Ok guys so I just changed my belt on my 04 Sportsman 600 and when I took the housing off I could see where muddy water had gotten in and was splashed around, it didn't look like a lot but I also noticed that where the cover bolts on the was sand a a little packed mud in around the gasket. Ive cleaned the whole thing and blew it out with some air. I cleaned up the gasket where the housing meets. Any thoughts on why it happened and what can I do to prevent this? And no I haven't had the water that high to have it go down the vent.

 

Some times when you hit water fast some splash works it way down the vent tubes even though the water was not that deep, but the water is so little the heat from the belt and pulleys dry it up in seconds. Water in the belt system even after a bad drowning does not hurt anything,you just pull the drain plug, let it rev in neutral until it drys out and your off again.

 

Does the cover have a drain plug on it? Some do, some don't. Might be that was just a little loose, or may have been cross threaded. Did the gasket look like it had been pinched any?

Also, the back side cover may be letting the stuff in too. Hopefully not, as that's a little more involved to get off and check.

 

I didnt check the drain plug on it...Ill pull that out tonight when I get home from work...but like I said, it wasnt much. But thanks guys.