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Cooling System

The cooling mechanisms in the Polaris General play an important role in the overall functionality of the machine. The radiator -- with the help of cooling radiator fans -- brings down the temperature of the coolant, which is then flushed through the machine’s engine to prevent overheating. But because liquid conducts heat better than air, problems arise when you get air in the cooling lines. If you think a bubble may have gotten into your General’s cooling system, park it uphill or park the front end up on your trailer or an embankment of some kind so that it’s on an incline. Next, take the radiator cap off -- making sure that your rig has cooled down enough if you have been driving it -- and let the bike run for 10-15 min. If there’s any air in there it should work itself out. Alternatively, you can bleed the system via the bleed screw on the head above the exhaust ports.

 

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If air in the cooling system isn’t an issue, a sticky thermostat or cooling fan may be the cause of cooling issues in your Polaris General. Your fans may not be running when they should or the fan blades might be rubbing or have something stuck on them. Another issue we’ve seen occur in a few Generals is the firmware in the ECU which limits the current is set too low. If your machine doesn’t throw any fault codes, the ECU could be where the problem lies. To test it, run your motor -- and turn the AC on if you have it. The fan should turn on at low speed and go to high speed when it reaches temp. If you splash water on the fan, it will stop because the ECU will think the fan has loaded up. You can reset it by turning the motor off and back on. Until Polaris comes up with a firmware update, you will have to just restart your machine every time you’re having cooling issues. And while we’re on the subject of cooling, many riders have reached out to us asking which type of coolant they should use. We tell them that any 50/50 mix will work, and we like using the green auto antifreeze instead of the overpriced Polaris branded coolant. So if you have any questions about the cooling system of your Polaris General, just give us a holler!