Need to Kick a Mule.

[Diggin It]

Polaris Sportsman 500 has been sitting untouched in a dark barn for an unknown number of years, at least 5 or 6. Owner can't find manual yet (still searching), so model year is unknown.

Drained the stinky yellowish fluid that used to be gas. Removed the long since devoured remains of what used to be an air filter. Connected a charger to the long dead battery.

Beast will crank easily, but not even try to fire. Tried fuel shutoff in different positions, choked, etc. Nada. Spits some kind of fluid out through the 1/4" hose that goes into the air filter box. Not sure if it's oil or something else.


Where do I begin? Plugs? Where are they?

Fuel filter? Bowl? Carb? Where are they?

What covers or cowlings might I have to remove to get to those things?

Is there a manual on-line I can look at without knowing the model year?

Meeses chewed something else to pieces?

I haven't spent much time on it yet. Will try to get it someplace where I can get better working access. I also need to know the approximate weight to know if my winch and trailer can handle it.

 

[rgr33]

A similar thing happened to my Polaris, after sitting in the barn all winter. After a lot of testing and cleaning, I ended up getting an aftermarket fuel pump off eBay, cost was $22.

Never paid any attention to it before, but the fuel pump simple gravity flow as I recall.

 

[hawkeye08]

Sometimes our ATVs get the kill switch on the handlebars moved to kill position (Honda has key switch and green light for neutral lights up nice, but if someone moves kill switch to wrong position, it will not start).

 

[Diggin It]

Progress?

It's showing as made in '97, so does that make it a '97 or '98 model? (See tag below)

We got it to fire, sort of, but it won't stay running. Shots of ether, carb cleaner or PB Blaster small engine tuneup will get it to spit, sputter and try to run, but then stall. Tried it in a few different places, same result. Hose marked "X" below goes to a small fuel filter, then to the bottom of the carb. I have fuel flowing through to that point. Hose marked "P" below from the pump to the top of the carb .... what does that do? Vacuum to the pump? Or is fuel supposed to flow through that also? If so, it does not.

There are two hose into the air filter box. One spits stuff out of it into the box, the other doesn't.

 

[sea2summit]

Has a fuel pump or just gravity feed?

I’d pull the carb and check the float, lost many of those in Alaska when a tiny amount of water freezes in the bowl and cracks it. Can fail open or closed. Also a could chance to soak the whole thing in carb cleaner and make sure it’s getting good fuel to it.

 

[Diggin It]

What was that about Houston and a problem?




This won't matter though if I can't get it started. Don't know FB or gravity, see the pictures above. Might be able to pull the bar, but I'm not sure how the Choke and Throttle cables connect.

 

[George2615]

I'd say its a 97 based on date of mfg. I have a 96 or 97 Sportsman 500 (Not sure of year without going out to check the reg). If you got it cheap enough I'd pull and R&R the carb. Change oil and filt. Air filt. Possibly the belt. I bought mine last summer from an ATV repair shop that had already replaced the battery, rebuilt the carb, replaced oil, fuel, and air filters, belt, wheel bearings, and plug. I replaced the 4 tires which were bald, some dash lights and headlight that were out (all bargaining tools to get the price down). Lots of screws to remove but then body panels come off fairly easy. Then I power washed all the crap out. Looks like the mice made a home in yours.

 

[Diggin It]

Air filt. Possibly the belt.

Looks like the mice made a home in yours.

Yeah, that's where the belt usta be. Air filter was almost as bad.

 

[Diggin It]

Dropped the bowl and flushed the carb out. Float was stuck, so not letting fuel pass.

It'll start now, but only runs at full choke. Need to work on a few other things to isolate that. Still need to know about the clutch/drive belt and what it takes to replace that if anybody cares to chime in.

 

[George2615]

I haven't bought one yet but these places seem to have the best price for the manual.
1996 - 2013 Polaris 400 450 500 Sportsman Clymer ATV Service Repair Maint Manual

Polaris ATV Repair Manuals

 

[Diggin It]

Got the belt and got it on without too much trouble. Started machine and the belt turns while at idle. Not sure it's supposed to do that. Started machine (in Neutral), dropped into Reverse and it stalled. Repeat, same thing.

Feeling is that the clutch rusted into place on the shaft and isn't sliding in/out freely. Hit it with some PB Blaster Penetrant, but I'm not sure how much (if any) I can bang/tap/thunk on the assembly to try and free it. Will let it sit for a while and try again if anybody cares to chime in.




...

 

[Diggin It]

Got it freed up. It'll move in and out now with throttle changes But as soon as you try to go into any gear, it'll stall. You cannot get into motion at all. Even taking the throttle adjustment screw on the carb down to a low idle, same thing.

There's got to be some sort of adjustment I'm missing.

 

[George2615]

Now that you have it (the centrifugal part) freed up have you tried starting it in neutral and have someone push you on the ATV then put it in gear and drive it around. Maybe the clutch disc is stuck and driving around may free it up. Just a guess here.

 

[Diggin It]

I've had it running and driving around for a while, but it still has issues. Main thing is overheating and hard to start. Seems the corn gas sitting in it for years mucked up a few things. Stuff seems to do more damage than good. Waiting for a few parts in shipment to see what happens next.