Changing the front diff fluid is the first thing to try. Depending on what you get out of it, you may want to change several times to flush it out.

 

Flushed the diff twice and still nothing. Original fluid was black but plug wasn't real caked with metal shavings. Assuming my wiring is good if I troubleshot everything by the manual, do I need to rebuild the front diff?

 

So I found this thread on same model year but a 700 sportsman with John deere reference numbers... http://www.polarisatvforums.com/for.../25548-2004-700-sportsman-hilliard-clutch-help-please.html#/topics/25548?page=3

Can I assume that the 700 had the same central hilliard and can order similar parts to rebuild?

 

The Polaris cross reference shows the same diff assembly used on the 400 and 500 models from 2001 up through 2009. But not the 700 so I can't say if the Deere parts will work or not. And yeah if your electrical has tested ok, you are gonna have to pull it apart and find out why it isn't working.

 

OK thanks for the info. I have a shop manual that shows the exploded view of the diff but no part numbers. How would I find out the stock polaris part numbers for some of the internals to reference for replacement? Also, what parts specifically would be "no brainers" to order as replacements before opening it up i.e. New armature plate, seals, etc?

 

Polaris doesn't, but I would bet one of the aftermarket companies sells a rebuild kit. Chances are the plastic cage inside it broken. That seems to be a common failure point with them. You can google Moose Industries and get their website and look for parts. Parts Unlimited will show what they have too as will Western Powersports. For the later ones you will have to order parts through a distributor they don't sell to the public. Most dealerships and small shops have access though.

You can get the OEM part numbers from the Polaris web site. http://parts.polarisind.com/Browse/Browse.asp

 

Awesome, I'll start looking around. I see that the cage comes with a new armature. Other than rollers is there anything else I absolutely should replace while I'm in there? Full bearings and seals? Nothing leaks now and moves freely but I figure if I'm in there I might as well...

 

The JD parts should work. You'll need to cross reference the individual parts. There were some minor differences according to build date.

Have you tried holding the reverse override button to see if that makes the AWD work and the light stay on? Are you testing with all 4 wheels off the ground?
You could have a bad gear position switch on the tranny from your description of symptoms (#69). When working properly, the light will blink in reverse and you have no AWD till you press the button. If doing that in forward gear, I've seen some older machines that this was the problem.

 

It blinks in forward and reverse but it's not a consistent blink... Very intermittent with no pattern. Revving the engine has no effects on blinking and yes all wheels off ground when testing.

 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention...your problem sounds electrical. The front gearcase could be total trash on the inside and it wouldn't make the light blink...it just wouldn't engage right or would be stuck and not disengage.

 

Thanks for the insight... I'll look into testing/replacing that switch on the tranny first. I agree it has to be electrical but I've never messed with a 4x4 Atv differential so I want sure how best to attack the issue.

 

Hmm, if blink is erratic may be a grounding issue?

 

Yea I thought that... But which ground? Lol... Is there a common point I could add a better ground to maybe fix the issue?

 

Is there a way to test the gear selector switch to ensure it's working properly (it does show correct gear on speedo and the diagnostic screen shows the right ohms in each gear)?

Can I add an extra ground to the brown/white wire from the diff and from the switch to one of the chassis bolts under the hood to maybe solve a grounding issue? I checked and cleaned all the chassis and engine grounds I could find but probably not all and it fixed nothing.

 

AWD is currently not working on my machine and I have tested it as follows:
Machine jacked up in air with all 4 wheels off ground; with AWD switch on and transmission in L I revved the motor past 3k rpm with no movement of the front wheels
While doing the above test the AWD indicator light blinks erratically, no pattern to the blinking.
The same issue is present when trying to use AWD in reverse override mode
I have tested continuity of the front diff and it is within spec. I am getting 12v from the switch when on and nothing when switched off.

When I put the machine in diagnostic mode and select the AWD screen, it shows OFF when the switch is off and does the same erratic blinking from ON to OFF when the switch is switched ON. To further clarify erratic, it will blip ON for a second and then go OFF for a few seconds or more and then randomly blip ON.

My gear selector switch seems to be operational as my speedo shows the correct gear indicator when selected and the ohms for each gear are within spec when in diagnostic mode.

I have twice flushed the front diff fluid and its currently sitting with fresh fluid in it. The drained fluid was a bit dark but the magnetic plug was not overly covered in metal material. The ECM was recently replaced due to being faulty and not charging the battery during operation.