wont start - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

blpemb41 · 12-28-2012, 10:44 PM

ive got a 2001 polaris xcf sp 440. cant get it started this year. ive taken the carbs off and cleaned them(one of the pilots was plugged but clear now). pulled and pulled with no luck. did the bad thing and poured a little gas in each cylinder and still wont start. spark appears good. any ideas?

**BC_Dan** · 12-28-2012, 11:48 PM

Is the gas on?

How many pulls? It takes a bunch when you are trying to fill the fuel bowls after cleaning. I try to squirt a little gas into the vent lines with a syringe to pre-fill the carbs. That helps eliminate a lot of the cranking.

Is gas getting to the carbs? Pull one of the fuel lines and put the end into a bottle or container. Crank the engine over. You should get a bit of gas every time. If you don't, could be a bad pick-up line or fuel filter, bad fuel pump, or maybe a bad impulse line from the crankcase to the fuel pump. If it is getting gas, it could be a stuck needle/seat or improperly adjusted float.

If you put gas down the cylinders, mix a little oil with it to give the top end a bit of lube. I do that all the time. As long as it's got some oil in it, you will be fine. I also cheat and use starting fluid on the ones that are being a pain. If you do that, make sure the starting fluid has top end lubricant in it for the same reason.

Fuel, spark, mechanical... not much else can go wrong.

Welcome to the forum!

**kccats** · 12-29-2012, 06:05 AM

Werlcome to the Snow Show! If you put gas in the plug hole and it still didn't start or atleast try, And there is spark, I would have to say do a compression test?

blpemb41 · 12-29-2012, 04:02 PM

should have said....noticed after originally trying with gas in cylinders it did fire and start....then died...ended up finding the line into the tank had fallen off.....replaced with new line and filter on the end.....also put new inlne filter on.....then did the carbs. now it wont fire........been hard concentrating on just one sled(got 3....1995 polaris indy 500 and 1996 supersport) no riding last year here in buffalo for lack of snow(believe that or not lol)....all 3 being pains...gonna try emptying fuel tanks and replace with new gas....but will try checking fuel lines in the xcf...thanks

**smallengineguy** · 12-29-2012, 05:20 PM

Get a windex bottle full of 2 stroke and spray it into the carbs to keep it running until the lines get primed.

blpemb41 · 12-30-2012, 04:48 PM

draining gas now......is there a way to seperate it or should i just toss it?

**RJ Gleason** · 12-31-2012, 09:24 AM

Toss it!

blpemb41 · 01-02-2013, 09:13 PM

thanks all for help....all 3 sleds running great.... last issue...2001 polaris xcf sp 440... after riding , stop get something to eat..say about 45 minutes...hard to restart..95 and 96 both start 1 pull... no choke...the xcf havent figured out the trick yet . just tonight pulled 2 times no choke...then 2 times half choke...then 2 times full choke.....could smell the gas bad.....waited about 5 minutes then had my son hold throttle about 1/8 while i pulled...almost started first pull....started on the second....HELP!!!!!!

jordandakota · 01-03-2013, 02:24 PM

Sounds like you have bad needles/seats that let it flood while it's sitting. Shut your gas off when it sits for a while, just remember to open it up again before you try start it!

ridegreen · 01-03-2013, 02:49 PM

I'd look at the carburetors on that one as well,