Boy I'll tell ya, I am having so much fun with all the problems I am encountering on my 2000 500 Sportsman, I could just cry. Seems the throttle cable that leaves the "ETC" box and goes down to the carb has an adjustment nut. Well, if I pull on the cable that heads to the carb, it accelerates, and I tried to adjust this "thumb-type" knurled cylinder, and still, the quad pops and quits, and it won't idle down, it just dies. I can't find a happy medium location to lock the cylinder. Anyone else have trouble with this set up, and what the heck is this electronic throttle control anyways? This set-up has been causing me grief from day one.

 

I have seen a few cables go out of adjustment when new, but all were able to be adjusted on the trail and never messed with again.

If you pop the top off the throttle cover and look inside, youmight understand how the ETC works. Bascialy, if the throttle sticks, it kills the motor. So if the cable is out of adjustment, itmakes it think it's sticking somtimes.

 

My buddy has a '99 magnum that is doing this how do you adjust this so I can tell him.

 

The purpose of the Polaris ETC is vaguely described in the manual. The way I understand it, it’s supposed to shut down the ignition system in the case of a stuck or frozen throttle cable. Either way, it’s a safety device, and like most all safety devices it complicates an otherwise simple, straightforward system.

Slack in the throttle cable “fools” one of the two switches in the ETC into briefly actuating ignition shut-down, usually evidenced by a backfire on quick deceleration. The other common problem created by a stretched cable is the machine’s refusal to idle. Fortunately the adjustment procedure doesn’t require tools and is fairly simple, even though it may require several tries to get it just right.

Check the amount of freeplay you have in your throttle “paddle” (thumb throttle) before you feel it start to pull on the cable. You shouldn’t have any, or 1/4” at most. It depends on the machine, each is a little different. Just down from the ETC box on the throttle cable you’ll see a plastic sheath covering the cable adjustment mechanism. Carefully slide the top sheath up the cable and the bottom sheath down the cable to expose the adjuster. This is a simple arrangement that increases or decreases the cable’s slack by lengthening or shortening the sheath it’s in. Loosen the little knurled jamb nut that holds the adjuster in place and rotate the adjuster clockwise to increase the cable’s slack (shortens the sheath) or counterclockwise to decrease the cable’s slack (lengthens the sheath). A little turn can have a big effect so take it easy. Be sure your handlebars are pointing straight ahead when making these adjustments. Your cable should be tight enough that you have little or no freeplay in the paddle but not so tight that you raise your idle when adjusting it. When you have it where you think you want it tighten the jamb nut to hold it there and test drive.

Pulling on the cable sheath will naturally increase “idle”, as it mimics your pushing on the thumb throttle. One mechanic told me he knows when the cable is adjusted right when the idle increases just a bit when the bars are turned to the extreme right (this pulls on the cable a bit). However you do it, you may also have to adjust the idle. There is a big gold thumb screw at the bottom of the carb for this and clear instructions are in the manual. If you have to crank this up temporarily to keep it from dying while adjusting the cable, then readjust it to the proper specs when the cable is correct.

These are minor adjustments that have predictable results. They won’t correct or compensate for other problems. I’d start by draining at least a cup of gas through the float bowl drain then add some carb cleaner to the fuel. After that make adjustments a little at a time and see what you get.

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FloodRunner, on the Wisconsin River

 

I would also look at the cable routing which, if improper, could account for your problem.



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Rich Weinssen 1999 Scrambler 500 2000 Scrambler 500 2000 Trail Boss 1998 Magnum 425

 

i just had an encounter with mine this morning after the quad sat in the shed for a week in subzero temperatures. i went out to start it and the throttle was frozen, it finally broke free but then it was extremely stiff, and when i started it, it was backfiring, and reving high, basically running like crap. there is a contact in the throttle box on the handlebars. if there is any freeplay in the cable, it will cut out the engine. my carb was froze up, i guess the slide, or the spring in there was frozen, causing slack in the cable. so about 3 mintues of a nice warm hairdyer, and bingo, freed it right up. i was getting worried, i only have the quad for two months. i was like "ohh no, not already" you should have about 1/8" freeplay at most, in your thumb trigger before it actually start pulling on the cable. anymore and you could be activating the saftey switch. this is in case your throttle gets stuck open, it will save you from cranking into a tree or something. also i noticed the cable should be nice and springy, it should snap back when released. that's where the frozen carb came into play with me, it wasn't allowing the throttle to release and causing slack in the cable, therefor activating the saftey switch.

bigdevil/'99 scrambler 400

 

I told my buddy about the fix for his '99 magnum right away and he took floodrunners advise and made the adjustments to his cable, all worked out allright this was his first problem with this atv with over 2500 km's on it thank's for the info.

 

the ETC may be a nuesence, but image going down a road at full throttle and then there is a 90 degree tunr and u let off the throttle but it doesnt slow down. Would you like that?

 

Clindst,
I see your point but, if that were to happen, couldn't you simply switch the engine off and hit the brakes? The more of these little "idiot proofing" features they put on, the more likely it becomes that you will have a problem.

 

No kidding, I just had the cable all adjusted, after about a 5 mile ride in the middle of nowhere, it died again. This time, electrics all died, had to manually start it, and limped home on the side of the highway. (don't recommend it..but had to for fear of it croaking out on the trail) I'm starting to wonder what is going to happen next time...if there IS a next time...