Another thread on SP700 noises (engine, that time) reminded me that I recently solved a rattling noise on mine. Thought I'd share my experience in case it helps others.

I bought this 2004 SP700 used with ~100 hours on it. Mechanically great condition, a few minor cosmetic blemishes that I've been slowly correcting. I had the local Polaris dealer go through it with what they call a "Full Service" right after purchasing it so that I'd be starting off with a known baseline.

Before and after that service, there had always been a metallic rattle at idle. It seemed to come from right under, or slightly forward of, the seat. Above idle it went away but it was quite annoying to be sitting still, talking to someone, with this rattle going on. It sounded like a loose mounting bracket, something small like that - not a major engine component. This is my first ATV and I'd heard that Polaris machines were known to be a little noisy so I just "lived with it", promising myself that someday I'd tear into it and correct it.

Late last year I picked up one of those "Pure Polaris" performance mufflers that were OEM'd by White Brothers. The SP700's muffler is held on by two bolts, each of which passes through a rubber isolator. When I was removing the stock muffler, I noticed that one of the bolts was missing its screw and so the muffler was being held on by a single bolt and the springs that hold it to the exhaust pipe.

When installing the new muffler, I replaced the missing nut and hand-tightened things for a trial run. I started up the engine and - NO RATTLE! It was deafening in its absence. The muffler itself was a tiny bit louder but that sound is *supposed* to be there. The annoying, irritating, obviously-something-is-wrong sound was gone.

I took the machine out for a little test drive to check things, no more than five minutes, and when I stopped that nut was missing again. This time, so was the bolt and the rubber isolator and the washers and everything. From hand-tight, the hardware worked itself loose in five minutes or less. Granted the exhaust system is prone to vibration but wow. Anyway, I walked back along my path and found everything, then reassembled both bolts using Loktite.

I'll never know if the local dealer missed the problem, fixed it and it fell off again, or what. I'll be keeping my eye on it now, of course. And if you have a suspicious rattle, I suggest checking the exhaust mounting hardware... it was a fast and easy fix once I knew what was wrong.

(BTW, the SP700 now purrs like a kitten *without* a bunch of tags on its collar. Or perhaps more like a tiger, now that the somewhat more throaty performance muffler is on there. It definitely opened up the engine. I just need to adjust the pilot jet now to accommodate the increased airflow at takeoff.)

Hope this helps!

 

I'll second that one. Mine has been driving me nuts, and it turns out that the rubber has just worn itself away..... Anyway, that spacer is a very inexpensive item. The dealer I got mine from said something about it also being used for a motor mount on a snowmobile??? His words, not mine.