Boggy 97' xlt!! Help!

P

Polariscatgrabber11

New member
I have a 97 xlt and have been having problems with it, some people told me to get new needles and seats to solve my flooding/hard starting problem but but will that help/resolve this new porblem?...it is REALLY doggy on low end,takes off just real slow and after 10-15mph at FULL throttle she starts moving pretty good any Suggestions would be Great!
 
oldguy

oldguy

Member
Did you ever do a compression check? A bad cylinder could also be part of the hard starting problems and poor performance. Otherwise, if that's all good it could be the clutch or belt.
 
S

skeeter2010

Member
I has an XLT that I chased a problem like that for a while before I got it. I would start with the clutchs make sure the primary weight look good and move free as well as the rollers the weights ride on. Second I would make sure the carbs are in sink that was the problem I had with mine and was the fix. Mine would run great on the trailer but as soon as you would get on it for a ride it would bog. It was also very hard starting
 
B

big10champ2003

New member
Catgrabber---

I have had an XLT for like 5-6yrs now. One question for you...To help me and yourself. Does the sled start-up normally. Meaning can you start it fine or is it hard to get started?

Reason I ask....if your sled starts up normal or how you think it should, then I would say it is most def. a clutch issue. I have had that problem on mine before. This is what should all be happening:

You should be able to start your sled just fine and all. When you go to give it throttle it should be boggy and run crappy until you hit a fairly high RPM and then it should take off kinda hard and then run basically fine until you stop....then it should most likely do the same all over again....sound about right. Reason something like this happens it the rollers on your clutch are worn flat and are not rolling. Most likely one of the rollers is really bad and therefor causing your clutch to be slightly off tilt. That is why it is so doogy until you get to the point where there is so much force on the clutch that it just pops out and then your sled takes off (kinda hard). If this is your problem....I would take it to a shop and have them fix your clutch. (Unless you have all the tools and can do the clutch yourself) Most likely going to cost you $150-$200 bucks. Half that is labor and half is parts.

If your sled is hard starting then I would say you have a carb issue, take it to a dealer and have them sync your carbs. I also had that done a few yrs ago and man what a diff. that made. Again it costs about the same but sure was worth it.

I have done all this myself now as well. If you need any help I could walk you through it buy pictures and emails.

Hope this helps.....but it really sounds like the primary clutch is the issue.
 
P

Polariscatgrabber11

New member
well it starts pretty normal, I know I have to put new seats and needles in it though, Im beggining to think it is the clutch because it does EXACTLY what you say, Im usually pretty good at being on top of these things but I have owned this sled for 2 years now and yesterday was the first time I Have had it out and running, the reason I say its probably the clutch now is that last year AFTER I rebuilt the engine (bearings,rings) I tried to ride and made it about 6 foot then it stopped and I havent touched it since, I had forgotten all about that until 5 minutes ago!.... I probably need the carbs synched and new needles and seats and I have the tools to do the clutch so I will give that a shot. Never even thought about the clutch being most of my problems and like I said I can usually diagnose things pretty well and fix them myselve but When I got the sled 2yrs ago it was all in a box except for the hood and chassis so I dont have a clue what it was like before. I appreciate all the help and Suggestion. never messed with a clutch b4 but there's a 1st time for everything! ~Thank You
 
T

tyeeman

New member
I've had a 97 and now a 98 XLT Touring, no running like crap anywhere through the power band. That said, it doesn't have the low end snap of a 2 cylinder 500 or 600 but I swear once you hit that 45-50 mph mark and grab a handful, man she flies.

If your going to check/clean your clutches make sure you check your belt deflection. It should be I beleive 1.250" at center distance between clutches. If your belt rides too low in the secondary clutch it will give you that low end dog as well as affecting your top end. On my sleds and my 500 Classic if the belt deflection is adjusted correctly the outside surface of the belt will sit approximately 1/8" higher than the outside diameter edges of the secondary clutch.
Oh, check the distance between your tourque stop and the engine block too, , should be something like .010 to .015" clearance.
I have the owners manual for the sled so if your looking for some more info on basic setup and general adjustments let me know. PM me if you'd like.

Lots of little adjustments REALLY make a difference in the grand scheme of things.
 
S

snoeatr

Member
Check the choke plungers first. These are known to stick. They start fine and run ok for a bit then flood. It may be just one cylinder getting too much fuel, but if you loose one out of three it will barely run. Easy to clean, follow the cable, take out, clean the crud and spray some cleaner and a lubricant. I had a 94 xlt that gave me these problems and couldn't figure it out for a while.
 
S

SuperTurboDiesel

New member
Hey PoCatGrabber,

Go back to the other thread and THOROUGHLY READ what I wrote to you...

(Hard Starting Polaris, by dcsnomo.)

Adjust your chokes.

Replace your needles and seats.

Adjust, tune, and synchronize your carbs.

Fix all of your carburation problems first!!!

Then, if you still have issues, then dive into your clutches. Clutching rarely goes bad, unless you smash 'em, or they get high mileage and the helix sliders/rollers wear out.

Check and make sure your drive belt is the correct one, and that it's not all worn out. A badly worn belt or incorrect length belt can also make a sled have poor take-off.

My wisdom and knowledge are invaluable. Utilize it while I'm giving it out!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top