I just purchased a 2000 Polaris Xplorer 4x4 about a couple weeks ago. I like its combined speed and power in one. I am not happy with the performance of the cooling fan though. The guy I bought it from says it never came on for him, and he thinks that I have to ride it really hard to turn it on. I did ride it hard many times over the past few weeks, and nothing happened. We printed out the parts manual, and a supplement(giving basic general information usually upon purchase) We followed the wiring diagram, and traced the wires to the sensor. We tested everything for continuity. That is after we pulled open the wire plug. We touched each end of the plug, and the fan turned on. It's the first time I saw it run, and it was blowing hard, and thats what I want. Sometimed I could feel heat beating off of the head, and air intake pipes. The fan never came on. What I am thinking is that either the sensor is somehow broken(doesn't show any signs though) or that the sensor is set to turn on the fan at EXTREME temperatures. I want it so after we take a hard ride, it switches on, like my buddies quads do. If you have any information or advice please tell me. Thanks!-sonOFoldmanmoses[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Congrats on your new quad and welcome to the forum. Unlike some designs, the Polaris fan doesn't run after you shut the quad off. And you'll never notice it while riding. If you've gotten the engine really hot and then got off and looked and the fan wasn't running, chances are the temp switch is bad. I've never had mine off on the Xplorer, but I have on street bikes. You test it by putting it in a pan of water on the stove. Stick a candy thermometer in the water, attach your continuity tester to the switch and then heat the water. I don't know what the temp spec is, but if the switch hasn't closed by about 120-130 degrees, I'd get a new one.

 

You usually can tell when it comes on when you're riding, but only if your wearing shorts. You can feel the hot air it is moving against your legs.

I have 2 xplorer 250's. On one of them, the fan never comes on. I've heard it on maybe four or five times in its life. THe other one, it comes on all the time, whenever it is even remotely warm out. But that test is a good idea.

 

If you get you a manual it tells how to bypass the fan and the sending unit to check them.My manuals are out in garage or I would tell you.

 

Oh good idea, I have the manual here on my desk, I'll look.
give me a minute

 

My scanners dead, or I'd just send you the pages, so here are the cliffnotes (all figures are for the 250, not 400)


Engine light Hot light ON: 205*F
Fan switch at rear of cylinder head. Power supplied by red/white wire when key and killswitch are on.

caution: keep hands away from fan blades...yaddayadda


FAN CONTROL SWITCH BYPASS TEST
1. Disconnect harness from fan switch on radiator.
2. Place a jumper wire between the wires on the connector.
3. Turn the ignition key (and engine stop switch) "ON". The fan should start running.
4. If the fan runs with the jumper wire installed, check the fan control switch and connector terminals. If the fan does not run or runs slowly with the jumper wire installed, check the fan motor wiring, ground, and motor condition (refer to Fan Motor Testing). Repair or replace as necessary.

FAN CONTROL SWITCH OPERATION TEST
1. Place switch in a water bath and submerse it to the base of the threads. Do not allow threads to contact container or inaccurate reading will result.
2. Heat the coolant slowly and monitor the temperature with a thermometer or Fluke (tm) meter pyrometer. THe switch should be closed (conductive) at the "ON" temperatre indicated by the chart, and stay conductive until the "OFF" temperature is reached.

FAN SWITCH PART NUMBER ||| CONTINUITY (ON) ||| NO CONTINUITY (OFF)
xplorer 4x4 (4010284) ||| 260*F +- 10* ||| 240*F +- 10*




let me know if you want the fan motor condition test, in a nutshell it says that the fan should use less than 6.5 amps


tyler711

 

I don't think they have a hot light on the 250s. plus the thermostat does not open until 260 so the 205 hot light would be on all the time. So the fan comes on at 260 and will shut back off at 240. If you live in a moderate climate it may never come on. Note the 250 Trailblazer,Cyclone,Trailboss don't even use fans and they have the same motor. It's for very slow trail riding and low range stuff.

 

I am in the exact same situation as you sonofoldmanmoses. I bought a 2000 Xplorer 4x4 a few months back, but I hav'nt had any time to mess with it much yet. I have only run it up and down the street and around the block some so I haven't been able to test a whole lot. I have noticed my fan hasn't kicked on ever either, but it did when I put a jumper wire to it so the fan must be okay. I think I"ll try the hot water technique to test the sensor switch though.

I wonder if you could do a rough test on the switch by placing a high temp thermometer right next to the sensor and then heating it with a blow dryer?
Just a crazy idea.

By the way, does anyone know what sensor/warning/indicator lights are supposed to work on a 2000 Xplorer, and what makes them turn on and off? The only one on mine that I've seen work is the reverse light. I think the others are burned out or broke and wouldn't work even if they were supposed to.

Thanks.

 

The temp is too high for a blow dryer. I think the only lights are reverse, nuetral and low oil.

 

My mistake - this service manual is for the 250 and the 400, so I typed up the whole page. Usually it says if something only applies to one of the machines, but it didnt say it on that hot light thing, but that is just for the 400. All the other numbers are right, though. Page 10.17 of the polaris service manual