I believe this topic has been brought up before, but wanted to re-state it. I previously owned a 2000 Sportsman 500 and now a proud owner of a HO 500. Here's the ONLY one thing I can say bad about the 500 and (for all I know) it's probably not model specific: If there's one thing I have noticed to date as to when these machines run out of gas, is that they are a bit?? to start back up. I am not talking about the reserve line being plugged either. That was never the issue. Flipping to reserve BEFORE the engine stalls is not always practical and sometimes you just never do get it flipped over on time.

Twice now with the HO, I have changed plugs and the in-line fuel filter and could not start them right away, only to find out that the best way to re-start these machines is simply waiting 24 hours. Even the dealership agreed with me that they are not fun to try and re-start if you are in a hurry.

I've also emailed Polaris Industries only to get a response that they do not have a fuel gauge at this time for the 500's. Course, I've read that for some models that do have them, they are not very accurate anyways.

Guess the best way to remedy this, is 1)If your going a long ways, make sure your tank is full and 2)Carry extra gas with you and make sure you re-fill before you get too low and run the risk of the engine stalling before flipping to reserve, AND, 3)if you do run so low that your engine stalls, IF you're good at it, do an indian war dance and pray that it will re-start. LOL

vg

 

If I haven't ridden my Sportsman 500HO in a few days, I'll start it up and pull it out of the garage and let it sit and idle awhile. Sometimes I have forgotten to turn the gas on and it, of course, will die in a minute or two. I turn the gas back to the on position and pull the choke out and it fires immediately. However, I have a Stihl chainsaw that you have to stand on your head, cross both legs, and chant the pledge of allegiance to get it to start if it runs out of gas. Guess it just depends on the engine.

This may sound like a stupid question (I'll take a chance on it)....Is the "reserve" fuel supply just the last bit of gas in the bottom of the main tank or is there another portion of the tank that fills when you fill the main tank. Or...if you sitch to the "reserve" position first and continue to run in reserve will you completely run the tank dry?

 

Actually, sitch should be spelled with a -w- after the -s-.

 

bigdawg1031,

You got me thinking. Since the reserve is a lower fuel line in the tank, I might just be better off to be always running on reserve, while I'm carrying extra gas with me. After filling up, by running on reserve I stand less of a chance of stalling the engine before I check it, since I can go further on a lower fuel line in the tank. Heck, this might be a better approach and hopefully I will always beat the clock and have enough time to stop and add more fuel before running out and stalling the engine.

BTW, I liked your description of having to re-start your Stihl. I guess I could have said, "My having to restart my stalled engine is the equivalent of trying to make seven angels dance on the head of a pin."

VG

 

I am unsure of the fuel system of the Sportsman, but I have ran my Scrambler out of gas a fuel times. It usually takes a full choke, a few pumps of the throttle, and a couple stabs at the starter.

Hmm..You must have something else causing it to die. I don't think it's fuel.

Rainman

 

I have to agree w/ you on this topic. Only once have I Run the tank dry, so I filled it up and I kept turning it over, choking it, flipping it back and forth from reserve to On. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img] Finally I gave up, (after doing my version of the indian rain dance) went and had a break for an hour or so. When I came back it fired right up, left me puzzled and relieved.
Glad to report I haven't ran it dry since, nor do I plan to.
Must just be a a flaw, they can't make a perfect bike for us, glad it's just a little flaw.
Ride Safe and Track Lightly,
Pat

Pat's Polaris Page

 

That's kind of funny. Whenever I run the tank dry in my Xplorer, all I do is flip the gas to Reserve, put the choke on, pump the throttle a few times, and give the starter two good 5-second spins while pumping the throttle a bit, and its usually running after that. Sometimes I don't even need to use the choke...

 

Yeah I had an Explorer before my sp HO, and it was fine too when it ran out of gas, must be the SP HO's.

 

Sounds like problems related to the HO's, oops, H.O.'s. I've run dry a couple of times, switched to reserve and started right back up. I guess when you are having fun you loose track of time and your fuel. Luckily I've only been a short walk from my gas can. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Yeah, other day I was out riding and was kinda low on gas. I was around the house, so I didn't think anything of it. I saw a branch on one of my trails, and got off to pick it up. Right then, I ran out of gas. I turned it to reserve, and spent 20min trying to start it up, but nothing worked. I then walked back a to the house, and Hauled some gas back, when I was back filling my tank and looked down, attached to my beltloop was the tether switch to my kill switch which I had forgotten to put back in. It maust have came out after I picked up the branch. After I kicked myself for a while, I put the clip in, pushed the start button, and It fired right up.