Hello Jeremy,

I own a 2008 Polaris 500 Sportsman. I have approximately 350 miles on it. As of late I am starting to hear a clunking noise coming from the engine area. I use it primarily around the house for yard work so I don't work it that hard. Any thoughts?

Jamie H, Livona Mi

Jamie,

Have you inspected the drive belt? Although it is very rare to have belt issues on a Polaris, it can happen. Your drive system is similar to a snowmobile and is belt driven. I would start with the belt. The belt may appear ok at first glance, you should remove it and inspect it thoroughly. These are relatively easy to remove and replace. If you replace the belt and still hear the noise, you may have an alignment issue.

Thanks for letter

Jeremy D

Tech Tip: If you own a new Polaris ATV that has a oil thank reservoir...If you perform a oil change and drain the oil from the crank case...You Must Prime the Oil Pump!

Have a question for Jeremy? Email it to us here!

Our service department has competitive rates. We do offer pick up and delivery, call for details.

When to Fish

Experienced anglers will tell you that there ARE "best" times to fish. These "best times" can be related to the amount of sunlight, to warming trends, to depth at which fish are found, to storm and weather patterns, to wind, and to tidal flows when saltwater fishing. Thus, WHEN to fish can also affect and be affected by WHERE to fish. Too many hot days during the summer can adversely affect fishing in shallow lakes, ponds, and rivers since the higher water temperatures can reduce oxygen in the water and cause fish to become sluggish.

VARIABLE WEATHER PATTERNS

Wind
Wind can play a large role in fishing success. Wind pushes bait to the far shore, with bait followed by game fish. If fishing from shore on a windy day, fish where you have to cast into the wind. If fishing from a boat, cast with the wind on a sheltered shore.

Fronts
Storms and changing weather patterns affect fishing success since fish are keenly attuned to changes in barometric conditions. With many fish, feeding increases during the hours immediately before a cold front, but slows during and after a storm or front hits. Fishing after a cold front is poor and continues to be poor for a day or two.

Warm fronts cause surface water temperatures to increase. Such fronts often put fish into a feeding mode. This can be particularly true in the winter, when a warming trend can cause otherwise sluggish fish to start feeding actively. Most of this feeding activity is on or near the warm surface.

Cloud Cover
Cloudy days improve fishing since the clouds prevent light penetration. Overcast skies cause fish to cruise for food more than they would during bright days when they tend to hide and stay close to structure. On overcast cloudy days, fish are less likely to be on specific structure spots or areas and more likely to be scattered throughout a waterway.

Rain
Another good time to fish is during a light rain, especially a warm spring or summer rain. Rain can help you hide from the fish since the rain breaks up the view that the fish has through the water surface. This is true whether shore, wade or boat fishing. Rain also washes insects and bait into the water, with this extra food creating a feeding binge for fish. Warm rains quickly warm the water to cause these feeding periods.