My 200 Sportsman 500 is having some odd issues.

Temp lite is coming on after 10-15 minutes of idling

Changed the fan a short ime ago due to bad bearings. Recently changed the sensor on the Rad as well. Temp lite even comes on when the fan is wired direct & running steady.

Other than the main temp sensor, any other ideas?

 

Did you check the rad fins make sure they are clean right threw!!!......TIP....Hold a flashlight at the back of the rad and look threw the front make sure you can see light in all of the cooling fins!!!Read my post I just put on ...

 

Rad is spotless

 

Well then ........The only think now is to find out WHY the coolant is not going back from the rad to the motor!!!!!You said it takes about 10-15 min to heat up ...Well the coolant in the rad is more then cool enough if the fan is running steady......so it is not getting back.....Can't help you any more you know all this anyway I guess........Does it have a water pump.....or thermostat.......something not making the cool coolant get back to the motor!!!!

 

Talked to a mechanic at the local dealer - he thinks it may be electrical as the light should not come on after 10-15 minutes. Pulled the bike apart to check the wiring - have to bring my tester home tomorrow.

No damage has been done as its always been shut down right when the lite came one - odd thing is the it suckes the coolant out of the rad & fills the overflow bottle everytime.

Not sure if its the sensor or the t-stat

 

Is it actually overheating? Seems to me that there were 500 "HOT" issues on this forum about 6 months ago. I think they were resistor. Spyder6, I think was in on the talk!

 

i kinda dont think it is but it did that on mine and it was the head gasket.

 

You can check the radiator when it says hot. If one side is hot and one is cold. Then heat transfer is not happening. On a correct system, the outlet side of the rad will still be warm, not cold. Maybe it is just a purge issue. Sometimes these engines can be stubborn to get the air out of.

 

1. Do you have to keep refilling the recovery bottle with antifreeze. If yes and no coolant leak you have a bad head gasket. Check your oil.
2. Check the sensor on the engine block. It is the one that controls the hot light.
3.When hot check both the inlet and outlet hoses to see if they are the same temp. If not stuck termostat or bad water pump.
4. Does the fan come on by it's self.
5. Your bike can overheat after 15 min of idleing. The true way to find out if it is overheating is if the recovery bottle is very hot to the touch. You will find the recovery bottle get more and more antifreeze in is as it warms up. It will get warm to the touch but not hot. Let you bike run until the fan come on and off, if that happens all is well. Replace fan thermostat.

 

It sounds like an electrical problem to me too, especially since the new 500s have know issues with false hot warnings. Although a temp gauge won’t cure your problem it’s a far more reliable way to know what’s REALLY happening with your coolant temp.