# Need Help (Overheating)



## tjays (Nov 5, 2004)

My 1996 Polaris Sportsman keeps overheating. Can anyone give me a list of parts to check or know what the most likely problem could be. The radator is clean and free of any dirt the fan does not seem to be running. Any help...


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## zx10r2004 (Sep 24, 2005)

thermostat


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

Usualy thermostat or head gasket.


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## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

Clean your radiator. I don't mean flush it I mean clean the outside of it. Mud and debris like to get up in the fins of the radiator. Then it blocks off the radiator so the air can not flow through it. Once the mud is dry and hard it acts like a big ceramic brick. Retaining the heat and causing the quad to over heat.


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## CAMODIAK (Jun 19, 2006)

fuse,fan itself, relay or as stated..thermostat.


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

Reading your post, you are saying that* your fan does not run*, which can most likely be your problem. If you can get to the fan wires, when the motor gets hot enough that you know that the fan should be running, check to see if there's power going to the fan. If there's no power, then you have a fuse/breaker/wire/sensing problem someplace. By checking if your getting power to the fan, you'll be able to identify two issues, one power is or is not going to the fan and two, the fan needs replacement. You can also run a set of 12v jumper wires direct to just the fan to make sure its working. I'd certainly check this out. I'm not sure that the current economy has caught up with the Polaris dealers and their repair prices yet.


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## tjays (Nov 5, 2004)

thanks, I was thinking thermostat, I will take it out and check it.


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## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

tjays said:


> thanks, I was thinking thermostat, I will take it out and check it.


It could very well end up being the thermostat. I'm not sure how it/your fan is controlled on your machine. Testing will help you narrow it down.
Let us know how it turns out....


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## Dusty (Mar 1, 2005)

After checking all that suff posted before and still have same problem I have seen them get an air lock in the sytem usually at the front of the cylinder so what I have done is while it is running lift the front of the bike up in the air to burp the system. Hope it all works out 

Dusty


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## clattin (Jul 8, 2000)

My sportsman 6x6 is at Chapman's right now for the same problem....started overheating while I was plowing snow. The fan was working...so well that it ran my battery down and I know the radiator was clean of junk on the outside. I don't have a warm place to work on it, so I took it to Chapman's a week ago......still don't have an update. Everytime I've called to see what's going on, the tech that is working on it is "out sick".

Chris


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## DANIEL MARK ZAPOLSKI (Sep 23, 2002)

a buddy of mine had the same problem (on a 400 polaris ) a few years back and it was a relay switch he said. had to take it to rogers city dealer to fix it. 40 bucks just for the relay switch.:rant:


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## clattin (Jul 8, 2000)

Got mine back from Chapman's yesterday. Turned out that the ECM was bad. $120 for the part plus 1 1/2 hours of labor at $75/hr. Hopefully, that fixed the problem!

Chris


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

Awe, how I love my old 85 with a free air four stroke engine!


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## DANIEL MARK ZAPOLSKI (Sep 23, 2002)

clattin said:


> Got mine back from Chapman's yesterday. Turned out that the ECM was bad. $120 for the part plus 1 1/2 hours of labor at $75/hr. Hopefully, that fixed the problem!
> 
> Chris


in laymans terms please, what does the ECM stand for?


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

DANIEL MARK ZAPOLSKI said:


> in laymans terms please, what does the ECM stand for?


Electronic Control Module, Its a computer thats the brain for the electrical/ignition.


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## DANIEL MARK ZAPOLSKI (Sep 23, 2002)

Burksee said:


> Electronic Control Module, Its a computer thats the brain for the electrical/ignition.


thanks, that makes sense then, with a cost of $$$120.00. so i guess when this happens to my 700 and my ranger i'll pony up the bucks and fix it myself. 75 bucks per hour to get greasy, i am all over it. i think i found a side job for up north when i retire. hell i'll make more money retired then right now:lol::lol:


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## Halffasthog (Feb 20, 2008)

Most likely the relay. Not knocking your dealer. I just find it hard to believe it was the ECM. It's possible, but more likely to be the relay.

How old does the relay look?


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