Was out riding my sportsman 450 on the trails this afternoon. Got into some water that was deeper then expected. Up to the bottom of the fenders/bottom of the winch in front. I let up too easy and got stuck, then it started to sound like it was dying so I shut it off. was pulled out then started it back up. Sounded a touch funny for the first second then started running fine. It was getting cold and I was too wet by this point so we just drove it back to the truck. Well Im new to this and not sure waht to do? Was the water deep enough to hurt anything? It sounded fine so is it ok? I plan to check the oil but is there anything else I need to check?

 

There's a section in the manual that covers this. Basically you'll want to find out if water made it into certain places, like into the engine through the intake, and into the belt cover.

There is a drain plug at the bottom rear of the belt/clutch cover. There's also a drain for the airbox. Check the airfilter to make sure it didn't soak up any water. You shouldn't have to worry about water in the engine if you turned it off like you say. When it sounded like it was about to stall, that was probably due to the muffler outlet being under water. If you suspect water in the engine, they you'll want to drain and replace the oil and filter. Also, you'll want to remove the spark plug and crank it over to remove any water that may have gotten into the cylinder.

Best bet is to get a service manual for your bike. Good luck.

 

if you were as deep as you say(fenders) then you didnt get any water in the air box because the inlet is alot higher then that.even if you did get water in the oil you already drove back to the truck so the damage wouldnt have been done. like sheep said it started to stall because the exhaust was under water. we had ours almost to the seat under water w/ no issues. if the belt wasnt slipping them you mostly likely didnt get any water in the clutch either. you can check the oil's for peace of mind but im sure unless there a leak your fine. my .02

 

There was mud/water on top of the covering to the air filter box but no signs of water or dampness in the box or on the air filter. How do I check for water in the belt/clutch cover? Plan to check the oil tonight. Do I need to go through the process of opening the drain plug, unhooking the spark plug and cranking it as described in the manual? Where is the PVT drain plug it describes located at?
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if you dont find any water in the oil then your fine. if it anit broke dont fix it type thing. if the pvt had water in it you would know it because the belt would be slipping. but if you want to take out the little red plug on the bottom of the clutch go ahead and check it. and if you ride thru any water/mud it will throw it up on top of the air box but not get in. if you had water in the engine on the plug then it wouldnt even run right because water doesnt burn very good lol.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: stendori

even if you did get water in the oil you already drove back to the truck so the damage wouldnt have been done. you can check the oil's for peace of mind but im sure unless there a leak your fine. my .02</end quote></div>


so are you saying if the was water in the oil then the engine is already damaged? How do I know if there is any water in it anways? I checked it and the level is fine. What else should I be looking for?

 

change the oil if your not sure, a little water wont hurt, but change it right away if you think any amount of water got in, it cheap and fast to do right away

 

Hello I have owned 2 polaris atv's and BOTH of them had problems in water! (I should have learned on the the first Polaris purchase) The #1 killer of Polaris ATV'S!=WATER! It is very embarrassing when your out riding with all of your friends and get into a little H20 and all you hear is your PVT transmission screaming at high RPM and your machine will not go anywhere....That is until until it dries! Period! The only way to solve this problem is to sell it! Because eventually if your not a weekend warrior you WILL have problems! So unload that Polaris and buy something else! There are many ATV's on the market today that will go in deep water. If Polaris get rid of that snowmobile clutch maybe they will have the toughest ATV. I know I will strike nerves here but the truth is the truth. Sincerely, Past Polaris ATV owner.

 

Wow I sure am glad I didn't listen to this guy ^^^^ when I had my bike over the racks last weekend and didn't have a single problem. I must've got a good one [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I'd say the same... as scrammytodd.. I'ce had my '03 Scrammy up to the racks numerous times and never had a water related issue !!! But I can say the steering shaft doesn't like it when you roll it over down a hill in the rain! Then again what wheeler out there likes to go a$$ over tea kettle down a hill with no rider?? Lmao!!