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83 Sport and 85 SS, just picked up for free

K
Dec 31, 2012
70
4
8
Burley, Idaho
Just picked up my first sleds:

1985 Polaris SS
and
1983 Polaris Sport

fuel line bad, headed to autozone.
Airbox is dirty, how do I remove to clean? EDIT: I got the box out, figured it out.

83 polaris sport.jpg 85 polaris ss.jpg 83 polaris sport intake.jpg 83 polaris sport engine.jpg
 
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K
Dec 31, 2012
70
4
8
Burley, Idaho
Replaced fuel lines, looked like they used that plastic water line for mobile homes, it shattered when bumped.

Cleaned carb. Took bottom off and cleaned it, not sure how to undo the choke cable from carb, so left the top on. Which nut to loosen to remove choke cable?

Got it running, ran good then died. Thinking a hunk of crud came loose and went back into carb. Will pull it again.

Ran up and down street.

Front end worn out and it's gets a little "western".

KRS
 
C

cowboy181d

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2008
273
73
28
37
Burns oregon
very cool! i remember my first rescued sled!, Be sure to rebuild the fuel pump it is very cheap to do most kits a between 5.00-20.00 from WPS. if you sleds sat for a long time it won't be long till they burst the diaphrams in the fuel pumps .Oh and if your sleds still have the air boxes full of foam make sure the foam is not dry rotted(trust me not what you want to clean out of your crank case)Just ask me how I know!!!!:face-icon-small-win

Hit us up anytime if ya need help!

P.S. these things are a slippery slope though. I went from a 1979 Polaris TXL340 I rescued from a field to a 2003 polaris RMK 700 within 2 years! (still got my old txl but man doe's she look different these days(gone are the leaf spring ski's now has a newer indy front clip.)and LONG gone is the old 121x1/2" track(now its a 136x1.5):bounce:

What ever you do don't get discouraged if it fights you too get running nothing feels better than salvaging one of these old girls! We still have all of our old sleds we use them to pull kids back up to the top of the sledding hills in town:face-icon-small-hap
 

joshkoltes

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 16, 2007
3,842
1,170
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ranchester, wy - nashua, mn
the brass that threads the choke cable into the carb body. if you loosen that brass and the choke dosnt just slide out its stuck gummed corroded. probably part of why it wont run.

get the nut un threaded and soak the choke hole in sea foam, wd 40, jb, berrymans, whatever you like. soak it for a day or two. if it still dosnt come apart well yank on it and order a new cable.
after removed keep flushing that hole and finally polish it out with soaked cloth or if the residue is really stubborn scotch brite.
 

joshkoltes

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 16, 2007
3,842
1,170
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41
ranchester, wy - nashua, mn
un screw the top cap off and set the slide and needle aside. remove the bottom, set aside. unthread the main jet 14 of the way and push with your thumb it should push the main jet tube up out of the body, finish un threading and set in cleaner.remove the float asm pin by seting one float tower on a nice sharp corner and pushing the opposite side wit a center punch be careful not to loose the needle attached to the center, set in cleaner. remove the needle seat, set in cleaner. use the appropriate flat screwdriver to remove the pilot jet, it can be a real bastard to get out so be cautious, set in cleaner.

if you want to check all the adjusment screws by counting the turns it takes to seat them all the way for reference, then remove them. blow aerosol carb cleaner through all the orfaces followed by compressed air.

now re assemble in reverse order makeing sure all holes and surfaces are free of debris including the slide cylinder, polish accordingly


take that airbox off and diss-assemble it very carefully. it looks to be full of mysteries.

like stated above the fuel pump should be pm'd even if it pumps now.
time isnt good for them especially sitting with old gas for 10+ years

good find those look to be in very nice condition
 
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K
Dec 31, 2012
70
4
8
Burley, Idaho
BOTH ARE RUNNING!
Rode 85 SS up and down the street.

Guys thanks for the advice, going to order fuel pump kits. That'll be cheap and easy to do.

Need some help:
'83 track is stuck. loosened track tightening bolts 1 turn on each side, still can't roll it.
We're under it right now, can't seem to see what's up. Ideas?
Also, limiter strap broken.

Can't seem to find a chaincase fill on these, is there one so I can check the oil level?

KRS
 
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K
Dec 31, 2012
70
4
8
Burley, Idaho
Got the track moving, I think the rubber had hardened some.
the limiter strap is broken, so the shock has cut the track in half.
Ran it up and down the alleyway, it ran good.

I'll start posting individual questions in the forum separately now that these are running.

You were right, it feels good to get something with some history up and working again. The guy that gave them to me said they were headed for the scrap yard.

KRS
 
C

cowboy181d

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2008
273
73
28
37
Burns oregon
on that sled you should have a fill plug in cover and a smaller screw down lower on the cover that is your level plug pull the fill plug and pull the level screw out and fill with oil till it weeps from the level plug. as for the stuck track is it stuck on the slide or just acts like the chain case is froze up? with the events that the old sleds see before they are left for dead I would hazzard it was run on dry ground and the hyfax's are melted to the track!(i have found many dumb things have been done to old sleds left for dead by teenagers):face-icon-small-dis try lifting the rear up and turning the secondary clutch to see if its the track thats stuck or a seized bearing in the drive system...

I will try to take a picture of that style chain case cover to show where the plugs are at!
 
C

cowboy181d

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2008
273
73
28
37
Burns oregon
Oh yeah, most sled dealers/ repair shops Have WPS accounts. I go through My local polaris dealership(just don't let them talk you into buying an oem Polaris one):shocked: Dennis kirk is also a great source to buy from! You can request one monster sized and free catalog from them too!!
 
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retiredpop

Well-known member
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Jul 3, 2001
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83
Calgary
The SS was a direct drive sled so there is no chaincase. Not sure on the 83 Sport but I suspect it may be direct drive as well. I know the Sprint was a direct drive.
 

sledheadd

Well-known member
Premium Member
Dec 1, 2007
1,621
372
83
too far from mountains Alberta Canada
Nice find, keep us posted I'd like to see them run.
Brings back memories. I had a 85 ss just like that one. Sure was a fun sled when I was a youngster. I put over 3500 miles on it in 3 years ,could hit 80mph on set up snow.
 
S
Mar 16, 2008
93
21
8
Idaho
The Longtrack was the only machine with that style hood that had a chaincase. I resurrected one of them, removed tunnel extension/rack, replaced drive shaft with one from Indy trail, and then put an Indy 121 short track and suspension under it. Made a great first sled for my oldest boy years ago. Had several of the SS machines but you couldn't do as much with them sine they didn't have the chaincase.
 
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