I just got a Polaris 500 Sportsman and want to change the oil. Do I just simply take the oil filter off and replace and tehn drain the oil tank or is their another spot to drain crankcase too like a dry sump system? I didnt get a book and wnat to make sure thats all to do. I work on other quads but this is my first Polaris psortsman.
Thanks guys!

 

There is a crankcase drain on the right side of the engine. 9/16" bolt.

 

You can buy the Polaris oil change kit from a dealer (about $25) that includes instructions... the process that I'll briefly outline here.

Another Important item to watch is Priming of the Dry Sump oil pump. The manual has a vague reference to this and I've found very little online - but I called Polaris and they were very helpful and faxed me the instructions - I'll also include them below.

1. Warm the engine
2. Remove the drain plug from the bottom of the oil tank (the plastic tank) and drain.
3. Put a new sealing washer on the plug and reinstall - torque to 14-17 ft lbs
4. On the back of the oil tank (opposite the drain plug) there is the oil delivery hose. Disconnect this - it might be a clamp or might use a bolt. Behind this is a fitting - remove it. It contains the oil screen, which you should clean - this is really important! Reinstall the fitting and then the hose.
5. Remove the oil filter (watch for small amount of drip). Clean the sealing suface on the engine, lubricate the oil filter gasket with some clean oil, and install the new filter. Hand tighten 1/2 turn after the gasket contacts.
6. Remove the drain plug on the lower right side of the engine crankcase, drain the remaining oil, and reinstall the plug.
7. Add new oil - about 2 qts to start with (a little less if you skipped step 6).
8. Put in Neutra and run for about 2 minutes. Check for leaks.
9. Re-check the oil level and add as needed.

OIL PUMP PRIMING. If your ATV was upside down (yup it happens!) or you disconnected the oil hose connection between the oil tank and the pump inlet, or you let it sit without oil - you may have lost the prime. Running the engine will damage it!
Look at the oil tank. There is a vent hose that comes off of it and runs up to the air box. It has a small slit in it about 3" from the tank.
1. Clamp or pinch off the vent line about 2" from the oil tank (to avoid the end of the oil tank fitting, and before the pressure relief slit mentioned above). You can use visegrips for this.
2. Run the engine for 45 - 60 SECONDS.
3. Remove the clamp from the vent line. If the line is properly bled you should hear air release. If you do not hear air the line has not bled. Once this is done, the pump is primed and ready to go.

 

What year Polaris are these instructions for???

 

Shouldn't matter what year as they have basically been unchanged forever. These are the same instructions for the scrambler 500's also.

 

The motor has not changed so its the same procedure on any Fuji single.

I just drain oil tank, then run motor for 20 seconds to pump out the remaining cup of oil out of the crankcase.
I don't fool with the crank drain or the priming procedure and oil lines.

All these oil filters work if you want to bypass the dealer, make sure you use "full synthetic" 0w-40 oil or at least 5w-30,5w-40 weight.
These Oil Filters have 20 x 1.5mm threads, 14 psi by-pass valve, anti-drain back valve, 2.3" O.D. gasket 2.5" to 3.5" long.


Motorcycle Filters.
AC Delco PF2135
AMSOil SMF103
Carquest 85358
FRAM PH6017A
Honda 15410-MCJ-000
K&N KN-204, about $13. Metric nut on end for easy removal.
NAPA Gold 1358
Purolator ML16817. Imported, not made by Purolator.
STP SMO 17
WIX 51358
WIX PS1358

Recommended filters. All have superior filtering. (I,m told)
About 2.5 inches long.
Purolator Pure One PL14612, about $6.
Mobil M1-108, about $12. Made by Champion.
Bosch 3300, about $6. Made by Champion.

About 3.25 inches long.
Purolator Pure One PL14610, about $6.
Mobil 1 M1-110, about $10. Made by Champion.
Bosch 3323, about $6. Made By Champion.
WalMart SuperTech ST7317,about $2. Made by Champion.

Buy these filters Automobile Filters,about 2.5 inches long.
AC Delco PF1237
Baldwin B1400
Firestone TF2876
Hastings LF113
NAPA Gold 1365
Purolator L14612
STP S-02876
WalMart SuperTech ST6607
WIX 51365



Automobile Filters, about 3.25 inches long.
AC Delco PF-2057
Auto Pro 2356
Autopride CF240AP
Baldwin B1402
Carquest 85356
Carquest Red B4620
Casite CF240
Castrol 7317
Champion Labs Ph2867
Defense Filters Dl7317
Deutsch D-370
Federated Filters LF240F
Fram PH6607


Automobile Filters, about 3.25 inches long.
Fram Double Guard DG7317
Fram PH7317
Fram Tough Guard TG7317
Fram Xtra Guard XG7317
Group 7 V4610
Group 7 V4620
Hastings LF240
Mighty M4612
Motorcraft Long Life FL-821
Napa FIL1356
Napa Gold 1356
Parts Plus PH2867
Pennzoil PZ-109
Penske 7317
Powerflo SL14610
Powerflo SL14620
Pro Gauge PGO-4620
Pro Tec 164
Promotive PH4610
Pronto PO3593A
Purolator L14610
Service Champ OF-4622
Shell SH48
Shell SH529
Stp S-02867.
Valvoline VO50
Warner PH2867
Wix 51356
Wix PS1358 (specific for ATV's) What ever that means.

 

This post came in handy as I changed oil in my Sportsman for the first time-short but sweet! I added a little short-cut that made the job even easier-I used the manual oil pump that I use to pump out oil from my boat motor through the dip stick tube, and it worked fine. After I completed the job there was no sign of contamination by the old oil.

 

Another way that I and a lot of other people have done on the 500 is to drain the oil from the tank fully.Leave the old filter on and crank the engine for 5 to 10 seconds and kill it. Won't hurt it plus you'll notice the oil from the sump(about 8 ounces) will pump into the tank and out into the pan.That's a lot easier than having to pull the sump plug every time.Plus you don't have to pinch the tank vent line unless you remove the tank hose and screen for cleaning. Boy this thread started out almost 15 years ago..

 

That is exactly how I did it except I used a vacuum pump to drain the tank both times. The pump tube must have gone right to the lowest point in the tank and the running engine must have pumped it dry-I had no discoloration in the fresh oil after the job was completed. (Actually the pump I use now works on pressure rather than vacuum and it works much better than vacuum.)

 

Yes sir,sounds like that's another way to do the same thing. There's still folks out there that do pull the sump plug,afraid of running a dry engine for a few seconds.Never had a problem,at least no one ever came back and jumped me about a burnt up engine. Plus how I originally heard about doing this was from a Polaris engineer years ago.Took me a while before I tried it though.