Working on Dale the Builder's 1996 Polaris Sportsman 500. Like everything Dale owns, it's been rode hard and put away wet.
One of the many issues that needed to be addressed was the complete absence of brakes. Got the Master Cylinder cleaned out and working, put kits in both front calipers and bled the rear caliper (single transmission brake).
Got the right front brake bled and working. Kind of a neat thing, it gravity bleeds on it's own, just keep the master cylinder on the handlebar topped off and eventually it'll run through. Also, the rear caliper is supplied by the same master cylinder.
Could NOT get fluid out of the fitting on the left front. Good, solid lever, right front and rear brakes grabbing perfectly, but not a drip out of the hose for the left side. Plugged somewhere. Looked around a bit and calculated that it'd take most of a day to take enough of the front end apart to get to the distribution block and get that left hose off. REALLY not in the mood and doubted Dale wanted to pay for another 8 hours of labor, so I said "Screw it" and walked away while I waited on some other parts. Every time I'd walk by the machine I'd give that brake lever a squeeze or two. NADA.
Last part came in yesterday but it was too cold to be dicking around in the garage. Couldn't really find an excuse not to reassemble what I had parts for today so I turned the propane salamander on and went to work. Gave the lever my usual couple of squeezes not really expecting any change and PTOOOOO! it spit out of big gob of brake snot and started dripping! I guess the brake fluid on the top finally dissolved the clot.
So, got that last brake bled and the wheels back on it.
Now all I gotta do is figure out why it wont' go into high range and take the )(#$* carb off again as the inlet needle isn't seating and it's dripping gas.
One of the many issues that needed to be addressed was the complete absence of brakes. Got the Master Cylinder cleaned out and working, put kits in both front calipers and bled the rear caliper (single transmission brake).
Got the right front brake bled and working. Kind of a neat thing, it gravity bleeds on it's own, just keep the master cylinder on the handlebar topped off and eventually it'll run through. Also, the rear caliper is supplied by the same master cylinder.
Could NOT get fluid out of the fitting on the left front. Good, solid lever, right front and rear brakes grabbing perfectly, but not a drip out of the hose for the left side. Plugged somewhere. Looked around a bit and calculated that it'd take most of a day to take enough of the front end apart to get to the distribution block and get that left hose off. REALLY not in the mood and doubted Dale wanted to pay for another 8 hours of labor, so I said "Screw it" and walked away while I waited on some other parts. Every time I'd walk by the machine I'd give that brake lever a squeeze or two. NADA.
Last part came in yesterday but it was too cold to be dicking around in the garage. Couldn't really find an excuse not to reassemble what I had parts for today so I turned the propane salamander on and went to work. Gave the lever my usual couple of squeezes not really expecting any change and PTOOOOO! it spit out of big gob of brake snot and started dripping! I guess the brake fluid on the top finally dissolved the clot.
So, got that last brake bled and the wheels back on it.
Now all I gotta do is figure out why it wont' go into high range and take the )(#$* carb off again as the inlet needle isn't seating and it's dripping gas.
