I just bought a 05 sportsman 700 efi. I took it through some good mud on saturday, Ran perfect. Washed it good sunday morning at the shop. put it on trailer brought it home, hand washed it. Let it sit sunday in the garage, sunday night got on it to cruise around yard, and the same thing, It would start and run real bad, wouldnt idle on its own, had no power. Let it run for a cpl min and it started working. Took it out tonight, went thru deep water ran great, went thru mud ran great, stoped shut it off to ****, and wouldnt stay running, Towed it back loaded it on trailer 10 min later ran perfect? Whats going on?

 

read the tbap sensor thread to see if it sounds like your issue. is it throwing any codes out?

 

Im new to the whole thing, i did read that and it does kind of sound like it. Ill try to figure out dianostic mode after work hope thats all it is, the wires broke. Any other common porblems it could be?

 

unless your wires are exposed or a bad plug cap and it's arcing through some where when wet. also check the intake boot to make sur there isnt any cracks in it. some 700's were know for it. just a couple of thoughts.

 

Ok its definetly something getting wet. I started it up after sitting all night and day ran great, sprayed the mud off, ran bad again. I put it in diagnostic mode and there were no codes, I am not sure what to look for now, the sparkplug caps seemed to be on properly. How do you trace a short that only happens some times? Would a shop be able to hook it up to a computer and tell or would they just be playin a guessing game with me?

 

I would bet that your problem is with the speed limiter circuit/ reverse override. Polaris doesn't use sealed connectors on their harnesses but instead use unsealed connectors and pack them with dielectric grease. The speed limiter circuit is a high impedance circuit which means that very large resistances such as mud and water can get between contacts in a multiple position connector and cause misfiring as the ecu is toggling in and out of speed limiter mode. I would start by cleaning the handlebar switch that has the reverse override switch. Use compressed air. Unplug the connectors on the switch and clean and put more dielectric grease on them. Then I would continue with taking the cover off under the front rack and do the same to all the connectors under there as well. Also check and make sure the ground wires that are bolted to the bulkhead are good and tight. My 06' scrambler will run crappy for a good 10 minutes after I wash it...It's a guarantee. Water gets into the reverse override connector...

 

Thanks alot for your help. I will do this after work. So you think take apart most connectors and clean, reapply the dielectrice grease? How much? Thanks again. I hope I can get to the bottom of this. It doesnt really bother me if ithappens after I wash it, I can let it sit to dry, but when I am 5 miles from my trailer in the middle of the timber it doesnt make me to happy.

 

Get some dielectric grease , remove spark plug wires and put some in them, have seen them get wet and cause this.

 

Ok ill do that as well. How much grease should I put? Thanks for the help guys.

 

Well guys went through some connectors and re greased them. Did the reverse override and throttle one they were bad. Checked coil and put some great on plugs. Couldnt see much else. Still didnt work. Rode tonight for abour 2 hrs and then it did it, Water was just barley to the left foot peg at a litle bit of an angle. and it died. Wouldnt start back up sittn on the edge of the creek. Got towed out, started 10 min later. Help