2002 Polaris Sportsman oli tank Explotion
 

Pulling my ice fishing gear across the lake today and BOOM! Blew a hole bigger than a fist out the side of my oil tank. Shut it down so I don't think their was engine damage but wow! Never heard of this and cant find ant info in any search. Ill install a new tank soon but just want to make sure if I need to troubleshoot some vent hoses somewhere before I fire it back up. Any input on this. Thanks..

def check the vent tube..ice fishing, clogged with ice?...i still cant see that kind of pressure tho...did 02 have plastic or alum oil tank? could be the oil warmed up to fast and expansion in the hot versus the cold material cracked and blew it?

This has a Plastic tank. Is the vent on the tank it self? Maybe plugged and froze from moving snow?

Have seen the results of this several times.The vent tube sliced opening can get stopped over the years from dirt or in cold weather moisture can freeze in the vent tube blocking the condensation slit and the line completely.This can cause pressure to build up and plastic tanks can explode. I've seen a couple metal tanks bulge and blow the gasket out also from pressure. Tank vent tube is at the very top of the tank and leads to the air box.The slit in the vent tube is about 2" out from the tank vent nipple. Good idea in cold climates to check the slit and open it a tad further if need be. If it can happen down here I know it can happen up in colder areas. Here's one that really blew the tank apart. Some people have tried to reinforce tanks along with using foil insulation. Don't know how well that works out.Main thing is to just make sure the slit is clean and open whether on metal or plastic tanks.

That's pic looks just like mine. Good to know about the breather, ill pass that on to friends with same 4 wheelers. Tanks are kind of spendy ! 150.00.. Is this the going rate? I see some guys replacing with aluminum but I wonder if something like this happens with an aluminum tank the pressure has to go somewhere else? Worse damage like seals? Thanks much!!!

A lot of people didn't like the plastic tanks mainly because if too much torque was applied to the drain bolt the molded in tank insert could spin and leak. These are the people that found new or used metal tanks. Some tend to believe that metal tanks cool better because of the fins on the tank and are stronger and I tend to agree with them. But stopped up vent lines can damage those as well like I posted.Pressure can build up so much it can bulge out the tank and strip out screws that hold the tanks halves together and leak oil around the gasket.On one tank I ordered a new gasket thinking tat would work,but couldn't get the tank haves to seal good enough. Wish I'd taken pictures of the damaged metal ones I had to replace. Again just keep the vent slit open. Still some old aluminum tanks floating around on ebay fairly cheap if you wished to go that way.http://www.ebay.com/itm/02-Polaris-5...tWOc4u&vxp=mtr http://www.ebay.com/itm/1996-Polaris...tVy5mw&vxp=mtr

That was one heck of a down grade when Polaris got rid of the Alloy oil tanks for the plastic ones.

The alloy ones were not just tougher but also had cooling fins to help cool the oil before reinterring the motor like a oil cooler does .

http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/images/...3L5/s-l225.jpg