So here's the story thus far:

Back in January I bought an early 04 polaris sportsman 500 HO.

It wasn't running. Price was right he said it was the cam:
Background story. He gave me the history of the quad. Previous owner work etc, thanks to face book I was able to track down the guy who happens to be friends with a friend (small world) guess it's been hot cammed ported polished. Bored, clutched 2" lift dual muzzys rad relocate.. I dygress got in touch with him and we both agree that it isn't the cam,

So I get it home seized starter.. clean that up and get it cranking. Woo step one done.. bit won't fire. So I get to digging and discover weak spark
A: battery is done. New battery
B: pulsar coil is pooched as well: new stator plus coil.
C: wrong plug: new plug..

Well let's try this again. Well now that constant weak spark I had has turned into a single strong spark and won't fire... well back to the R&D board.

Worth noting I'm. Using the old battery and a booster to avoid killing the new one.. however I am getting 14v at high idle

So after digging the depths of the Internet I find that I might be able to bypass the safety by disconnectING the black wire from the cdi, so I try this, turn key and fires.. WOO-HOO I can breath it runs sounds great slight small idle isue. (Suspect carb needs cleaning haven't got that far yet) but runs great took it for a rip it'd responsive I'm happy

So on a high because she' lives after a month of digging and discovering that I essentially bypassed all the safety crap .I know I've isolated the issue to the handle bars, kill switch, ETC, ignition. So on and so forth..

I start with the kill switch pull.the plugs. Coroded ugh, clean that up looks like new put it together try.. no go, alrighty then. So check my wiring, I discovered I have a stray brown wire with a female spade connector that goes nowhere but comes from the ignition coil. (FWIW I can not find a proper schematic for this machine)

So I check the lead off the plug it's good finally something that's good. Tried disconnecting the speedo with the cdi plugged in it fires. Plug the speedo back.in still running. Kill switched work.. won't refire, unplug the speedo. Fires plug it in, still running, disconnect the cdi, still running, plug the cdi (black wire) back in stalls.. Im getting ready to order a new CDI. BUT!, Alright check the ETC. yep the damn leads are touching.. had to back Tha right off... ok fingers crossed turn key VROOM... I'M A GENIUS!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA it was short lived

I put it all.back together, new battery needed a boost (yes it was charged) hop in and hit the ditch .. well try too.. before I get out of the garage the idle kicks up.. no clue as I seem.to have set the tach to trip and don't know how to switch it back.can't get it back.in gear so I shut i adjust the the ETC idle down a bit. Almost. Almost. Leads touch dies... AAAAGGGGHHHHH

So hook.the booster up start it go... rip it through the ditch for about ten minutes.. not a hickup nothing sweet waiting to cross the road the it idles up again.. start playing with the throttle cable again dies, FFS. try the pull start nothing.

Get the wife to drive the truck over. Won't boost, Alright we'll tow it back put the booster on it and vroom.. alright f-it it's going on the truck before anything else happens,

Back the truck into the ditch drop the gate noes up to.it AWD ingaged and try to climb in... well front tired bump the gate and won't spin.. try reverse now it's jammed in reverse front wheels still won't spin.. tried the limiter button nothing I'm. Digging a wholeso push it up and back up to the garage tap the linkage pops into neutral put it in drive try again. Well twice in one night is enough Im done

So after all this my question is why won't the battery take a charge.. and what the hell is wrong with the 4x4, I feel. Like for every step forward I'm. Taking two backwards. What the hell.is going on here help please

 

Sounds like part of the problem was either in the left control switch or the black(kill wire) from the cdi shorting out. As far as charging,could be a bad regulator OR ecm depending on which 2004 model you have.. If you have the ecm module ,it was under recall. Polaris Industries Expands Recall of ATVs Due to Fire Hazard | CPSC.gov If it's been replaced,you'll have a SILVER Sure Power module,not a black Chinese module. This module controls the fan operation,battery protection,charging circuit along with several circuit breakers.Located below the cdi module.2004 2006 Polaris Sportsman 450 500 Scrambler Surepower ECM PDM 2203348 | eBay "IF" you have a regulator,it's mounted close to the radiator. Check for any wires that may have come loose causing it not to charge. Plus here's a link for a 5 buck manual.Will help save your fingers and possibly your sanity.. 2004 Polaris Sportsman 500 Service Manual PDF Download

 

Thanks for the response OPT I've read many of your posts and you've already helped me immensely..

That being said it's an early 04 ( late 03 build ) I have the regulator under my rad. Two wires one yellow one yellow red stripe IIRC.

So if I understand correctly I shouldn't have the module? If so I'll have to look it's a mess of aftermarket wiring right now due to the relocate..

Also I think I forgot to mention, I have a battery light along with a blinking needle on my cluster. Till ots running. Lights work I can only assume this is related..

Also will this model have the light indicator next to the AWD switch.. or just the one on the cluster because that comes on but no light I noticed.. but yet still no 4x4

 

You will have a battery light blinking if it's not charging. More than likely it's a faulty regulator,but the manual shows tests on the charging system that can rule out a stator charging problem. 98 bucks is about as cheap as I've found on the regulator. Item #28.Dirt Cheap Yamaha, Polaris, Suzuki & Kawasaki OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse Most other online places are around 144 bucks. Plus you have to have a constant 12 volts for the awd to work properly. Plus the fan needs constant voltage so it can kick on and keep the engine from over heating. All this is tied into the charging system,whether it's a stator problem or faulty regulator.

 

So I ran some test last night and discovered.. Im starting with a good battery at 13v.. but when I crank it drops to 2-6v clearly there's a draw on the system...

Could this be a regulator issue or am I looking at the starter?

 

First things first.. Always load test a suspected battery. If voltage drops below 9.5 volts when cranking,usually the battery has an open or shorted cell. This can happen over time just because of the age of the battery or if the faulty regulator(usually the source on charging problems) or stator has been dragging the battery down for awhile and has cause overheating and cells to short. That's also why I showed the link to the manual for stator tests also. A general way of telling if the stator charge coil is ok is to check resistance between all yellow stator wires leading to the regulator. They should show some ohms resistance between each other and NO yellow should short to ground. If they show ok,then suspect a faulty regulator. Again the battery load test can tell if the battery needs replacing or not. I'd charge it up fully then let an auto supply do a good load test on it rather than fully trust a volt meter.. You may just get by with having to replace the regulator only. Here's good write up on batteries and when to change them out..https://www.batterystuff.com/blog/ho...ry-is-bad.html

 

Hey sorry been a busy couple days.. I have a reg on order should be in this week and a new starter.. just because the old one was seized at one point.. that being said is it safe to.rule out the battery.. it is a new battery.. only a month old... I'll try and take it to get a load test done this weekend regardless.

 

Hopefully you'll be ok with the battery if it's fairly new and hasn't been discharged often from the faulty regulator. Just have it charged up fully and after you have the starter and regulator installed just check that the voltage doesn't drop below 9.5 when starting and the the regulator is charging between 14-14.5 volts back to the battery at an idle or slightly above.

 

So starter and regulator installed same thing.. did start easier though, going to get the battery load tested after work today. Possibly try another battery too

Frigging canadian tire wouldn't load test but they did check it 12.65v and 282CCA.. thanks I could.of told you that.

Anyways let's say I get the battery tested and it's good.. now what am I looking at. Friend thinks the winch might be taking a draw.. which got me thinking maybe I got a faulty ground. Maybe?

 

So I'm think it was the battery lol tested it dropped to 5V cane back to 6 held there for a bit