ATV Electrical ???

IAtractorKid · Jan 5, 2017

Hey guys! Anybody have much experience with ATV Electrical? Working on my sister's 2004 Polaris Sportsman 500 HO (non EFI). She lost the key for it this last summer so it sat for a few months. She finally got around to having a new key switch installed and all was well for a couple weeks. Then it would not start, battery was toast so I replaced it with a sealed AGM ATV battery. Was some cobbled up aftermarket lights and such that I removed and covered some exposed wires. At the time, I also noticed it was not charging the new battery while running. Finally replaced the stator and rectifier and all was well...For a couple months. Now it won't start again! It will turn over just fine but not fire, however, I can pull start it just fine.

What might be the issue that would not allow it to start with the starting motor, but let it start with the recoil starter (pull start)??. Battery is fully charged, have not load tested it yet, but spins motor over plenty fast. I'm thinking maybe the CDI box is not telling the coil to fire and needs replaced but am not sure and don't want to just throw parts at it.

Thanks for the help!!

Tony in SD · Jan 5, 2017

My old old JD Gator wouldnt start. It was a bad wire from the batt to the key switch.

notjustair · Jan 5, 2017

Is it like my junker Polaris - you push the on/off switch up to hit the starter? The switch may be "grounding the mag" when you push up to start but just fine in the run position.

If I had a big enough hole close by I would push mine in it. I hate that thing. It's only redeeming quality is that it does a good job with the calf catcher. Right now mine is sitting with the maintainer on the battery. I tried to start it yesterday to chase a cow and I had to use the rope. I've never had so many battery woes. It charges well once it's started but it just seems the starter was underpowered for the cold engine.

4play · Jan 6, 2017

I've been down the same road, so maybe you need to try this. I had a 04 model just like yours. It took about 5-10 seconds of cranking to start, with key, sometimes it wouldn't at all but always started with a pull on the recoil starter. What I found was the pulser coil was spaced a little too far from the flywheel.

You would have been right there by the pulser coil if you did the stator so, maybe take a look at that. I also cleaned the rust from the coil and flywheel while there. Im pretty sure I set the gap to around .015". There was no adjustment so I gently pried the bracket to move the coil closer to the flywheel. This was a couple years ago and has worked fine since.

4520BW · Jan 6, 2017

Same problem on my ranger,like stated below it was the pickup on the flywheel. I bought a replacement that spliced in without removing the wiring harness. Shop on line for parts!

BarnyardEngineering · Jan 6, 2017

Seems like it would be pretty easy to test that theory: Just pull the spark plug out and lay it on the head. Hit the starter button. Does it spark?

ATV Electrical ???

IAtractorKid

Member

Tony in SD

Well-known Member

notjustair

Well-known Member

4play

Well-known Member

4520BW

Well-known Member

BarnyardEngineering

Well-known Member

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