Re: White smoke
Rob,looks like we basically agree on most points. I must admit I'm a little confused when you say the carbs are finicky but then you say the carbs themselves are fine it's the fuel delivery that was a bad design. I agree though, the early (pre '96) fuel delivery system left a lot to be desired.
I also agree, he'll NEVER get it dialed in on a hose...just ain't gonna happen. One thing to keep in mind is how the low and high speed circuits overlap. I'm a lousy typist so I'll cut & paste a tuning procedure from another site:
Start with the high speed screws set at 1 turn out, and tune with the tachometer for peak Rpm, then stop there and count the number of turns on the high speed screws. Write this down on a piece of paper.. Then turn the high speed screws in all the way and open them to 1/4 turn open. (Now you will be testing starts only, so no more big high rpm trips around the course). You are only turning in the high speeds to allow you to easily tune the low speeds.
Now check the low speed screws and set them at 1 turn and do a practice start; To test the low speed setting pretend that you just jumped the start and you have to start with no holder. Hold the ski by yourself and hold as many Rpm as you can (don't blow it out first for testing) and then nail the throttle hard.... NO FARTHER THAN 50 KILOMETERS, as you are only testing the start response
If it blubbers like a schoolgirl trying to guzzle a quart of beer, then it's too rich on the low speed screws..
If it falls flat on the line (like someone punched you in the stomach).. It's too lean on the low speed screws.
When you like the acceleration off the line, stop there and count the number of turns on the low speed screws. Write this down on a piece of paper.. Then re-set your high speed screw where they show the best peak Rpm earlier and try both a start and a peak Rpm run...
It will probably "blubber" a little off the line... DO NOT turn in the low speed screws... Instead, go back out on the course and fine tune for peak Rpm again.. The blubbering off the line is caused by having too much fuel in the high speed circuit... Write down your new high speed setting on the piece of paper along with the best low speed setting that you found earlier, this will be your base-line carburetor settings.
If the high or low speed screws are open more than 11/4 turns, then you need to swap to the next bigger jet.
If the high or low speed screws are closed all the way, then you need to change to the next size smaller jet.
*** If no matter what you try, it still won’t leave the line without falling on its face "lean bog"... Then try the next size lower pop-off spring in the carbs... Don't be afraid to try #95 or even #80 gram springs..
Tapping the lines is also a good idea but Mikuni triple outlet pumps are less than $30.00 and worth their weight in gold if you've ever melted or holed a piston because you ran it lean.
I guess we can also agree to disagree on headgaskets. I reuse them 5-6 times, just clean them in a parts washer and apply copper gasket spray in between use. I'll do this to check piston wash when tuning...after tuning I may use new if I have them but I've never had a problem (knock on wood) reusing gaskets.
Like Rob said, parts are harder to come by since Polaris opted out of the PWC market but an Ebay search just turned up 471 parts auctions. While most of the Ebay auctions are used parts companies like WSM, Mikuni, Boyesen, Solas, and R&D still sell oem and performance parts. Polaris parts are also interchangeable from year to year and ski to ski, not all parts and not all years but still better than most manufactures.
Bottom line....Tune it and enjoy it.