new to me 01' Kodiak 400

[Sonders]

Finally got a chance to go for a ride today.  Made it about 3 miles and it overheated and shut off on me 🤦🏼‍♂️.  I’m beyond frustrated at this point.  I’ve got the front end stripped off of it now as I was looking where anti-freeze was coming from.  It’s overflowing out of the vent tube up front.  I had it running in the garage once it cooled off just to watch to see what it did.  The fan never comes on.  When should it kick on?  I thought maybe it wasn’t working so I took it off and wired it straight to a battery and it comes right on and spins fine, so that’s not the problem.  Not sure what else to check at this point.

[Frank Angerano]

It sounds like a bad temp sensor that should be located on the head with a single wire coming off of it.  Or the fan circuit itself has no power. Double check the fuses are good and the wiring is good. 

That fan is supposed to come on after the engine hits a certain temp.  On a lot of engines the sensor is located someplace around the top of the head  and has one wire coming off of it and screwed into the head. So when the sensor gets to the point that its designed it grounds the  sensor by having a special piece of bimetal that bends on temperature and brings the fan on.

So if you have that type of set up simply  turn the key to the on position and take that wire off of the sensor and ground the wire.If the fan comes on you need a sensor. 

If it’s a two wire sensor you may have to unplug them from the sensor and jump them together instead of grounding. 

I would start there and also order a new thermostat and gasket and throw it in as well.

 

[Sonders]

Looking at parts diagram #13 & 14 are both listed as thermo switch assemblies.  13 looks to go in top of cylinder head and 14 looks like it goes to the radiator.  I’m assuming 14 is the thermostat.  I’ve seen the single wire sensor on top of cylinder head that you are talking about.  I’ll check it first.  Guess I’m going to be sinking even more money into this dang thing.

Edited July 13, 2019 by Sonders

[Frank Angerano]

Hopefully it’s just the sensor. If you have the diagram post it I will look and see exactly what triggers the fan but my guess is you take the wire off that sensor on the head and ground it (harness side wire) and the fan should come on.  The second sensor in the radiator may be for the high temp light or a safety. 

In the mean time you could temporarily wire that fan SAFELY to stay on and take the bike for the same ride you did to see if she overheats again and see how it runs overall. If it runs hot then you have a secondary problem like maybe a thermostat, water pump etc.   If not then your problems are limited to just a sensor or wiring problem. 

 

[Sonders]

#14 from the diagram is actually a fan sensor switch from what I could find looking around online.  I’ll try grounding temp sensor like you suggested to see what happens.  May go ahead and replace the fan sensor switch as it’s cheap.

[Frank Angerano]

It is cheap enough to do.  When I get a few min I will pull up the diagram and see if I can make any sense out of it for you.  

[Sonders]

Thanks Frank.  I went ahead and ordered a fan sensor relay.  I’ll mess with the temp sensor tomorrow evening and check the fuses.

[Frank Angerano]

Well done. Keep us posted. I will see what I can find in the diagram.   

[Frank Angerano]

Ok so I looked at the diagram for your bike. I was wrong on the sensor locations. I had them backwards.  The sensor located in the cylinder head is the high temp indicator sensor.   If you ground that wire  your high temp light will come on.   

The fan thermal sensor is the one located in the radiator. That’s the one that that brings the fan in and would need replacing if bad.   I’ve attached a few pages for your use.  I noticed that there is also a circuit breaker for the fan located in the diagram that’s on the same line as the sensor.  Try to find that and double check it. It could be as simple as resetting or replacing that.  You can jump that circuit breaker or test it on each side for continuity.  I’ve highlighted some items for ease.  Just look for the color of the wire and follow along. 

The sensor in the radiator can be tested as well if you look at the pages but you maybe better off just replacing if your ordering parts. 

Take your time and don’t get frustrated, the answer is there someplace on the wiring I’ve showed you. It’s just a matter of process of elimination now.

Good luck and keep us posted. 

