I took a look around under the pod and all seems to be ok. The hardestproblem I now have is recreating the problem without any trail hills near me. Idid hook a 5x10 open trailer to the ATV and loaded another quad and a largesnow blower in the back and pulled it up the steepest hill I could find and itran great. I can't fix the dam thing if I can't test it..lol

 

Just go to your neighbors and dig a hole, use his garden hose to wet it down and start slinging some mud around until it gets deep enough to be hung up...test it like that. I am sure he wouldn't mind!!

 

Anything that gets stuck in my yard becomes my property!

 

Ok, something to add to the problem. While I was having this problem on the trails I continued to ride. I started up a hill and before I reached the top it started to cut out and lose power to the point it stopped in the worst spot. I was not on all 4 wheels and I tried to back up about 6 inches and stopped. The bike settled down and rolled over on its right side. With the help of others we got it upright and continued on. When I got home the bike had about a quart of oil in the air box. I clean that out and the dip stick still read way over full. I drove it around the driveway to warm it up and checked it again. It was over full. I drained about 2 cups out and now it reads correct on the full mark and yes it was on level ground when it was checked. Would this have any connection to the md range loss of power problem?

 

Sounds like you need to do a good service on this machine whether it could have had any affect or not on the way it's been running! It's possible that you've had oil or oily vapor pumped into the air box all along under the filter from the crank case vent and not just from the roll over.Especially since it was a quart and half over full.

 

2002 Polaris 500 Sportsman question does anyone knowanything about a safety switch in or around the throttle adjustment that maycause avt not to run over a certain rpm?

 

The rpm limiter is built into the speedometer itself. First off make sure you only have about 1/8" slack at the thumb throttle,plus check the basics,new spark plug,clean air filter. Limiting can also be caused by carb problems, carb not fully in the intake manifold, a leaking manifold,the fuel pump sucking air,clutch/belt problems. Several things to eliminate. If you don't have a manual look at this pdf service manual to help you. Index of /ORV Manuals/Polaris/Sportsman/2002

 

I just wanted to follow up with the findings of the ATV.There was dirt in the carburetor. I took it to Pro Polaris and after just$69.00 they removed and cleaned the carburetor and now after a long test rideon the trails this weekend it runs great.