Hi, this is my first post on this website. It looks like a great place to share ideas and info. I had a problem with my bike today - hopefully someone can help me out. The red Oil/Coolant High Temp Indicator Light on the dash came on today. Here's the situation: oil level is OK, fan fuse is not burnt, prestone level in expansion tank & rad is OK, NO obvious airflow restriction to the rad. The light comes on but the engine doesn't seem very hot. If I turn the key off then back on and start the bike the light is off. After 30 seconds of idling (with an already warm engine) it comes back on. After a short low speed ride the fan comes on and appears to work normally.

Any ideas?? Thanks

 

Welcome to the forum.

Been in any mud, or fields with weeds/wheat giving off chaffe?

A lot of times stuff builds up between the radiator and the oil cooler. If you look under either front fender, you will see a plastic side shroud thing on either side of the radiator. If I recall, it's retained by a couple of those push pins, and the side shrouds hold a screen in front of the radiator.

Take one of those side shrouds off, and you will be able to see between the coolers. You will also be able to reach in with a hose and spray backwards through the coolers, in addition to spraying out the gap between.

Just a thin coat of mud on the radiator can cause any liquid cooled quad to overheat.

Other possibilities would be the thermostat, or water pump, but my money would be on dirt the radiator you can't see...

 

Well I double checked the rad to make sure it was clean (escpecially between the rad & oil cooler) - nothing, clean as a whistle. I haven't been in the mud yet this spring since we still have snow here. There doesn't appear to be any prestone leaks. I started the bike from cold today and went for a ride. after 2 minutes of cruising at 50 MPH the light came on. I really don't think the engine is overheating since it was around 32 deg Farenheit or 0 deg Celcius and I was riding at fairly high speeds when the ligh came on. If it is the water pump at fault that means the light would be working normally with an overheated engine....right? *** How can I check if the pump is at fault? *** Also, if I turn the key off, then back on and start the bike the light stays off for a minute or so before comming on. When the light is on the fan is not on unless I let the bike idle for a while. If there was a problem, with the water pump resulting in an overheat condition shouldn't the fan be on? Any more feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

 

I should think the fan would be on if the thing is overheating.

Do you have a factory service manual? There's a procedure to test both the coolant and the oil temp sensors.

 

for anyone interested, the wire from the oil sensor broke right at the sensor, quick solder and now good as new.

 

I was thinking it was something like that.

Glad to hear you got it taken care of.