orienting it for the front cylinder.

The next two images are of the rubber seal on the bottom of the original that needs to be removed and installed on the new.  Alternatively, you can get new seals from the dealer.  If you have a high mileage machine, or the original seals shows signs of wear, I highly recommend sourcing new seals.

You can do this now or after installing the new water necks, but the original bleed screws have a cork-type washer on it that needs to be removed and installed on the new bleed screws (even better is to get a couple rubber seals from your local hardware store).  The new screws are slightly larger, so you will need to drill the washers out slightly, as you can see in the following images.  Just find a drill bit that is the approximate size of the new bleed screw. You don't need a drill, just thread the washer through the bit a few times with your fingers.

Finally, the last image here is a comparison of the new and old water neck for cylinder number 2 placed on the machine:

As you can see in the above image, the new water neck faces rearward, instead of vertically, as the plastic water neck was made.  This puts a little tension on the hose, so can an eye on it for wear and leaks.  You can visit your local parts store to install a coupling the in the middle of the hose (horizontal part), which should be just enough to extend it forward a bit.

Use new hose clamps approximately 3/4" - 1 to 1.5" to secure the hoses to the water necks.

Finally, begin adding the AMSOIL Powersports Coolant.  We were able to pour in about 3.5 quarts before we had to start the machine with the coolant reservoir cap off for a few minutes to remove trapped air, top off the bottle, install the cap, and run the machine until the fan cycles a couple times, or the in the reservoir bottle drops below the minimum level. 

Turn off the engine and let it cool down for an hour or two.  Top off the reservoir again and repeat the heat/cool cycle a few times until the level in the reservoir remains at the max line.