Trouble starting -- wierd -- please help

[Dahitman44]

Ok I will try to make a long story short.

I have an 03 700 polaris --

Last year a buddy of mine helped me "winterize my sled" He goes a little more crazy than I do to winterize. Anyway he it Goes.

Last year we shut off the gas and ran it till it was out and died. Then we put oil in the spark plug holes.

This season I tried tostart it off of the bat and I did not go -- I forgot to turn the gas back on. Got it on and got it running.

The last two times I have had a tough time starting it.. It barely turns over like the battery is dead -- new battery this year.

This time I opened the hood and as I started it gas was coming out of the spark plug holes (cylinders)?

My buddy told me to take out the plugs and try and turn it over. It will clear the gas. Then put them in and start it. Let in run for a really long time and ride it -- that will take care of it?

What is going on?

What kind of problem is that?

Please help. I will post this in the snowmobile area as well, but I thought this area will hit a better cross-section of people.

thanks.

Hit

[311Hemi]

Quote:

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This time I opened the hood and as I started it gas was coming out of the spark plug holes (cylinders)?

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This was with the spark plugs installed?

[swedishpimple]

I know in 1996-1998 Polaris/Mikuni had some "real gems" for Carbs. The needles and seats in almost all of those sleds went bad. I have a 1997 XLT Limited that acts like your machine. If I raise the track...which we all do the gas would work its way through the carb and into the cylinders filling the crank. The solution without fixing the carbs is turn off the gas everytime the sled is shut off.

It is a real pain in the neck. If I did not do this the cylinders would literally fill up with gas. THen I would have to drain the gas out of the cylinders at the little drain in each cylinder.

Not sure if this is what is happening to you...but it sure sounds like it could be. I am not a mechanic or up to speed with you machine, but I thought this may help.

[Dahitman44]

Yep they were -- kinda strange

[Dahitman44]

any other thoughts?

[lawdog]

If you let it sit and you have gas in the cylinders like that, its almost got to be stuck needle/seat. Probably dried out from when you ran it dry on gas (I'd never do that) rather than fogging the carbs.

I'd be surprised if that's not it...

[ChuckN]

How much gas was in the tank during storage? Same gas you are trying to run it on now? Did you use a fuel stabilizer before storing it?

Did you try new spark plugs? Quite possibly the plugs fouled from the oil that was put into the cylinders.....happens all the time.

If you didn't treat the fuel prior to storage, drain it. Put fresh gas in...whatever your sled is recommended for. (I have an '03 Firecat, and yes, it is designed to burn 87 ethanol blend, but some Polaris' require non-oxy 92 octane)

Change plugs.

Report back.

[MN Mike]

Just throwing this out there but does the Polaris have the remote fuel pump like a Cat does? Sometimes you see where the diaphram tore and can put gas right to the crankcase via the hose that ' pulses ' the diaphram on the fuel pump.

I don't see that happen very often but I have seen it. That should only effect one cylinder though.

Mike

[hanson]

Quote:

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If you let it sit and you have gas in the cylinders like that, its almost got to be stuck needle/seat. Probably dried out from when you ran it dry on gas (I'd never do that) rather than fogging the carbs.

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I agree with 'lawdog' and would start my search here.

If the fuel inlet valve (needle/seat) is stuck down, it will continue to pump gas into your motor and you'll flood out. A flooded motor is obviously hard to start and you will never be able to "clear" it out if your fuel inlet valve, or valves is stuck open.

When you ran the sled out of gas, this left the floats in the lowest position in your carburetors, which leaves the fuel inlet valve open. Since there was no gas in those carbs in the summer, it wouldn't be surprised if a float stuck down or a fuel inlet valve is stuck open either.

[Dahitman44]

Mike -- yep on the fuel pump I am going to check that too.

Thanks a lot.

Hitman.

[DEADhead]

hitman, maybe this is the sign you needed to finally step over to the EFI world

[Dahitman44]

Thanks to everyone --

Please check my newest post for continued troubles.

Thanks

Hit

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Hitman, here's what happens..1) needle and seat doesn't seal and floods the crankcase. You can pull till your blue in the face and it wont fire. 2)On the front of the engine on the bottom of the crankcase there should be 2 brass plugs. These are crankcase drains, take them out and you should see a fair amount of fuel drain out. Put them back in with some fresh plugs and try it again. This used to happen alot on the 96' 440's --Pull and pull and pull, wouldn't start. Drain the crankcase out and she's start on the first pull afterwards. Also on the 99 700's they used to have a primer for intial starting becase they were so lean on start-up. They fixed the problem the next year somewhat but they still offered a primer kit that installed on the top side of the intake boot that would squirt a little gas in the cyl to help it start better. Anyway to make a short story long... if you were getting gas coming out the top (plug holes) try the crakcase drain thing.