i have a 97 Polaris Xplorer 500 4x4 atv and it wont accelerate?
it has slowly gotten worse over a couple of days here is what happened

I live in az and the bike has always run good then about 2 years ago it started Flooding and such when it heated up outside i just guessed that my petcock was bad(leaky) and that there was also a failure of my float shutting off the flow to the bowl thus it floods. so my solution (cheap) was to add a inline fuel shutoff (from lawnmower section) and that solved the minor issue there.

Was riding (in town) and i noticed that the bike would hesitate beyond half throttle . then it would slowly or briskly pick up.
This lasted for a few days then it was like playing slots you never knew when it would pickup. when it wouldnt go any faster it stayed around 30mph and i would guess 3500 rpm?

now over the next few days it never catches anything beyond 1/2 throttle
and it has gotten worse my top speed is now 15mph and when presented with a load (up a driveway) the rps cap out at 2300 rpm or so and i cant make it up the hill unless i have a running start or i throw it in low

i have seafoamed it and am at a total loss! anyone know whats going on'????

it idles fine and runs/sounds fine while running other than not upping in rpm's checked all lines, fuel, air filter, tires, belt , and nothing i even put a mix of supreme gas and regular to see if it was bad gas or octane not any good it didnt make any diff.

Exhaust smells normal, no smoke white or black.
ETA:
Anyone that can get me a answer that leads to a resolution i would be more than happy to "tip" you !
this is my daily driver and i cant afford for it not to run THANKS!

 

did you try reving it up in neutral to see if it runs up fine? does it take off fine,meaning if you give it some good throtle does it pick right up or seem like it's starting in saying 4th gear in a 5 speed trans type system. some times the buttons in the secondary wear out and it will make the bike very doggy. if it's more the engine being the issue maybe the valves need adjusting?? how does the spark plug look if you take it out? black form being fouled form running rich, how does it start? just a few ideas.

 

thanks for the reply

revving in neutral acts the same. it does not take off fine it reaches a certain rpm and wont go any further. If i go WOT it doesn't pickup it acts as though i were to gradually ease the throttle. Seems like a sudden change for valves being a problem it idles fine, and sounds fine while going to the point where it stops. engine does not bogg
Just changed the plug about 30 mins ago. It was oiled and sort of carbon buildup but not really (i think thats from the sea foam?) the bike hasnt smoked or anything and the exhaust smells fine (not rich or lean) im at a total loss ??

eta:
There has been no pinging or anything like that.....
took air filter off and there was no change either

 

Check your charging system. May be a stator, battery, or coil going bad. Test your spark plug wire too. If one of those are going bad it could explain the problem. Had that happen on a bike years ago(stator). Same issues and everything else was fine.

 

thats what i thought might have been a problem, but everything electrical checks out battery is brand new, holds a charge and is charged back up when the bike runs

 

SOLVED
Problem is the needle or the diaphragm

pulled the diaphragm asm. out and it takes off like a bat out of hell (some running problems but to be expected not having a slide or needle

 

Good stuff! I love reading the excitement of someone getting their machine going again. Tear it up!