First of all, I'm glad I found this forum as I've had quite a few of my questions answered just by searching and reading. However, on one particular topic, there seems to be some dissention about whether or not you need to adjust the valves on a Sportsman 500 HO. I'm still not convinced although my dealer (finance manager) said I need to do this every so often (at $270 a pop). My question is this, if Polaris thought it is so important to adjust the valves, why don't they put this into the maintenance schedule in the owners manual? Valve adjustment isn't even listed anywhere in the owner's manual.

Although I got the pretty 05 anniversary edition with all the chrome, I still had a bad experience with my quad with less than 9 hours on it. The thing left me stranded about 30 miles from home in the middle of nowhere. It just stopped running and refused to start. Long story short, the good folks at the factory have been routing the spark plug cable between the gas tank and the frame which eventually crushes the cable shorting it out. Polaris knows about this and has told the dealers to replace the cable "as needed." As needed?!!! Why don't they put out a maintenance bulletin (at the very least) to warn dealers of this problem so they can re-route the cable when they un-crate the new ones? As it stands, they are replacing cables "as needed" which means another stranded victim comes into the dealership, very pissed off and is demanding an immediate fix. My dealership said that this affects several Polaris ATVs to include all the 04/05 500s and 700s.

Anyone else heard of this? Seems to be a common problem with the dealership in Tucson. Anyone know the number to Polaris' customer service department?

Tim

 

Welcome to the forums. Sorry to hear about your problem, exact same thing happened to me on monday. My 04.5 sp400 is still at the dealer getting it fixed. My dealer says he gets those pretty often, too. I totally agree with you, they should require dealers to simply move the coil wire over on the new arrivals. Good luck with yours...

 

The 500 motor is a solid lifter motor which does require a valve adjustment. I dont know what your mechanical abilities are, but the valve adjustment is actually fairly simple. The hardest part about it is removing the plastic and gas tank to get to the valve cover

 

Actually, I used to be a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force so I wouldn't be afraid of a valve adjustment. Problem is, I can't find a service manual recent enough for the 05's unless the 04 is the exact same engine with the exact same valve clearance.

Just puzzled that valve adjustments or the need thereof isn't mentioned in the owner's manual.

 

The specs are the same. The 500 HO motor has not changed. I can email you the pages out of my manual if you wish. I have the same motor in my scrambler. Seeing that you obvioulsy are mechanicly inclined, the valve adjustment should be a piece of cake.

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: Timbeck2
Actually, I used to be a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force so I wouldn't be afraid of a valve adjustment. [quote]


Heck with the valve adjustment, just throw a jet in that thing[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] You must have a couple sitting around[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

And, Welcome to the forum[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I would appreciate that Jason. Thanks a lot!

tjml1@msn.com

 

I sent you the email this afternoon. Let me know if you didnt get it.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Got it. Really appreciate it Jasen.

Tim

 

Happy to help Tim[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]