Polaris Scrambler 500 Smoking And Ticking

[dsherw00d]

Heeeelp,

I have a 1997 Scrambler 500. It has a fairly loud ticking noise at idle and it smokes after going down hill. The smoke clears up after running on level ground for a couple of minutes. Valve clearance is on the money, compression is 115PSI, and it seems to run pretty good other than the tick and smoke. It only ticks at idle. It does appear to be blue smoke, but it's hard to tell on these cloudy NY days. I'm monitoring the radiatir fluid to make sure. The plug is kind of dark like it is oil. Does the compression seem OK? I have a manual, but can't find the value listed in it. Why would it only smoke after going down hill? Wouldn't valve seals or oil ring wear cause more smoking than this?

Thanks,
Dan

[dsherw00d]

Update - I was perfroming the compression test wrong. It's about 160psi.

[satrnfreak]

Im gonna go with maybe loose valves? The guides might be wearing down and causing your ticking noise. Also the play in the guide will give oil a path down into the intake/exhausts ports. It may only be smoking when going down hill because the oil that remains in the head, then has the right angle to actually penetrate(yeah, i said that) into the guide....

FreAk

[satrnfreak]

Originally posted by dsherw00d@Dec 12 2004, 02:26 PM
Update - I was perfroming the compression test wrong.* It's about 160psi.
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Forgot to open the throttle up?? LOL

F

[dsherw00d]

Originally posted by satrnfreak+Dec 12 2004, 03:04 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (satrnfreak @ Dec 12 2004, 03:04 PM)</div>

Forgot to open the throttle up?? LOL

F
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You got it - first time using a compression tester. Not only that, with the way the head is desinged with the spark plug I screwed in the compression tester adapter and when I screwed out the tube, the adapter stayed. Hole is too small for a normal socket so I spent 20 minutes grinding down a normal socket to fit - now I have a super thin wall socket. I did finally get it all back together. I think it's time to remove the head and have the valves serviced.

-Dan

Are you sure the ticking is coming from the motor? It may be your secondary clutch. Worn buttons could make the clutch chatter. As far as the smoking.........do you have oil in your airbox? If your sucking it in, it will cause it to smoke.

[dsherw00d]

I have one of those devices you stick in your ear and put the probe in different areas. The ticking is the loudest when I put it on top of the valve cover. I do have another 97 scrambler that engages harshly, but that's for another day. There's no oil in the airbox.

-Dan

[MarGinJoey]

Originally posted by dsherw00d@Dec 13 2004, 11:28 AM
I have one of those devices you stick in your ear and put the probe in different areas.* .....
-Dan
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I had one of those when I worked for Saturn, it was called "a really long screwdriver" Sorry. Good luck!

MGJ

[bhahn1028]

I have a 1997 Scrambler 500. it was runingbut when geting up to speed it wouid bog down.
so i took the carb apartand cleaned it now it don't run will pay to help fix

bhahn10282@verizon.net