Oh boy....here we go

[DTro]

Finally was able to get out and do a bunch of riding on my new(used '02 Polaris 500) sled.

It ran good the whole weekend except for one short episode of slight bogging under load. That dissipated and then it ran fine. Took it out last night and ran it about 15 miles.

It backfired pretty good upon shutdown, but I think this was just because I shut it down pretty quick from high rpm (didn't idle down).

Anyways, I took it out tonight and got a couple of miles and it was bogging again, but this time it didn't go away.

Limped home and changed out the plugs. They looked pretty dark, but dry. After replacing the plugs, it ran the best so far. But once again, started bogging after a couple of miles.

Ok......where do I start?

[hanson]

Looks like I'm coming over to your house tomorrow night.

Sounds like it might just be a case of dirty carbs. Even though you've run the sled for a few weekends now, you might have recently got some small particles or dirt stuck somewhere in the carbs.

Guess the bogging is either going to be a result of too much fuel or not enough. You said the plugs are dry?? Hmmm... not enough fuel maybe.

Now... does it run alright at idle and give you problems when you open it up? Or does it run rough at idle too? How hard is it to restart the sled after it kills? Do you have to choke it again at all?

At this point, I'm just hoping it would be a carb problem but I could put the compression tester on it as well to make sure you don't have a top end issue causing these symptoms.

Carbs are right up my alley this week. Tried to fire up my EXT this morning and she was just not pulling any fuel at all. Pulled the carbs and yuck! Float bowls were full of green gunk. Time to put new fuel and vent lines on as well.

Gotta love seasonal recreational vehicles.

[DTro]

It idles good, and hasn't killed yet.

If I were to describe it, it almost seems like it's loaded up with fuel. If I backed off and ran at 1/4 throttle....good. Gave er the onion and blehh.... I also thought it smelled rich as well.

But like I said, ran awesome after I replaced the plugs.

Also the backfiring at shutdown (has happed quite a few times) would also validate the rich condition I'm guessing.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Darrin, sounds an awfull lot like dirty jets.

Clean them pupppies and see how she runs.

[Shack]

Quote:

---

Limped home and changed out the plugs.

---

Where did you get the plugs? Did you get them from previous owner, where they in sprak plug (underhood holder) or did you buy then new at store?

If you got them with sled, did you look at plugs before install? Where they new? Some times when issue occurs with plugs on trail, a person might swap bad plugs in plug holder for new ones and leave bad plugs in holder. That or put bad plugs in box and throw in trunk.

Just a thought.

If not I would have to say carb. issue.

Just for kicks, check belt area for shavings or a bad worn spot on belt.

Sounds just like a plug issue to me.

[DTro]

The guy I bought it from installed new plugs and also replaced the under hood plugs with new ones, so yes they were new.

They are Champion RN3C.

Here are the original plugs:

[Shack]

I would have to say the one on the left looks fowled. They look good though. Nice and brown. No metal. I have seen plugs look like this and been bad (be fowled or fowled because of carb. issue).

I would have to say carb issue then.

If it was a lost piston or cly., one plug would be very wet and dark on electrode.

I have Hanson take a peek at it.

[hanson]

Those plugs actually look pretty good although they have some miles on them. Like Shack said, the one on the left doesn't look too good though.

I'm guessing one of your carbs (the cylinder that left plug came from) has a little issue on the high speed side.

Most twin cylinder sleds can run on 1 cylinder although very, very rough. You are probably missing on one cylinder at higher speeds which allows you to still run the sled although its getting "boggy" on you, my guess would be starving for gas on that side.

The sled idles fine as you indicated because there are low & high speed circuits in the carb.

You might be right about the rich condition too though, we'll see.

I can take a look at it.

[DTro]

I'm back in business!

Turns out one of the spark plug caps was broken or something. I found out the hard way

[Shack]

Good to hear!