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04 Sportsman 700 Leaking Coolant

11K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  slyder01 
#1 ·
Great site here. I stumbled into it while searching for parts for my 700 Sportsman. I wish I would have found it a few years ago. My problem I am having now is that I have a coolant leak out of my rocker cover. Its a very slow leak (a coulple drops while running) but I will be repairing it asap. After looking at some diagrams, it looks like all I need is the o-ring that sits under the rocker cover. Is that correct or will I be in for some surprises? Thanks.
 
#3 ·
Well, I talked to a Polaris mechanic. He told me if coolant really is coming out there, thats bad. I figured that. He said the head would have to be cracked in order for coolant to even be in there. I don't think it is because I am not loosing much coolant, it was not in the oil when I changed it, and it is running great. He said he thinks it might be coming out of a thermostat wire that goes into the motor near there. I need to get the motor cleaned up real well, coat it with flour, and see exactly where it is coming from. I hope he is right.
 
#4 ·
What a difference a clean motor makes when looking for a leak. I ended up soaking everything down with a cleaner and hit it with the pressure washer. I then let it be for the night to make sure it was totally dry. Today I got home from work, took a close look at everything, and noticed some coolant around the water pump gasket. I started the bike and let it idle for a few minutes while keeping a close eye. The fluid I'm seeing aroung the rocker cover was still there for the first few minutes, then went away. My guess is its just water from the wash. The coolant leak is definatly at the gasket where the water pump bolts to the case. I think that is great news. Its alot easier to get to and work on. Now my question is: Do I replace everything while I am in there or just take apart and replace all the seals?
 
#5 ·
thanks for all the info i can add to my knowledge base.. If your engine is running fine and not overheating, i dont think you need to change anything but the gasket. I'm not sure where the thermostat is on that machine, but if it's down there near the water pump and hard to get to and you are at it while changing the gasket, not a bad idea to do so
 
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