Hi everybody,

I'm brand new to the board but wanted to see about getting some help. I am the fairly new owner of a '99 Sportsman 500. Until recently, it has been running fine. But it was idling a little bit slow so I adjusted it up. Then I got it too high so I tried to adjust it back down. Eventually, I accidentally screwed the thing all the way out. Screwed it back in and now it wouldn't idle right at all. When I start it, it revs high, then dies. When it tries to die, I can give it gas and keep it running--usually. But something's definitely wrong.

Advice?

Thanks,
Chris

 

Where were you adjusting the idle? on the carb or at the throttle? If you adjusted the carb you may have to adjust the cable to compensate. It has a safety shut off in the throttle lever and if there is slack in the cable it will shut the bike down.

And welcome to the forums

 

The throat or center of the carb that the idle screw lifts up and down when you turn it ....................may be down too far now that the idle screw is all the way out. So now when you put the idle screw back in it may be against the slide instead of it being under and lifting or lowering the adjustment!!!...Caper......Does that make any sense to you!!!!

 

make sure its the idle you were adjusting and not the air/fuel screw.