I need to know what a jumper wire is and how to use it? I need to test a fan sensor due to the fan will not turn on. I have read a lot of posts and jumper wires were mentioned. Do I need to remove the sensor from the radiator but leave it connected to the fan? Take me step by step if you would please. I am learning alot from this forum but do need clarification on some things. I have a 97 sp 500. I posted yesturday about over heating. I tested the tstat and it was okay. Now I am moving on the the sensors. I am doing all of the small things before I will look into head gaskets.

 

A jumper is just a piece of wire with the insulation stripped off each end that you use to "jump" or "bridge" a connection.

The sensor is just a switch that completes a circuit when it is activated by coolant temperature.

For your fan test, pull the plug at the sensor and use your jumper wire to make a connection on the plug between the two wires (or male/female spade terminals) going into the plug. When jumped with the key on, the fan should start and if it does then you know the fan motor is good and the sensor is probably bad. If the fan doesn't run then you have a problem with either the wiring going to the fan or the motor itself.

Keep in mind that what I'm stating is a typical test and I'm just assuming your sportsman has two wires at the plug as I've never looked at a Polaris fan sensor specifically. If there's just one wire then it probably just completes a circuit to ground in which case put one end of your jumper in the plug and the other end to a grounding point on the frame. If you see sparks as in a short then don't do that again....[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Hope that helps...

 

that was a very description. if the fan doesnt come on check the fan to see if it works by putting a 12 volt sorce to it. just a thought but did you try to turn the fan(with the bike and switch off) by hand to make sure it turns freely?