Alex, yes it has a blower on the CVT intake. The other thing that I like: It has a real alternator, not a magneto, so you don't need to worry about running down the battery while plowing snow, for example. Plowing with my 500AC, with hi beams on, winch going, thumb warmer/grip heaters on, etc , after 2 hours, my head light started flickering (low voltage). Never have to worry with the diesel. I can't figure out how the guys in the mudding videos don't kill the alternators, but if I see mud that deep, I just drive around, haha. I've driven it about 40 miles in the last 2 days on some really rough trails, nothing stops it, it loves the rockiest trails, deep snow, ice, etc. I have "grip studs) in the Mudzillas, btw. Still the fuel gauge reads full.Guys claim to use 5 or 6 liters per 100 km, so 20 liter tank should get me up to, holy cow 400 km or 265 mile range! Still getting used to the power delivery while rock crawling, takes some thumb control, though it's not a turbo, it kinda feels like one. You can crawl in Hi range like a bulldozer, but a bit too much throttle and you are instantly going 20 mph. And I have 2 guys that want to buy my old 2001 AC 500 gas model, so the diesel will have only cost $1,500 after I sell the 500.

 

I'll need to keep up with you during the warmer months to see how it helps keep the cvt cooler.. I've got the fan... just need to pipe it in if it helps.

 

Except for a Polaris Sportsman, this is my first automatic. Like to figure out how to blow some of that heat on my legs. I don't know how guys can ride snow sleds fast when it's cold. At 35-40 mph, with no windshield, I could feel ice cold air blasting thru the gate on the shifter, freezing my left leg and left nut. hehe

 

I don't do much cold weather riding myself either. Anything under about 45-50 F and I just stay home. Once you get moving fast, it seems you always just freeze. I think on a utv with a full windshield it might be a bit better though.

 

Wind chill. I can remember freezing on my Honda CB 450 years ago riding to work. The snowmobile crowd has developed very good winter riding gear that keeps a guy warm no matter the temps. We have a fella near us who rides his motorcycle in January if the roads are clear. He looks like the Michelin man, but he loves to ride.

Some ATVs have heated hand grips like a snowmobile. I'm sure that helps.

David

 

She has heated grips! Today, I took the wife for a ride in the 2 up seat. She really enjoyed it, this thing never feels tippy or unsafe. Has awesome engine braking! One trail , coming down a mountain is so steep people have pitch poled Jeeps, I just put it in Low range and let it idle down, never needed to touch the brakes! Riding 2 up on my 500 AC I come down in 1st gear Low range, standing on the foot brake and gripping the hand brake tight as I can, with butt puckered to the seat. You never know what you might see in the woods of Maine. Way up on the mountain behind my Dad's house, we met my sister in law walking with 2 dogs, a miniature horse and a goat. haha.

 

My Can Am Outlander seems to have pretty good engine braking in low range. I have not tried it on anything steeper than about 6% grades. Ho hum.

I wonder what design characteristic is mainly responsible for good engine braking. The diesel pickups with turbos are known for good engine braking.

Do you think it is the high compression of your diesel engine that provides good engine braking? Or maybe there is something in the transmission that provides it. Polaris has their Active Decent Control that I read works pretty well. I don't know how it works. Maybe my Outlander's big twin plays a major role in engine braking.

I will probably stay on the "green" dot trails instead of the "black" diamonds steep ones.

David

 

David, I'm sure it's the high compression, also this model has a very heavy duty CVT, and I added weights to the centrifugal clutch to make it more responsive. Now, just off idle it starts to go, stock you had to rev it up quite a lot. I still need to clock the secondary to the B4 position. You may be able to mod your CanAm's clutch to improve it's performance. It's a nice feeling when you crest over a hill too fast, and all you have to do is let off the gas (ok diesel) and it slows down quickly without hitting the brakes.