My 96 600 floods out at idle. I cleaned the carbs and it starts fine and idles great but after a short ride it will flood at idle. Leave it for 10 min or so and it will fire back up. I did not find much in the carbs if anything. Any suggestions.
Flooding out at idle
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Joined
·
935 Posts
Check your float levels and needle valve that shuts off fuel. We had one machine that those items were fine and we found the problem to be in the small vent lines that are fastened to the handle bars under the handle bar pad. Some type of insect had plugged one on the lines and that carb would flood no matter what we did with float level or even when we put in new needle valves.
What Steepndeep said. Your needles and seats are probably bad, also check your Idle Air screws, they should be set between 1 1/4 turn and 1 1/2 turn. While you are in there, carefully remove the pilot jets (idle) and run a twist tie through them, they get clogged easily. Beware that changing the needles and seats is tricky, the Merkuni carbs use pressed float pins that can only be removed safely with an auto punch (spring loaded tool for marking metal), be careful not to break a tab off, it is cast aluminum and the carbs can cost around $250 to replace.
Your floats are not adjusted correctly, Here is a snip from polaris service manual for mikuni carbs.
![]()
Another way to check is to hook up a line to the debris/water trap on the bottom of the carb and loop it up above the carb. You can then fill the fuel inlet line with fuel until the needle closes, you will then be able to visually see the float level, they should all be the same.
Another way to check is to hook up a line to the debris/water trap on the bottom of the carb and loop it up above the carb. You can then fill the fuel inlet line with fuel until the needle closes, you will then be able to visually see the float level, they should all be the same.
Glad to help, I am subscribed to this thread in case you have other issues.
Don't worry too much about the lines unless they are leaking. Clean the traps, filter, replace the submerged fuel line and tank sock. These are extremely important, especially the fuel pickup in the tank. I like to use a skidoo tank sock, the screen is smaller, flows more fuel and has a spring to protect it. The polaris one is long and skinny with a huge screen that can clog your filter fairly quickly. Make sure the pick is all the way in the back of the tank.
Don't worry too much about the lines unless they are leaking. Clean the traps, filter, replace the submerged fuel line and tank sock. These are extremely important, especially the fuel pickup in the tank. I like to use a skidoo tank sock, the screen is smaller, flows more fuel and has a spring to protect it. The polaris one is long and skinny with a huge screen that can clog your filter fairly quickly. Make sure the pick is all the way in the back of the tank.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Join the discussion
