I looked in my manuel but I couldn't find anything. If I hook up a guage, does anyone know what I should be getting?

 

Any motor should be between 100psi-140psi. Remember the motor has auto decompression too.

 

So then 70psi isn't good? That was with holding the throttle open either.

It held the pressure though.

 

the engine needs ~ 90psi to run.... it doesn't matter if you hold the throttle wide open while doing a compression test. If the engine has turned over 2-3 times and hasn't built up 90+psi, there is a problem with the compression.

 

It runs now, but REAL bad. I get a little blue smoke while it's running but I have very little power

 

how many hours are on the engine? What kind of riding do you do? Based on the description, sounds like the rings are wore out or the valves are out of adjustment (or both).

 

I don't know much about the engine. I bought the ATV used last summer and it ran pretty good but I've never owned another to compare it to. About 2 months after that it started running worse and worse. Now I'm lucky to get it over about 5mph without it spitting and sputtering. So, I figured I would pull the motor soon but I was hoping to get an idea of what to look for.

 

Going by the polaris repair manual, the 500 does have auto decompression.The readings will be dependant on cranking speed.The average compression reading will be 70-90 psi. 10% leak down.It also says that if it idles smoothly , the compression is ok. Low compression is generally not noticed above idle. However my 2003 scrambler 500 which is moded will foul a plug if it idles too long when its cold outside.

 

Is the smoke blue or is it just smoke from unburned fuel from a plug going south. Like i was saying my 03 will miss, backfire, pop thru the exhuast and intake, and idle very poorly all because of a fouled plug.

 

It is blue smoke, pretty bad when it first starts, settles down the longer it runs but never goes completely away. The plug has a little carbon on it but nothing major.

Today I noticed as it was running, gas was dripping out of the tube on the bottom of the bowl quite a bit. Is that normal?