Hi,

I just bought a 98 Scrambler 400. It has an HPD trail mod kit, 39mm carb, Hot Seat pipe, and HPD clutch kit. It sat for 2 years so I've been going over everything from brakes to carb to regreasing to AWD, and so on.......

I finally have it running pretty good except that if I'm at a stop on a steep grade or against an obstacle the bike won't get up on pipe to pull me through or over. It will just sit there bogged down like the rpm's can't get high enough to get to the power band. Then all my Yamaha buddies just sit there and laugh at my variable drive system. I can't make them believe that it isn't normally like this with Polaris'.

I am currently over oiling (maybe) I'm not sure that the oil injection is working so I'm running 50:1 in the tank to be safe until I can figure out how to tell if the injection system is working.

Would that be enough to cause this?

If not I don't know where to look. Is it most likely a carb adjustment/jetting problem or a clutching/belt problem?

Someone help me show my riding buddies up......I'm already walking on their raptors in a drag race.

Thanks in advance,
Kevin Miller

 

Check the clutch buttons in the secondary

 

Okay. What do I look for? How do you tell if something's wrong?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

So I found the thread called "clutch buttons".......imagine that!!! And it says to look for slop between the buttons and the plate they ride on. Is there anything else to look for?

Kevin

 

Those are the primary clutch buttons.When they get bad your engine will sound like it has a bad rod knock.You need to check the secondary ramp buttons.

 

Should I just look for visual wear or will there be play there also?
Does the secondary need to be removed to check or replace them?
Do I need the puller for that?

Sorry for all the questions but I'm not real familiar with these yet......seems like I will be though.

So far I've had the carb apart and cleaned, repaired the cable, the hubs apart and cleaned, the rear master cylinder apart and repaired......I'm sure I'm forgetting something. But at least with every step I'm getting a better performing machine.

Kevin

 

When you get the secondary clutch apart you will see if they are bad.They will look ground off or be gone.

 

Easy enough.....THANKS!

Kevin

 

Well, the buttons had flat spots so I changed them. I helped a VERY little bit. So I started thinking carb......when it's just fired up cold it doesn't do it as bad but still isn't very rider friendly. Within minutes it isn't any good in the woods. Playing with the choke makes it worse so I figured it must be too rich.

I took the needle out and moved the clip from the middle slot to the top slot. It runs much better now. It doesn't bog even if throttling up from a dead stop on a STEEP grade. I can apply the throttle as slowly as I like until it starts churning the tires instead of bogging and spitting like it did.

Is there anything I should have done first? Like a fuel air mixture screw or any adjustment other than the idle set screw?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

OK I finally had it out tonight!!!

It seems to be able to pull itself out of anything. So that part is good.

Now for the next question. If I'm running at part throttle and doing 20-25 MPH then punch it there is a 1/2 second to second pause in the throttle response. Instead od being able to bring the front end in by throttling at the end of the ramp I have to try to time it and throttle up a little early. I don't really like having to do that as it's unnerving.

Is there any way to adjust for this carb wise? What do you guys think the jets and misture settings should be? Keep in mind it has the HPD trail mod cylinder and clutch springs, a 39mm carb, and a hot seat pipe.

Thanks again,
Kevin