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This video shows how I repaired a 2003 Polaris Sportsman 500 HO ATV that had been sitting for three years with the fuel selector in the on position.
The machine started on the first pull but sounded rough and would die when I pushed the choke in. After shutting the machine off, I noticed gas dripping on the garage floor.
The root cause of the problem was a carb needle seat o-ring that had dried out after 17 years in the machine and 3 years of constant exposure to the alcohol in ethanol.
I did not want to pay $20 for Polaris part # 3130533, my local NAPA did not have part # 730-5017, although their website said they did, so I ended up using a $.79, #6 standard O-ring from the local Ace Hardware.
This failure mode also resulted in fuel in my crankcase oil so the level was high on the oil dipstick and I need to change the oil before running the machine for any length of time.
After installing the #6 O-Ring (5/16' ID, 7/16" OD, 1/16" thickness), there is no evidence of leakage like I had before the repair.
The ATV started on the second pull and stays running with the choke off (pushed all the way in).
Thank you for watching.