 

 

[Sonders]

Thanks for that info Frank.  I ran out and checked the high temp switch by grounding it out and light came on just as you said.  I also checked the fuse box and all fuses were good.  I saw the circuit breaker for fan, but I don’t have a tester to check it.  Hopefully the fan switch is the issue and will fix it when it arrives this week.  Guess I better pick up some anti-freeze this week as well.

[Frank Angerano]

Fyi you can pick up a cheap 12v test light and test a lot of that stuff as well.  Just attach the alligator clip to ground and turn the key on you should have power on both sides of the breaker.  The test light will come on. 

[Sonders]

True, didn’t think about that.  I have a test light.  I’ll give that a try.

[Frank Angerano]

Just make sure it’s working properly before you start testing.  

[Sonders]

Found the relay and put tester on it.  First time I checked it I had power on both sides of it and power at the fan sensor switch.  I messed around with some other stuff in the garage and then checked them again a few minutes later and had no power.  So they must be going out I’d assume.  I’ve not seen a relay like this before so hopefully I can order new one through parts pages.  I’ll replace it along with the fan sensor switch and see what happens.

[Frank Angerano]

Sounds good.  Listen if that were my bike while you have everything open I would unplug the connectors and clean them with a little sand paper on (male connectors) and small flat head screw drivers and a small pic type tool  inside the female connectors by gently scraping. Get some dialectic grease or electrical contact cleaner spray  and apply to the connections and reconnect.

It’s a smart thing to do while you have everything exposed and will guarantee solid connections. The grease or spray  is cheap and can be bought at any auto parts store.

Also by the way that bike looks really clean from what I can see so it looks like it’s a good machine and in tact and worth the effort.  

[Sonders]

Ha.  It only looks clean because I spent a week scrubbing everything on it and unplugging/cleaning every connection on the bike as seen from one of my first posts in the thread of the bike torn down.  I’ve lost track of all the hours I’ve spent on this thing since purchasing.  Believe me it looked awful underneath all the panels when I first brought it home.  I’ve regretted  my purchase since bringing it home with all the crap that I’ve found wrong since tearing into it.  At this point I just want to get it on the freakin road and get some actual use out of it.

[Tahj]

I have an 05 Grizzly. The inlet air to the CV drive is under that black cover (full of leaves -mouse nest?)

I don't see any cover in any parts lists, but I plan to put a cooking strainer over it in my rebuild.

[Frank Angerano]

Ok well that’s a good thing If everything is clean and connected properly then I guess you can check that off the list. I really forgot how far back this thread goes.   It’s all worth it though.  These things run like hell when they are fixed right and usually only need general maintenance.   However, your committed now so might as well finish strong and get it done. Your doing great.  

[Sonders]

12 minutes ago, Tahj said:

I have an 05 Grizzly. The inlet air to the CV drive is under that black cover (full of leaves -mouse nest?)

I don't see any cover in any parts lists, but I plan to put a cooking strainer over it in my rebuild.

Yeah Tahj that air inlet tube was just replaced on mine.  Previous owner busted it right before where it clamps onto CV housing at some point and had it ghetto rigged up with part of a plastic bottle and lots of duct tape 🙄.  I ordered a new pipe and installed on it.  Just one of the many messes I’ve fixed/replaced on this thing.

[Sonders]

Still scratching my head on this stupid thing.  I replaced the fan relay circuit and fan relay switch and still no fan.  I unplugged the fan with the bike running and hooked test light to the plug.  Shouldn’t the blue wire have power to it?  Or does it only send power when it needs to turn the fan on?  Maybe I didn’t run it long enough??  The harness below is what comes from main wiring harness and runs to the relay switch and fan and down to 4wd actuator.  I checked the wires on the backside of this harness with bike running as well and the only wire that has power is the red wire.  Does that sound right?

[JacobSlabach]

yea definitely worth cleaning and lubing the connections.  works great for hard-to-find bad connections.  good luck with that bike!!  wiring isnt really my strong point so ima back out at this point..

...and watch and learn lol

[Sonders]

I took it for a ride a little bit ago and rode it as far as last rime when it overheated.  It didn’t overheat this time, but fan still never came on.  It spit some anti freeze out of the overflow tube.  I checked anti freeze level once I got back and the overflow tank is sitting at the low mark.  So not sure if it just had extra in the radiator and was spitting the extra out or what.

