ok guys im new to polaris but i have worked on MANY 4 wheelers and dirtbikes including rebuilds of both. however i purchased an 06 predator 500 about a week ago and it was running when i test road it. i didnt ride it too much because it ran out of gas, so we just loaded it up and i never thought anything about it. i get it home and fill it up with gas. It WILL NOT start. it turns over and over and over but just wont come to life. i have tested the plug on the block and seen spark every time. i have checked that fuel is getting to the carb and can see that it is. i have not been able to get the carb out yet because of the piece of **** soft bolts they use in the float bowl but i dont see it running fine and then not starting all of the sudden because of a dirty carb. i have tried opening the butterflies and spraying starting fluid into the throat and it still wont start on that. it backfired one time that i did it and thats all ive gotten out of it. this is insane to me because i have never seen something be this dead. usually you can get SOMETHING out of an engine with starting fluid or gas directly in the throat of the carb. im out of ideas on this one. it should have compression since it was just running fine a couple days ago. oh and wtf was polaris thinking covering the A/F mixture screws with a plug you have to drill out? i have searched myself to death on this and cant figure it out. i have also had my battery checked at 2 auto stores and it reads good at 12.7 volts oh and it wont turn over with the kill switch off so i know when its on.

 

Should have compression as you say,but have you checked it? YES,should at least try to start with starting fluid. Running out of gas seems like the only problem it would create is to maybe suck up any trash or residue in the jets? Plus ALL the Polaris carbs have the fuel/air screw block off plug,but it can be removed to enrich or lean the idle setting.Check the compression first,then get into the carb(if you have a "baby" set of curved pliers you can loosen the screws,this tool was something I used often!) Plus replace them with 4mm metric allen head screws and will solve at least that problem. Keep us updated. OPT

 

i havnt checked the compression yet as i cant find my gauge set. so you think when it ran dry and died it sucked something into the jets? i thought that as well but after trying the starting fluid im starting to think something big is wrong. but i cant think of what might make it do this that isnt carb or spark related?

 

ok so i can't get this predator to start still and I cranked it a few times and checked the plug. its dry as a bone. what do I need to do now i have seen that there is gas to the carb but the top of the carb seems to be bone dry. what do I need to do to make the plug get gas to it? where does the carb need to be wet when I check it.?

 

Lets start at the top:was there spark from the plug? Is the fuel valve in the on or reserve position?,did you check the fuel line to the carb,is it there fuel flow? If all this is good then you probably need to go in the carb,could be some trash under the float needle blocking fuel flow or in the jets?? OPT

 

the plug is showing good spark to the block when i check it. i have checked to see that there is fuel making it to the carb through the line. i took the carb apart and it and the jets were very clean no grime or anything in there. however it was very dry inside and there was a white chalky powder on everything including the jets. i took the top off and pulled out the long needle and the diaphram. both were very dry. i then left the float bowl off and turned the carb right side up, and started cranking. gas came out the bottom of the carb so i shut it back off and pulled the spark plug. it was dry. thats where i am now. idk what else to look for inside the carb other than dirt. the jets were clean as a whistle. and i can confirm fuel is flowing all the way to the carb

 

Then we could be back to the first question I asked: have you checked compression? Has to have fire,fuel,air,compression! With carb air box off and your hand at the back of the carb,do you feel suction on your hand when you turn the engine over??? OPT

 

i dont have a gauge to check it here. anything i can do to tell?

 

im thinking it has something to do with the carb. doesnt seem right to me like its not filling up or fuel is not getting to the engine

 

when I put my hand on it I can feel air pushing out