I have 2 questions. My sled has a nasty oil leak at the sender unit. Is this something that can be tightened or does it have to be replaced? The sender is in a tough location under the tank which is part of the air box. I suppose I would need to drain the tank to replace but then I'm not sure how to go about removing the old unit. Also the manual made reference to bleeding the air out of the line. What is the best way to do this? Thanks for the help.

I had to do this last year on my XC 600. It goes like this, suck oil out with a turkey baster you may need a small piece of plastic hose on end to reach the bottom of tank. Remove seat and fuel tank. Two bolts under rear of seat and fuel line from tank to carbs,take off where it goes to carbs. Put a rag under sending unit to catch any oil left in tank. Pull sending unit out, it will need to bend a little but will NOT break. Clean around hole and rubber on sending unit. Put some black gasket silicone on rubber and around bottom of tank reinsert sending unit and let sit and get good and set up,over night in a warm place will do great. Fill with oil and smile...... No more leak

Thanks for the info. That helps a lot.

In the same predicament now with my `02 700. Get this.. already replaced the seal two months ago and thought I was done but its back leaking again. Didnt do the silicone around the gasket and regretting it now. :banghead:

I was wondering.. could the sending unit itself be leaking or is this a non issue? Plan on taking it apart once again this week to fix it. Think ill need a new gasket or just silicone it in??

Also.. be very careful removing the sending unit. You have to bend the float rod to get it out and back in. Thought I would break it.

I first used electric contact cleaner spray to clean the sending unit and bottom of tank ,this stuff will not hurt rubber or plastic and dries with no residue. Then used Permatex black silicone gasket material. I help out at a snowmobile shop in the winter when I can not run Cat and have fixed several this way with no problems. Also to bleed your oil pump, find the lever at the end of your oil pump cable. It is hidden under your carbs. With motor running lift lever all the way up and try to keep it running, it will smoke like crazy and will purge lines of air. Or just run a tank of premix threw it while riding and it will do the same thing. The pemixed gas will keep things happy if an air bubble goes through the oil line.

I just did a 01 xc500 last night for this same leak.
New oil sender is $30 and the grommet is $3. The part number for the grommet has changed. Better design ? If you drill out the one rivet at the top of the airbox and unbolt the upper column clamp, you can flex the box forward and the sender will come right out with too much trouble.
Probably just needed the grommet and some sealer but only wanted to do it once so i put both in.

Do you have the part number of the new seal / design?? I am not sure but think i used what ever number was listed on partsland.com and what ever the dealer gave me.

#7052305 GROMMET-OIL SENDER $2.75

http://www.partsland.com/index.cgi?N=11333...0-XC-SP-AIR-BOX

I myself had planned on running the first tank with an extra pint of oil in the gastank though. I will use some silicone sealer also this time.

Didnt mean to hyjack your post Dyno22. :beerchug:

No worries. This is all good information. I'm new to the world of snowmobile maintenance and repair and I need all the help I can get.

7052247 GROMMET-OIL SENDER Substituted by 7052305

so the new part number is the 7052305 stated in the partsland.com site. I know i wrote that number down and asked for it... i didnt actually check if there was a part number on the seal that i bought.

Will find out over a few beers friday night when we plan on working on sleds. :beerchug: