So, I'm still having issues with my Sportsman. Tonight I was running her out on the trails and the exhaust pipe still gets cherry red. Tonight it was also back firing when I would let off of it. When it was doing that I would hit the throttle again and it acted like it was bogging down. I'm not sure what to do with it. I'm being told it is running lean and making the exhaust red and now with it backfiring I'm thinking it is running rich. The spark plugged looked perfect when I took it out and replaced it. One thing that a buddy of mine noticed was that he can smell gas sometimes when around it. Not sure if that is from the exhaust or from carb leaking somewhere. If anyone has any ideas, I sure would appreciate them. I'm thinking of just tearing it apart and ripping the carb off to clean it and get all jets set back to factory specs if they aren't already.

 

the backfiring is caused by a lean condition as well, also make sure that your throttle cable freeplay is at 1/8th inch freeplay, you could take the top off of the carb where the jet needle is and move the e - clip down one notch on the needle, if it looks like the cap is riveted on, it's not, just take a pair of needle nose vise grips and you can turn em out just like screws, then go get screws for it.

 

Check for intake leaks

 

check your timming. it sound like you might be advanced just a little. causing your exhaust valve to open while it is fireing. this will cause your pipe to get red plus a loss of power & backfireing.

 

Don't forget the fuel pump. My buddies did a similar thing and it was the fuel pump. Smelled like gas, bogged and soemtimes backfired. My 700 would backfire when I let off the throttle. Ended up being a bent exhaust and a leak between the y-pipe and the main exhaust pipe.