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Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Ice Fishing Transportation => Topic started by: JimP on Jan 20, 2009, 08:05 PM

Title: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: JimP on Jan 20, 2009, 08:05 PM
I recently picked up a 1997 Polaris Indy 500 to round our my ice fishing bag of tricks. Yeah, no more slush days with the wheeler.  ;D ;D ;D Anyway the sled goes good. The question I have is when riding home yesterday it was getting a little darker and I noticed a green light on the left which I think is coolant? Anyway it was lit green. is that normal. The other light is a red brake light that comes on when I hit the brakes.

Is this normal for a Polaris? brakes work fine and it didn't seem like it was overheating. Coolant level was normal and the fluid was a nice prestone color.
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: LINGUINI on Jan 20, 2009, 08:09 PM
may be  your high beam 
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: Icebound on Jan 20, 2009, 08:10 PM
I think the green means go............ ;D
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: keepah seekah on Jan 20, 2009, 08:24 PM
high beams, or handwarmer/thumbwarmer? usually if a liquid cooled sled is overheating, it bogs out and acts stupid
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: JimP on Jan 20, 2009, 08:26 PM
Quote
I think the green means go..

I was hoping green meant good to go... First time I hit the gas hard it kinda startled me. I didn't expect a 500 to take off like that.  :o
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: MG39 on Jan 20, 2009, 08:30 PM
I recently picked up a 1997 Polaris Indy 500 to round our my ice fishing bag of tricks. Yeah, no more slush days with the wheeler.  ;D ;D ;D Anyway the sled goes good. The question I have is when riding home yesterday it was getting a little darker and I noticed a green light on the left which I think is coolant? Anyway it was lit green. is that normal. The other light is a red brake light that comes on when I hit the brakes.

Is this normal for a Polaris? brakes work fine and it didn't seem like it was overheating. Coolant level was normal and the fluid was a nice prestone color.

Send ALASKANSS a PM, he's the sled & wheeler man...........

My Honda wheeler low oil light comes on when the oil is up and it turned out to be a temperamental sensor.
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: lv2huntandfish on Jan 20, 2009, 09:03 PM
I have 200o Indy XC 500 and that is the high beam on mine.
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: trout chaser on Jan 20, 2009, 09:13 PM
nice  i   have  a  indy  500    1986    sweet   ice  fishin  sled   starts  right  up
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: Woods Wise on Jan 20, 2009, 10:06 PM
I owned a 96 XCR and if the light came on it meant to add coolant. Check the tank under the cowling. The tank should have level lines on the side.
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: Mainehazmt on Jan 21, 2009, 07:16 AM
Piece of duct tape will cover that light!  :whistle:  :laugh: :roflmao:
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: Cool Blue on Jan 21, 2009, 08:08 AM
The green light I believe is the ready light, when you turn the key to start position it means you can now start it. Not sure if its supposed to stay on. The brakes are either low on fluid or have air in them. My polaris did that til I put new brake pads on and topped off the brake fluid res. :tipup:
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: JimP on Jan 21, 2009, 09:23 AM
Thanks. I did some reading last nite. I actually found a pdf of the maintenance manual. It said there are lites for oil/brake, temp and hi beam. The brake lite only comes on when I hit the brakes. The fluid is full and the brakes work with not squealing noises coming from them. Funny thing about the maint manual is it doesn't say when the lites are supposed to come on. ???
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: hardwatergrampa on Jan 21, 2009, 09:58 AM
jim word to the wise   check the oil in your chain case    i picked up a used sled last year and blew the chain and gears along with the shaft and other parts if you can find the parts after market its close too 2 grand to fix luckly i found a sled for parts this fall havent had time to put the sled back togather yet found out this was a big problum with this make sled
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: JimP on Jan 21, 2009, 10:01 AM
Thanks, I did check all the fluids. They all looked good. Sled has 3400 miles. I want to hit it with a grease gun and some good grease. Was hoping someone here had a polaris indy and could tell me the normal state of the lights on the dash. Gotta go and get some more oil, I can ask at the dealer.
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: hoghunta on Jan 21, 2009, 10:56 AM
I have a 98 xc 600 and the green light is the acc. light. Which on mine is the handwarmers! Good Luck.

Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: taz-montana on Jan 21, 2009, 11:19 AM
Thanks. I did some reading last nite. I actually found a pdf of the maintenance manual. It said there are lites for oil/brake, temp and hi beam. The brake lite only comes on when I hit the brakes. The fluid is full and the brakes work with not squealing noises coming from them. Funny thing about the maint manual is it doesn't say when the lites are supposed to come on. ???
the reason that the red light comes on when you squeeze the brakes is that when you put on the parking brake the red light reminds you that the brake is set
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: JimP on Jan 21, 2009, 11:29 AM
so that is normal?
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: taz-montana on Jan 21, 2009, 01:31 PM
so that is normal?
yes... we ran polaris's for years 87-98
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: CMMahy on Jan 21, 2009, 01:32 PM
The red light that comes on when the brakes are on is normal, like Taz said, so you don't drive off with the brake on. I used the dash light so I could tell when my brake light was lit. Often I would flash my taillights in the dark while trail riding, so I could warn others behind me of something, without slamming on the brakes. The green light is most likely a high-beam indicator, check the pod on your left hand grip and find your headlight switch, see if changing the position gets rid of the light. All the temp lights I've seen on sleds are red and have a thermometer or the letters TEMP on it. Good Luck!
Title: Re: Snowmobile question - Probably a dumb one
Post by: JimP on Jan 21, 2009, 03:59 PM
Thanks gang. I talked with the local dealer when I was picking up some oil and they said it was the hi-beams...

Hopefully I will get a lot of use icefishing with this polaris. So far it has been fun.