So I was out riding the sled and I couldn't help but notice when I was at idle (after the sled was all nice and warm) the sled was idling very high and was burning SUPER rich. The idle is around 3000 and you can hardly breathe let alone keep yours eyes open cuz they are just burning with the rich exhaust. I'm suspecting the choke isn't closing all the way but I'm not sure, I looked at the carbs and only see one screw with a spring that looks like the idle adjustment but I can't find any air/fuel mixture screws. Anyone out there that has any ideas what I should do or where to start I would really appreciate it.
2001 Polaris RMK 800 Running Super Rich
- Thread starter Sekeith
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TROLLCAT
Active VIP Member
check your choke is not sticking or stuck open this will cause the problem you have discribed
- Thread starter
- #3
So I played around with the choke today and it seems to be working fine. It has a little bit of freeplay before it starts to close the choke. It also opens and closes as much as the cable will allow it to. I noticed that the nut and thread that the cable goes through seems to be adjusted quite tight, maybe that was changed? I'm hesitant to adjust it not knowing where the factory setting should be. Any ideas if/where the fuel or air mixture screws are on the mikuni carb?
Luke The Drifter
Active VIP Member
Just curious, when was the last time the top end was replaced? I had a 2003 RM250 dirt bike that I could not jet for the life of me. Idled high, didn't idle at all, ran rich all the time etc etc. Tore it down and it was pretty apparent that the engine was well overdue for a top end. Rebuilt it and voila! It idled smooth and I was able to dial it in nicely. Do you have the owners manual for the sled? It should have some baseline specs for the carb to get you in the ballpark.
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- #5
I don't know when the top end was done last, I just bought it and rode it around 3 or 4 times and it was running great until the other day. I've done a lot of work on cars but nothing much to smaller 2 stroke motors so I'm curious what you guys mean when you say a top end rebuild?
snowhunter
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It'll likely be a carb issue those older 800s always liked to idle up 3000 isn't that bad but u can adjust that easy enough with the idle screw between the 2 carbs up top then I'd pull the carbs off get the factory settings for them at ur elevation and make sure there set for that I doubt it's anything to major just need some fiddling good time to learn bout ur new ride 
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks I will def try that! I figured that screw in the center was the idle screw but any ideas where the air or fuel mixture screws are? I downloaded the owners manual online but there isn't much in it for carb work aside from jetting. I'm assuming cleaning and checking all the linkages won't be enough to sort out the rich mix? Unless something is sticking and I haven't noticed.
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