[Frank Angerano]

Sunshine the two wires going to the thermo sensor at the radiator, take a piece of copper wire and jump them together!!! With the key on the fan should immediately come on.  If so then your good to go and it’s just a matter of the engine coolant  reaching  temp.   I also want you change that thermostat if you can.  It may have trouble opening and not allowing coolant to circulate properly.  I don’t think it would be a water pump but start with the thermostat.    

[Sonders]

just an update - I jumped the 2 wires on the fan relay switch like you suggested Frank and fan came right on, so I'm going to assume all is well there.  I also set the fuel/air mixture screw to 2-1/4 turns per factory spec and put the plastics back on the bike.  I started it and let it idle a few times and it is idling fine; I just haven't had a chance to actually take it for a ride.  Hopefully it's good to go now as far as running.   I'll go ahead and replace the thermostat in the near future as well.

1 other issue I've noticed all along but haven't mentioned and had put to the bottom of the list of issues....... the starter switch control button on the left handle; I've noticed that when the bike is running, if I flip the switch to the X position to kill the engine that it does not work.  Apparently the switch is bad??  The starter relay solenoid was one of the very first things I replaced on the bike when I first bought it, so I know it's not that.  I tired unplugging the harness that plugs into the top of relay solenoid with the bike running as I saw suggested in another thread and it doesn't kill the engine either.  Thoughts??  I probably won't mess with this right now as I've already spent enough $$ on the dang thing for the time being, but definitely want to research and fix it in the near future.

Edited July 23, 2019 by Sonders

[Frank Angerano]

Nice work.  So the sensor appears to be good. Now all you need to do is let it run and get to temp and see if the fan comes on.  Just keep in mind that if that thermostat is not opening then the coolant will not circulate and never reach the temp and bring the fan on! So be aware of that.   

If you have an infrared thermometer you can aim and point at the head of the engine and the radiator to see what the temp differences are between the two and also check as the engine gets hotter to where the sensor temp that brings the fan on.  So if that sensor closes at 186 deg and your shooting the head of the engine with the thermometer as it nears that 186 or whatever that sensor is designed at then the fan should come on. 

As far as the kill switch goes there are contacts inside, they are either dirty or just shot! You can test the switch with a tester on ohms/continuity. Trace the wires coming from the handle bar. There should be plugs right under the handlebars. Unplug the kill switch wires, connect your tester to the wires coming from the switch and flip the kill switch back and forth a few times you should get a reading on the tester when the switch is in the off position. My guess is it’s dirty inside. Open it up spray the sh** out of it with contact cleaner.

 

 

 

[Sonders]

great info Frank.  I was looking at the starter switch to see how it even comes apart and I noticed it's of course missing 2 of the screws that hold it on, so it's been apart before I'd say.  I'll start with taking it apart to clean.  Heck I've cleaned every other thing on this bike, so may as well clean inside of that switch too.

[Frank Angerano]

If it’s been taken apart already you might be fighting a loosing battle.  Meanwhile I would start looking up a used one on eBay and be ready to order if yours is beyond repair.  Like I said before your committed at this point so might as well finish it right.  Nice work so far brother.  

[Sonders]

Welp my wonderful luck with this bike continues.  Got home from work and was going to go for a ride.  Hit the start button and the starter made an awful grinding noise and started smoking real bad.  The battery cables got instantly super hot, so I unhooked the battery.  I guess the starter crapped out?

[Frank Angerano]

Ugh that sucks brother.   Probably so if it made a grinding noise.   The starter relay didn’t get jammed did it ? 

[Sonders]

I unhooked the relay and hooked it back up again as I was thinking the same thing.  I can hit the starter button and I can hear the relay click, but starter doesn’t even try to do anything.  I went ahead and pulled the starter off the bike.  Is there anyway to bench test it?  And here I was getting ready to order a thermostat and a new speedo cable.  Guess I’m buying a starter first.  I feel like lighting this damn thing on fire and rolling it off a cliff at the moment.