I have a 99 Sportsman 500, for some reason it won’t start. The engine turns over and it acts like it wants to start, but then it doesn’t. After trying to choke it, I then start to smell gas (flooded). I have no idea what it going on with it. Gas is about a month old.

I did find a broken ground wire from the engine to the frame, but after fixing that still nothing.

After trying and trying, I’m thinking about taking it to a dealer, but I know the cost will be out of this world. Any help would be appreciated.

 

may try a new plug and air filter mine was doing kinda the same thing and I didn't think it looked or was bad but when I changed both it seemed to fix it. might just save a big shop bill!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

If you are getting gas through the carb and have a good spark and compression, then I would take a look at the valve clearences. If they have not been adjusted in a while, they could have gotten too tight and wont let the valves open all the way. My dealer tech was telling me about an 04 SP500 that he had that did that because the owner had put over 1000 miles on it in the first 6 months and hadn't had his valves adjusted

 

Two things, 1. take off your air-filter cover and make sure your filter is clean.
2. In the above no.1 condition with the cover off. turn the motor
over and spray a little starter fluid on the air-filter and see if it will start. Its not a permenant fix but
if you would just like to get it started for now. Try that. It usually will reek gas after you have chocked it for a time and turned it over and over. Thats normal when it don't want to start. - rangerchet