How to keep power valves clean

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phazer2000

New member
I have a 2000 500 xc sp and can not seem to keep the power valves clean. I ride mostly with my family with a speed of 40 mph at the top end often. This is the first year that I have had a problem keeping the valves clean. Over the summer I had to replace the chain chase and gears due to a break down last year. The use case I bought was from a 600 rmk. Could this gearing change be causing some of my issues?? I run Polaris ves gold oil. Do I need to run a fuel additive to help keep the valves clean?? Any Ideas would be awesome.
 
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jmd

Member
We have 2 2001's in our crew, a 500 and a 600, have never had a problem with the valves. Take them out and wipe them clean, we run VES also. The 600 has 15,000 miles and the 500 has 8,000 miles. Both sleds have lower top gears in them and kids under 15 years old have been riding them for the past 3 years. A little carbon is real common, don't be to picky with how clean they are if the sled is running fine no bogging let it go.
 
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phazer2000

New member
jmd said:
We have 2 2001's in our crew, a 500 and a 600, have never had a problem with the valves. Take them out and wipe them clean, we run VES also. The 600 has 15,000 miles and the 500 has 8,000 miles. Both sleds have lower top gears in them and kids under 15 years old have been riding them for the past 3 years. A little carbon is real common, don't be to picky with how clean they are if the sled is running fine no bogging let it go.
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I wouldn't mind if the power valves only had a little carbon. Currently they are sticking and not opening at all. I am going to try to clean them again and see if that takes care of my issue. The sled hits the 7000 rpm or so mark and wont go any further. Is the oil pump putting out too much oil is there a better oil to run.
 
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xcr440

Well-known member
Those sleds should wind out closer to 8k rpms. Running lower rpm's will cause more gumming, because they are getting more fuel and oil than what they should at the lower rpm. I'd check the clutches and belts for wear.
 
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phazer2000

New member
xcr440 said:
Those sleds should wind out closer to 8k rpms. Running lower rpm's will cause more gumming, because they are getting more fuel and oil than what they should at the lower rpm. I'd check the clutches and belts for wear.
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I will check this. After I cleaned the valves early this season they opened and it ran up to the 8k rpms but after about a 30 mile ride at 30 mph or so I went out on the lake and they were all gummed up again. I will check the clutch and change the belt. Do you think I should get new gears and go back to the original gearing??
 
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sosleder

New member
phazer2000 said:
I wouldn't mind if the power valves only had a little carbon. Currently they are sticking and not opening at all. I am going to try to clean them again and see if that takes care of my issue. The sled hits the 7000 rpm or so mark and wont go any further. Is the oil pump putting out too much oil is there a better oil to run.
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My wife has the same sled and rarely goes over 40mph, I use Amsoil Interceptor and have never had a problem with sticking
 
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Wyelde

New member
How do your plugs "read"? Black? dark brown? tan? If you are carboning up that fast, either you are running way too rich, or are using way too much oil. If you have a lot of miles, and are still on the original rings and pistons, it is also possible you have low compression which can contribute to the problem. You might want to do a compression test.
 
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phazer2000

New member
Wyelde said:
How do your plugs "read"? Black? dark brown? tan? If you are carboning up that fast, either you are running way too rich, or are using way too much oil. If you have a lot of miles, and are still on the original rings and pistons, it is also possible you have low compression which can contribute to the problem. You might want to do a compression test.
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I did not check the plugs yet. The sled has 4500 miles on it. Ran great when put it away last winter except for the fact that I broke the drive shaft on the last ride of the season. I have been having this problem since the first ride this season. That is why I question if it doesn't have something to do with the rmk gears that I put in the sled.
 
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tyeeman

New member
Assuming that the RMK gears are taller gears (meaning more power,less high end speed) it could be that cruising at 40 mph and less the engine isn't working hard enough to open the power valves. With your original gears the engine may work harder/openning the power valves earlier.
That being said, on your sled I don't know what signals or what makes the valve open.

I'm kind of rectally extracting this but it kind of makes sense being that last year and previous you never had a problem. The drive shaft and gears are the only thing you changed since last year.

Also, check your oil pump setting just to be sure.

You probably wouldn't have to run the Polaris VES Gold, the blue would fine, but nothing wrong with running high quality oil in your sled. The only thing that will happen with running high quality oil in your sled is that you will get a real nice long service life out of your sled.

I run Amsoil Interceptor in my 10 Polaris IQ Tour. No valve problems whatsoever.

Good luck.
 
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deerhunter

New member
mystique sea and snow is no longer tcw-3 rated. that was a rating that snowmobile required. we rain the citgo sea and snow in everything with zero problems. since boughten out the rating dropped for quality of oil. my freind just quit using it after he went through 2 motors on his ski doo and a motor on his polaris. all came to be poor oil quality. i dont think levi lavalle runs it in his sleds!
 
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latner

Active member
TCW-3 rating is for outboard motors. Mystik Sea and Snow is rated ISO EGD, JASO FD and API TC. I think Citgo carried the JASO FC rating, the only difference between the FC and FD rating is FD has more detergent but the same lubricity.
 
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chickenbone76

New member
Make sure you check oil usage. It should be getting around 100 to
120 miles per quart. I found that running synthetic does help keep the valves cleaner longer. I can go about 1000 miles before needing to clean.
 
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xcsp

Member
Phazer2000, try using a synthetic-blend like Mystic or Arctic Blue, available at Fleet Farm.

I had a few Polaris sleds with variable exhaust, used Polaris' oil, Ams Interceptor and then switched to the Arctic Blue syn. blend and valves were the cleanest when using that oil.
 
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