I was at my dealer last friday and was talking about getting more power from my sp500 without much cash. He showed me a release from Polaris that indicated putting a next larger size jet in would help this. At less than $4 a jet, that sounds reasonable. What should I expect from this mod? I would be replacing a 160 with a 162.5. I also bought a K&N air filter and installed it. I can't believe what a difference a stupid air filter makes. More, immediate, wheel spinning power right off the bat! Now all I need is the scrambler cam and carb setup.
I can't wait to see those punks at the river on their 400ex's now.

 

Make sure that you do not have a 162.5 already. Many of the late model 2000SP500s were shipped with the 162.5. Some of the earlier models were shipped with the 155. I had to add a K&N and a 2" intake snorkel in order to correct my fuel mixture. My bike was very rich from the factory. My plug always looked black. After making these mods, and taking the excess slack out of my throttle cable, my top speed is around 60-63 with stock tires and abotu 57-58 with 27" mud bugs. I am sure it would wound out further with the bugs, but I only have a short distance of flat surface to run it on. By the way, my plug is a light brown/tan color now, just as it should be.

Greg

 

Forget the thought of out running anyone with your Sportsman in a drag vs a 400ex,them things are very fast.My buddie on his 300ex beat me in a drag on my Xplorer,and my Xplorer is faster than my Sportsman.The 400ex is alot faster than its little brother to.Make all the mods you want to the Sportsman,you still aint catching a 400ex,
Bill

 

yeah, well I am not a wrench head.
in fact I have just enough tools to change a light bulb.
so, I get the whole carbuerator disconnected from everything but the cables and remove the top plate. I find two hex head something or other screws under that. I have never seen these kind before, let alone have the tool for it.
so, I start taking off the bottom part of the carb to get to the jet from underneath. NICE SOFT SCREWS!!! I wrecked one of them with the screwdriver. had to borrow a visegrips to get it out. after all this, I ALREADY HAD A 162.5 JET!!!
you were right, but I figured the dealer knew what I had and needed.
so, I checked my spark plug and it was black. now I'm thinking I'm running too rich anyway, right? so, should I put a 160 jet in? would that improve performance? or should I put in a better spark plug? if so, what is a good plug?
or do both?

 

I've never taken apart my carb before. How can I tell which jet I have? Is it marked with the size?
If I do have the 162.5 jet what is my next option for for power? What size comes with the K&N re-jetting kit?
Thanks,
Gsport500

 

Sure, if your plug is black and you've already vivisectioned (sp?) your carburetor, go ahead and put that 160 in there. Then think clutch. Because that's where Polari get slow,
when the clutch engages and "shifts" too soon,
lugging the engine and not making use of available power. Clutch Weights come first, then maybe a spring. My new H.O. has 46 gram weights in it, and it rips pretty good. But my 2000 SP which I just sold to my Bud is almost as fast with
48 gram weights and a white clutch spring. Remember that jetting is ultra important in two-strokes, but it is not as big a deal with 4-strokes. Put that 160 in and stop messing around with the carb. If you bought your SP new, your dealer should change your clutch weights for FREE!
Another $20-$24 will get you a white spring. Leave the green spring for the 2-strokes. I am going to try a white spring in my H.O. and see what it does.
Silly Later,,,,Fourlix

 

so how hard is it to change those clutch weights??? do the 99's like the 48 gram better than the 46's??

 

Before you go changing the jet, install a K&N and see if that leans it out some. I still think the factory clutch set up is a good over-all set up. Get the mixture correct and make sure the slack is out of the throttle, and I get that thing will run close to 60 or so with stock tires.

I was right about the jet and the rich condition, and the reason for that is that I just dealt with the same problem you are dealing with now. So go with me on this one... get the fuel mixture right first and then do clutch mods if you want.

Greg

 

Gsport500
I don't know of a way to determine what jet size you have other than taking it apart.

GregSims
I put in a K&N filter last week. When I looked at my sparkplug, it was the one that has been in there for some time now. I put a new one in today and went riding. I rode hard. I'm going to check the color of it when it cools down. What is a good sparkplug brand or model? I have a cheapo in there. I didn't even check the gap. Also, where did you get a 2" air intake? Are you talking about the one that goes directly into the air filter box? Should I change the set needle screw at all? Is that a good way to lean it out?
Thanks for all the help.

 

More air is good, but check that plug right away, while it is hot, I mean ride it wide open
then jump off grab a wrench and check that plug.
otherwise your plug reading is not valid. It could be lean at full throttle, rich at mid-range and you would never know it.
It takes about a half an hour to change a clutch spring-once you've done it. It will take you an hour+ the first time. Weights take a little longer. If you can get your dealer to do this for free, like if you recently purchased this
rig, do it. Tell your dealer you ride in the Mountains, at high elevation, and the engine is lugging. The only hard part is not over-torqueing
the bolts i.e. stripping the threads. A torque wrench is reccomended, but I don't know the ratings. I saw them here on another post recently. It's about 30 ft.lbs on the outer bolts and 60 on the center bolt.
Remember that you only have to remove the bolts in the bottom of your floorboard, it can stay attached to the fenders, it will flex out of the way so you can remove the clutch cover.
LOL,,,Silly Later,,,,Fourlix