Hi, recently I picked up an 02 Polaris Xplorer 400 with a seized engine. After disassemble It alomost looks as if the engine was drowned and never drained. Cylinder, bearing, crank and anything else that could rust inside the engine was 100% toast. Beyond this the ATV looks to be in great shape beyond needing u-joints for the front drive shaft (The one that runs along the frame) and having the plastic broken on the left foot well.
I also have a 95 Polaris Sportsman 400 that has taken a fair beating from a few friends wreaks as well as my own. The 95 has taken a few hit's to the front, need's front and center chains, has broken plastics beyond fenders, need's front wheel bearings (Both sides), shocks are completely blown all around, rear rack has broken mounts (Removed), left rear hub broken from lug nuts coming loose though the engine seems to still run good.


Questions:
1. Would swapping the motors be as easy as unbolt, disconnect all connected to old xplorer motor and install the sportsman motor the opposite of what the motor came out? Other than the possibility of a different intake boot angle it looks to be that all else is the same between these two motors.
2. Will the clutching of the sportsman work with the xplorer set-up or will I need to re-clutch it accordingly to what was previously used? (Xplorer clutch may have become damaged upon unfreezing previous motor improperly)
3. If I am correct the electronics system is the same from the xplorer to the sportsman though I was wondering if the plugin connections have changed over the years?
4. Is the xplorer set-up any better than the sportsman beyond front shaft drive, plastics, newer handlebar switches and rear axel brakes?


Thanks! Any all input is appreciated. This isn't my first oddball motor swap and it's sure not to be the last. As they say, anything is possible if your determined!

 

Engines are a direct swap as far as most mounting points. No problems in that area.400 engines didn't change hardly at all during their long production run. Electronics will be different because of the year model differences along with module and connector plug harness changes. On this use the ignition system from either one that is the best(stator,cdi,regulator,etc) and you shouldn't have a problem. All non ebs clutches such as these will interchange between machines,doesn't matter which one. The advantage to using the later model 02 Explorer versus the 95 Sportsman 400 is that you only have one chain to have to mess with as the Explorer uses a prop shaft from the gear case to the front diff/drive shafts versus the old 3 chain setup from the early Sportsmans. Both have low range and awd,so I's a no brainer to stick with the Explorer.

 

Thanks Old Polaris Tech! I'll have to see about getting a jump on it here this week / weekend. Seeing as the motor had been drowned and never drained I'm going to go through and check if anything else was damaged such as the transmission, front diff, ect. On the electronics I'm fairly sure I will stick with the Sportsman's as I know they are working where as I have never been able to test the Xplorer's. I'll let you know how it goes and post any complications for others doing a similar swap as I'm sure to have at least a few.

 

Strange.. Just looked up both the 95 and 02 and both share the same part number for stators and pick up coil. Cdi modules are different though. Pretty sure connectors will be different.

Usage : 3084763
Year Product Model Assembly
2002 ATV XPLORER 400 MAGNETO - A02CG38CA (4970247024D04)
2001 ATV XPLORER 400 MAGNETO - A01CG38CA (4963916391D004)
2000 ATV XPLORER 400 MAGNETO - A00CG38CA (4954875487D010)
1999 ATV XPLORER 400 MAGNETO - A99CG38CA (4949634963D007)
1998 ATV XPLORER 400L MAGNETO XPLORER 400L W98CC38C (4945414541D005)
1997 ATV XPRESS 300 MAGNETO (400L) XPRESS 400L W97CA38C (4939603960D010)
1997 ATV XPRESS 400 MAGNETO (400L) XPRESS 400L W97CA38C (4939603960D010)
1997 ATV Big Boss 6x6 400L MAGNETO BIG BOSS 6X6 400L W97AE38A (4940814081D014)
1997 ATV BIG BOSS 6X6 400L MAGNETO BIG BOSS 6X6 400L W97AE38A (4940814081D014)
1997 ATV SPORTSMAN 400L MAGNETO Sportsman 400L W97AC38C (4939673967D008)
1997 ATV XPLORER 400L MAGNETO XPLORER 400L W97CC38C (4939753975D006)
1996 ATV XPRESS 300 MAGNETO (400) XPRESS 400 W969540 (4935923592E005)
1996 ATV XPRESS 400 MAGNETO (400) XPRESS 400 W969540 (4935923592E005)
1996 ATV NORWEGIAN 400L 6X6 MAGNETO 6X6 400L W968740 and 6X6 400L Norwegian N968740 (4935963596E002)
1996 ATV 400L 6X6 MAGNETO 6X6 400L W968740 and 6X6 400L Norwegian N968740 (4935963596E002)
1996 ATV SPORTSMAN 4X4 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY Sportsman 4x4 W968040 (4935943594D007)
1996 ATV XPLORER 400L MAGNETO ASSEMBLY XPLORER 400L W969140 (4935983598D006)
1995 ATV 400L 2X4 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY 2x4 400L W957540 (4930093009D009)
1995 ATV XPLORER MAGNETO ASSEMBLY XPLORER 4X4 W959140 (4930223022D008)
1995 ATV BIG BOSS 6X6 400L MAGNETO ASSEMBLY 6x6 400L - U.S. W958740, SWEDISH S958740 and NORWEGIAN N (4930273027E005)
1995 ATV SPORT 400L MAGNETO ASSEMBLY Sport 400L W958540 (4930133013D002)
1995 ATV SPORTSMAN 4X4 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY Sportsman 4x4 W958040 (4930403040D007)
1994 ATV 400L 4X4 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY 4X4 400L W948140 (4926772677D005)
1994 ATV 400L 2X4 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY 2x4 400L W947540 (4926752675D001)
1994 ATV 400L 6X6 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY 6x6 400L W948740 (4926802680D013)
1994 ATV NORWEGIAN 400L 6X6 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY 6x6 400L, SWEDISH S948740 and NORWEGIAN N948740 (4926812681055A)
1994 ATV SWEDISH 400L 6X6 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY 6x6 400L, SWEDISH S948740 and NORWEGIAN N948740 (4926812681055A)
1994 ATV SPORTSMAN 4X4 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY Sportsman 4x4 W948040 (4926842684D005)
1994 ATV W948040 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY Sportsman 4x4 W948040 (4926842684D005)
1994 ATV NORWEGIAN 400L 4X4 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY SWEDISH 4x4 400L S948140 (4926912691D006)
1994 ATV SWEDISH 400L 4X4 MAGNETO ASSEMBLY SWEDISH 4x4 400L S948140 (4926912691D006)