i recently rebuilt my 97 sportsman 500. i took it out for a test ride the other night when it was dark.when i stopped riding i noticed that the exhaust pipe was glowing red. any help would be nice.

 

Could be a mixture problem, lean will make them run hot on the exhaust. I would carry the muffler to someone that can "vat" it out. They don't charge much around here to do this and you know that your muffler is free flowing. I had a Polaris 400 2-cycle that I did a complete top end overhaul on because it would'nt run right and it still was a dog after the overhaul. I carried the muffler down and had it vatted out and my old wheeler ran like new after that. Lesson learned. (again)

 

what is vatted out???

 

Sounds like you are way lean on the jetting. Or you have an intake leak.Check the boots for cracks.

 

thanks for the info. i have one more question though? i bought the atv used and he put a k&n filter on it. would that filter cause the pipe to glow red and act like the intake was leaking. i do ot think that he rejeted the carb.

 

thanks for the info. i have one more question though? i bought the atv used and he put a k&n filter on it. would that filter cause the pipe to glow red and act like the intake was leaking. i do ot think that he rejeted the carb.

 

Not rejetting for the added airflow would definately cause a lean fuel condition. I dont know if it woulod be that much to make the pipe glow. I would also check for air leaks on the carb.