I am new to Polaris, previously owning three Hondas, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. This is my first problem with mine, maybe not even a problem. While riding yesterday in beautiful Eastern Tennessee, we found an excellent mud hole. My 2002 SP 500 made me proud, going through it in 2WD, where the Yamaha's and Honda's struggled in 4WD, gotta love On-Demand TRUE 4X4. Anyway, it was fairly deep, but never going over the belt opening, and after going through a time or twenty we made our way on down the trail. We continued to ride another 15-20 miles before calling it a day, all the while my SP gave me no trouble whatsoever, including the belt. This morning when I was cleaning it, I had it parked facing up-ward on a fairly steep bank. I went to pull it back inside, and I had to hold the throttle wide open just to drive across my flat drive-way. After greasing it, I took the belt cover loose, and blackish water poured from my belt housing. I let it drain, started it and reved in in N for a few minutes, re-attatched the cover and it ran fine, no slipping at all. I took off the air-box cover and it didn't show any sign of water in it. I think that if the belt had sucked in the water from the mud-hole yesterday, it would have slipped yesterday, instead of going approx. 15 more miles w/o problem, but why was it blackish today if it was from the clean water from the cleaning? Did I get it in while cleaning it, since it was an upward facing incline, making it easier to run in and down the tube? What do I need to do to fix it if anything. My dealer was closed today, but I'm sure his answer is "bring it back to us". Anything else I need to look at for water damage? Anyone know why it was black water, maybe it washed some dust and dirt out from normal wear and riding, or maybe some type of tranny lube? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Andy S.

 

If it didn't slip on you trail riding, you didn't get enough water in it to hurt anything during the ride. It is possible you got water in the vent while washing the quad.
Normal wear of the belt/pulleys creates a fine black dust (belt dust) that will turn the water darkish. It is a good idea a couple times a year to take off the belt cover & clean it out. (all you have to do is remove the 4 bolts holding the footrest down, remove the belt cover bolts & any clips that it might have, and you can weasel the cover out by pulling the footrest away from the machine.) You can either use a hose (not pressure washer, just a garden hose is enough) or air compressor. If you use the hose, be sure to let everything dry out real good before re-assembly. I prefer to use an air hose, if for no other reason than I can put it together & ride as soon as I am done. Clean out both front & rear pulleys until no more dust comes out.
If it was muddy water from the ride, be sure to clean things up good, as dirt is an abrasive that will wear out moving parts in the pulleys prematurely.

 

Had basically the same thing happen to me. I had mine suspended at an uphill angle by using my winch on a 6 ft. post. My belt slipped a little at about 1/4 throttle when I drove it down road to dry out. I've had my belt completely under out trail ridin and it never slipped. Polaris has GREATLY improved their belt sealing from year's past.

 

Don't forget to always change your belt cover seal while you're in there. A little money saving tip, take the old seal and hang it up for a few days, sometimes they will return to their old shape and you can reuse them.