Adjusting the pilot jet on a Polaris 500

[@Rocketxx6]

I wana thank you man for your videos and your responses to us individually to fix our bikes.. i wish you nothing but the best

[@TitaniummanGarage]

Thank you. Glad to help.

[@michaelmarcucci3980]

Kobalt has a ratcheting right angle bit driver set, works pretty good still a knuckle burner thanks for the video

[@davebroadfoot2241]

Where would you buy that tool in canada

[@michaelchaoticreason5059]

Thank you for all the effort you put into making these videos. I really appreciate all the detail you put into them. I know how hard it can be to try to diagnose something from a description, but I wanted to see if you’ve come across this before and I just haven’t seen your video on it. I bought a 2003 Sportsman 500 HO, and wasn’t smart enough to take the seat off to look at the engine. Bike will start with electric start, but choke seems to do nothing. I have to use the throttle to keep it going and then ride till it’s warm and then it will idle fine. I’ve pulled the carb and it looks clean as a whistle. Carb carb is intact and the rubber on the plunger looks good. Now, there is no bracket holding the carb to the frame, and no tabs on the air box holding it in place. Which is why I said I wasn’t smart enough to pull the seat and see that before I bought it. I was going to fab a bracket (discontinued and I can’t find a match anywhere) and put on a new air box on it. If that doesn’t work, do you have any ideas what to check next?

[@TitaniummanGarage]

Thanks, I appreciate the comment. The hard part is the editing. Yes, I have ran across your problem. Its a tuff one to track down. It could be the choke cable or the breather tubes to airbox ( I had one that was pinched off by the fuel tank) or the airbox lid is not tight. When you pull the choke your actually adding more fuel into the carb..not air. So it means you are running lean. Air is coming in somewhere. Or possibly getting blocked. like foam in the airbox snorkel, mouse nest. Like I said..It could be lots of things. Good luck. Just look everything over.

[@michaelchaoticreason5059]

@@TitaniummanGarage Thank you very much. I’ll take my time and go through it all to look for the blockage, or opening, as you suggest. I didn’t notice where the auto correct changed my words in my comment, but I was trying to say my choke cable on my carb was ok, as was the rubber on the plunger. Gotta love autocorrect! I know just about enough with engines to get myself in trouble, but not nearly enough to say that I know what I’m doing! Thank you for your help and suggestions.

[@michaelchaoticreason5059]

@@TitaniummanGarage, so I’ve been trying to track down any issues as you suggested. Found the air box didn’t have a gasket between the lid and box, but no obstructions that I could find. Figured I’d check the valve lash while I had it apart, and if I am understanding things right, my timing is off. TDC puts the T on my flywheel about 10 degrees past my view hole. I thought I had missed TDC, so I backed it up, and my reference marks on my cam sprocket are just to the left of where they are supposed to be at TDC. I’m thinking I need to pull the flywheel, set the timing with the internal reference marks and the cam sprocket, and set the chain on there properly lined up. Does that sound accurate to you, or can the T on my flywheel be that far over, and it’s ok?

[@TitaniummanGarage]

@@michaelchaoticreason5059 Sorry this is late. I didn't see your message. The chain could have jumped. I would replace the timing chain. Off one tooth..it will still run, but have issues. But yes. it sounds like you have found the problem. Have you reset it yet? What kind of results did you get?

[@michaelchaoticreason5059]

@@TitaniummanGarage Thanks for getting back to me. The exhaust lobe was worn off on the cam, so I wound up replacing that as well as the air box and fabing a bracket for the carb. I inspected the chain when I took it off and it was within spec and had no damage that I noticed, so I put it back on and lined everything up on reassembly. Now she starts up great with choke and runs without choke after about 30 seconds. We got 16 inches of snow in the last big storm, and while it took me about 5 hours to plow out the farm, it did a great job and didn't have any real issues at all. I've got about 25 hours on it since the rebuild and she's been doing great. Thank you for all your help and advice. Your videos have helped me out a ton!

[@ballerlly3777]

My experience with polaris is that they brake really often. Hard to work on also. But these videos help lol.

[@TitaniummanGarage]

These are easy compared to a honda. I had to fix the timing chain tensioner on the honda. had to pull the whole engine apart including the jug. It was a nightmare. Glad the vids helped.

[@anyandalldiy6704]

Thanks for this video. I have a 97 polaris xplorer 500 that seems to be running rich. Diaphragm is in good shape. C clip is at the highest position. I live at 5000' and I went up to about 7500' to ride today in about 18°f weather. The machine bogged terrible land wouldn't Rev very high under load. I think the machine is running rich. Do you have a carb jetting chart for this machine and/or any input that would be helpful for my situation? Thank you

[@tammydixon5269]

Thank you. I thought this might be the reason the machine was bogging down. Didn't help. Any other ideas? It seems to run great on a flat surface and Boggs while going up hill.

[@davebean2886]

For mine, wouldn't say runs great, but does idle fine initially, definitely bogs down when doing a hill or speeding up. Did you solve your issue?

[@robertholsopple9451]

What is the reset position for the pilot jet screw? I just got a 1997 polaris Scrambler 500 HO, i believe its the same?

[@rickerdman5772]

Awesome content brother just a quick??? What is your baseline setting for a 500 HO? I'm three turns out and it's PIG ASS RICH right now!!

[@brianmcalvey4790]

What would make my machine start runninh lean and cutting out at full throttle?

[@Doinityourself]

Isn't that the air / fuel mixture screw? Yep. It is. Appreciate the video and the idea. Could be very handy, but you should definately change your video name to air/fuel mixture screw adjustment.

[@TitaniummanGarage]

I read a forum and they called it pilot jet. I realized after I made the video it was the wrong name. Thanks for clarifying

[@Rlssrbg]

Poilet/ airfuel same thing

[@jhonnygonzalez1623]

how many laps so that it looks good jet pilot

[@Lenny-y2l]

Where did you purchase the flexible screwdriver from?

[@pauljtrout8226]

Where can I buy that screw driver Extention?

[@TitaniummanGarage]

Harbor freight

[@davebean2886]

Did you find the flexible screwdriver? Not a harbor freight in our immediate area, been looking online and haven't found it yet.

[@adrian-pm3dt]

Need to know where to start wilh the air fule screw how many turns out to start ?????

[@itsalock69]

My Y-pipe gets red hot after a Chinese carb install. I read on a forum it's running too lean. Any experience with this issue?

[@TitaniummanGarage]

Y pipe? Is it a 500 or 700?

[@mikeshaw4750]

Thx 👍 very helpful

[@marissam9546]

what is the tool called?

[@TitaniummanGarage]

It's a flexible screwdriver. you can get it at autozone.

[@juiced71]

That looks like a mixture screw….

[@davebroadfoot2241]

Where do I buy that too in canada

[@stallionranchwoodworks]

Even with that flexible screwdriver you still can't get in there.

[@Steven-re3tx]

You do not adjust a jet. It is either in,...loose,...or out. JUSTSAYIN'.