I have a 2002 Polaris 600 Touring that I had a problem with carb icing on the Mag side last year. This only happened while riding in heavy snow. The sled ran lousy and used 10 X more fuel than normal almost leaving me stranded more than once. I think/know it was carb icing because when I poured boiling water over the offending side, the problem went away immediately.

The dealer doesn't believe me because I/ he can't re-create the situation'

I have purchased a 12V self adhesive thumb warmer that I want to plug in if it happens again.

My question. Where do I stick this 12V warmer on the carb?
Does the top , the middle or the bottom freeze?

No comments about electrical near gas please.

i have the same problem with my indy , my solution was to tape up the top four hood vents with duct tape but left the bottom open ,for me that works good but your problem maybe different, and if it was me i would put the thumb warmer at the top of the car but mount it on the side

Originally posted by indy400@Feb 12 2004, 07:44 PM
i have the same problem with my indy , my solution was to tape up the top four hood vents with duct tape but left the bottom open ,for me that works good but your problem maybe different, and if it was me i would put the thumb warmer at the top of the car but mount it on the side
yep, thatll do it,,,,you have snow getting into your air box and causing the problem,,,,happend on my zrt a couple of times,,,,

DECEE- the same thing happened to our group of 10 last year in -40 up in Wawa.Seems the extreme cold and fine snow dust was icing up eveyones carbs and didn't realize it until some were almost out of gas.The fella that we were with brought out duct tape and we taped all the hood vents closed.It was this cold the entire week so we all left the hoods duct taped.No problems anymore with the carbs icing from then on it.When I got home I made a set of LEXAN (like plexiglasse but harder to break) covers that I cut in the shape of each hood vent.I drilled 2 holes in each and they attach to the inside of each hood sreen with a small screw and nut.I didn't need them yet on our last ride up North last week but carry them with me attached under the hood just in case I need them again and they look alot better than does the duct tape!!

There are some pre filters you can get at some mountain supply places and I think maybe right from Polaris. They filter the fine "dust".

This was a HUGE HUGE problem on the very same sled as you have, but they were rentals this year on our Timmins ride. Only bothered the POOs, the 2 DOOs and the one Yami were fine. We tried taping the hood vents shut, and it helped a bit, but didn't fix it. The air box filter/filter on the hood, need to be bigger and better to catch the fine snow dust. I actually took one out of mine, and stuffed it in the top of the airbox on one of them, and it helped a bit.

On another note, what kind of luck do YOU have with that particular sled?? These ones were 02-03s,(550s, and 600s) and were the biggest POS I have ever seen. 4 , yes 4 chaincases, and an engine, all within 6 weeks of riding. And they always used way more gas than the 2 other brands.Not bashing, just wondering if this is commom, or not.Yeah they were rentals, but all had less than 6k on them, and one only had 1k on it and ate the chaincase.

Oh, and if you pop the air box apart when it does it, you'll see its all wet and has lots of snow dust in it,its not so much the carbs(they should allready be heated)as snow in the airbox..

I agree with the fact that it's snow dust coming into your carb.
Not the carb being cold.
I would strongly suggest you stay away from trying to heat the carb as you're thinking. (It is a great idea that you came up with in principle though.) Even factory designed carb heating systems are having problems with people forgetting that they have the heating hose turned on and boiling the gas in the float bowl. This is causing a whole other issue that you don't want to get into.
I would suggest you follow the advice on sealing the snow dust out of your air intake system.

Just my $0.02 Can.

Jeff

a lot of people go to air filters with pre filters wrapped around that,,, get it jetted right and your running again,,,,

Originally posted by trailblazer@Feb 13 2004, 12:19 PM
I would strongly suggest you stay away from trying to heat the carb as you're thinking. (It is a great idea that you came up with in principle though.) Even factory designed carb heating systems are having problems with people forgetting that they have the heating hose turned on and boiling the gas in the float bowl.
without a doubt. next you'll have the 4th of july.

Originally posted by decee@Feb 12 2004, 07:34 PM
I have a 2002 Polaris 600 Touring that I had a problem with carb icing on the Mag side last year. This only happened while riding in heavy snow. The sled ran lousy and used 10 X more fuel than normal almost leaving me stranded more than once.
your problem you are having is snowdust getting in underneath the headlight. go here for your fix headlight gasket (http://www.hardcoresledder.com/the_02s.htm) this guy knows for sure.

That's not the same sled Paul. I read about that problem last year.
I have an 03 Polaris 600 two up touring. I put over 5000 miles on it last year and just over a 1000 this year
It has been a great sled. The only problem with it so far has been faulty starter bendixes. It is great on gas. I get over a hundred miles on a tank.

Snow dust is the problem and it could be lethal. Why does it only do it on the mag side and not the pto side? This only happened twice and both times was during a heavy heavy snowfall. I have been following guys in powder for miles and it didn't happen

I am going to try this thumb warmer on the side of the mag carb attached to a cigarettte lighter adapter that I can plug in on the dash and only use it if I need it.
I cant see this being any more dangerous than an electic fuel sender. I remeber Yamahas used to have some elctric gizmo right inside the carbs.
If she blows, she blows. Time for a new one anyway

Have to add good old duct tape to the arsenal as well.

I am finally back from Florida and now I can start riding. Quebec with the boys next week

DECEE- hey question for you on your sled. My riding partner is having the same starter drive problems you are.Same sled as yours exactly! While up in Kearney his went and the dealer took great care of us to get us on the trail again.About 20 starts later, the drive went out again.All the teeth on the drive are gone.3rd time. No one seems to know why either as I think they use the same starter for many of their sleds.Hes going in tommorow for another one!! At $75 a pop its pretty expensive!!! Thanks. Pete

It started making noise within a week of being new. I thought it was the starter. I took it in to the dealer in Cochrane. He said it was a new suppier of the bendixes for the starter. They were all defective. He showed me a pile of them on the floor. Every sled he sold last year had to have the bendix replaced but they where being replaced by the same defective bendix. I have gone through 3 so far and this one is making noise now. I have a 2 year warranty so Mr Polaris had better have switched suppliers

decee, check the rubber boot, on the mag carb where it goes into the airbox, it may be cracked or not sealing properly, some other types of sleds have had this same problem, but it definitely sounds like you're getting snow in, doesnt hurt to check the airbox as well