2001 Arctic Cat 500 4x4 overheating

[HeWasRidinDirty]

My neighbor said that his atv would light up the temp light after only 5 minutes of run time. He wants me to replace the thermostat. So, I got it here and I'm checking it out, and I've warmed it up twice and ridden it around a bit and I get no temp light. The fan works as it should. I even unplugged the temp switch right by the thermostat housing and the fan continues to run. So, that tells me the switch is for the temp light? If that is so then shouldn't the light come on when I unplug the switch? Is there another temp switch that turns on the fan? Thanks! 

[HeWasRidinDirty]

A lil update. Warmed up the bike again and rode it around a bit, the fan came on again, but, I noticed that the upper hose that connects to the thermo housing is hot like it should be, but, the lower hose that connects to the water pump housing isn't hot. Barely warm. Maybe the stat is stuck closed???

[ToMang07]

Try removing the t-stat and see if it opens and at what temp. Could be a bad water pump.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[HeWasRidinDirty]

3 hours ago, ToMang07 said:

Try removing the t-stat and see if it opens and at what temp. Could be a bad water pump.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 

I may try that. But it looks like there is no gasket on the housing but rather an o-ring on the t-stat. So, it may leak a little bit while checking it out. 

[ToMang07]

I had an 02 that wouldn't open all the way. I was shocked (and p!ssed) at how much that tiny thermostat was.....3x more than the OEM was in my Ford Diesel..... but it fixed the problem for me. If you don't know how old the coolant is probably a good time to change it out if you don't have a test kit.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[HeWasRidinDirty]

12 minutes ago, ToMang07 said:

I had an 02 that wouldn't open all the way. I was shocked (and p!ssed) at how much that tiny thermostat was.....3x more than the OEM was in my Ford Diesel..... but it fixed the problem for me. If you don't know how old the coolant is probably a good time to change it out if you don't have a test kit.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 

Ya, 90 bux for a t-stat! I remember when I was a youngin my Chevy trucks took a $5 t-stat. 

[ToMang07]

I've moved away from Cat because of stuff like that. Finding 20yo parts is hard enough, but paying premium prices for them is worse. Had a headgasket go on my 01 ZR800.... 2 o-rings.... over $50.

For 2 o-rings.

Then parts like fuel pumps aren't available in OEM or aftermarket new, used ones selling for more than new did with no guarantee of condition... yeah....Textron/Cat killed Cats for me.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk