Ok so I bought a 99 sportsman 335 4x4. I got it dirt cheap, but needed a starter and pull rope. Did that and rode it for 2 day's around my house on some trail's no problem. Put a jet kit in it, full exhaust, k&n filter and new belt. Rode it down to the lake about 20 mile's away no problem. Played in the lake and rode back. Was able to get it up to 50. Ok no problem, it's only a 335 did not buy it for speed anyway's just wanted 4x4. The next day I went out to ride and it would not go over 25mph. I can put it in high and peg it and nothing over 25. The motor (or could be the tranny) sound's like it is just winding out. I thought it could be the tire's but it ran fine down to the lake and back. It has 24-9-10 super swamper vampire's on it. I checked the tranny fluid and it was a little low. I went to polaris and spent $110 on fluid and changed all the fluid. (Tranny, oil, front end, gear selectior, and hub's) and still will not go above 25. Anybody know where to start to try and solve this. I dont want to tear apart the tranny or motor unless I have to. I can do it not a problem, just would like some thought's on what to check first before I do. I have never had a polaris, much less a automatic tranny atv. Any help would be great. Thank's Eddie

 

welcome to the forum. i would guess since you said you played in the lake that you might have got water/silt in the clutch hosuing and now your belt is slipping some. if the engine is reving up(winding out) but there is no top end or it is taking off slow then it's a belt or clucth issue. also when you take the clutch housing off to check for dirt and belt issues, make sure that the seal is good on the plastic hosuing if not you will continue to have issues if you run inthe water. just another thought while you have it apart is to pull the secondart clucth off and apart to check and maybe replace the secondary buttons the helix runs on as they do wear out and are a cause of lack of power/speed. there only about $4.00 each and there is 3 of them. let us know.

 

as Sten said its probably the buttons in the secondary

 

Ok well I want to get a clutch kit for it, but cannot find one. I was told that a sportsman 500 clutch was the same but noone can seem to tell me what year 500 is the same. If someone know's what year is the same, I would put a clutch kit in it, and change everything out, and let you guy's know how it turn's out. If not I will just change the button's out, and hopefully that will solve it. Also it dont have a problem from take it. It will spin the tire's from a dead stop pretty good, just wont go over 25 any more. I am going to tear it apart today and let you guy's know what I find. Thank's Eddie

 

Not a Polaris owner, but here's a thought, it runs well, spins the tires at take off, but wont go over 25, engine seems to wind out, possible the linkage is out enough that you are in low range and not high? for it to suddenly drop speed like that without a running issue is unusual, if the belt were slipping that much, I would think you would smell something if the motor was really revving good. Just something to check, I do own a Polaris sled, so I am familiar with their belt drive system.

 

Also check that the foam piece that goes around the air box and clutch inlet snorkel.Hasnt pushed up on top the gas tank and is blocking air to the air box snorkel.Some times you cant see the foam piece unless you look for it if its pushed up on the tank.I have seen this on some sportsmans over the years.Usually the motor will wind up decent but have low top speed.

 

I would raplace the buttons also, there easy to change and cheap and when they wear down they do cause the problem your describing.

 

I think any non ebs 500-425 clutch will work, look up the part# for your clutch on ronnies or bike bandit then check numbers for 500s, I doubt there is anything wrong with your primary, its the buttons in secondary

 

Ok well it was not the foam piece in the air snorkel. It is my clutch. I am going to order all the stuff to rebuild them as the whole thing look's pretty bad. I looked up my clutch'es to see what clutch kit would work. The primary clutch out of a 500 will work, but the secandry clutch out of a 500 will not. It has to be out of a trailblazer or magnum or something. I will have to look it up again and write it down. Anybody know someone or someplace that would put a clutch kit together for me if I gave them the exact clutch part number's that will work with mine? I would really like to do this while I have them pulled out. I found the clutch kit's for both the different clutch's, just would rather buy one clutch kit instead of two.

 

My polaris sportsman 500 will run fine from idle to about 10 mph but will not top out at all. The engine doesn't even Rev up, even with the thumb throttle pushed all the way in. It just stays right at that speed and rpm no matter what. Now sometimes I will pull a sharp turn and gun it, and it will go back to normal for a split second but then once it goes back to idle, it messes up again. Can anyone tell me what it might be? I know this is somewhat broad of details, so if anyone needs more info about it then I will tell you everything I can.