have an 86 fourtrax 350 hd in excellent shape. have problem with starter not wanting to engage. it sound similar to a car with a bad cellenoid or throw-out bearing. it is alot worse when it is cold and usually have to go to the kick start. when not cold usually take 3 to 5 stabs at the start buuton to get it to engage. had starter motor on bench and it seems to spin fine. there was a little wear on splined end of shaft. starter reduction gears appear to be in excellent condition as does that gear and shaft that it engages to spin flywheel. not sure how whole system engages and dis-engages so starter doesn't spin all the time. we were told that starter reduction gear may have a bendix type spring clutch that would separate upon spinning to engage system but that is not true. starter reduction gear is solid piece (2 gears )
any help or insight would be much appreciated

 

Check connections/ground? Corrosion on the cables could cause that....Not getting enough power to the starter...

 

There is a large gear on the back side of the flywheel. The gear rotates around the flywheel by means of a one-way bearing. When the starter button is pressed, the starter motor turns this gear through a series of gears, and the one-way bearing allows the gear to turn the flywheel, as it grabs one way and slips when rotated the other. Once the engine is running , the bearing "slips" on the gear to flywheel area. So when the one-way bearing goes bad, it will act like a starter with a bad bendix.
If your starter turns over when the start button is depressed, but the engine does not turn over, this is where the problem is.
Now if the starter button is depressed, and no sound of the starter motor is not heard, eather the solenoid is bad, or the starter motor brushes are bad. If you hold the starter button, nothing happens, jump across the solenoid terminals with a screwdriver, If the starter works, the solenoid is bad. If you hold the starter button, nothing happens, after doing tha last test, continue to hold the buttin and tap the starter motor with a small hammer. If it spins, the brushes are bad. Replace starter brushes on this style of starter right away, and do not rely on tapping on the starter every time to start. The brushes in this style of starter will totally go away and ruin the armeture. Where as the later model starters, the brush holders are designed to keep this from happening.

----- Gimpster -----

 

gimpster ---thanks for the info. since my starter motor spins freely upon hitting button it sounds like it must be that "slip bearing "on the flywheel. sounds expensive to repair also. thanks for your help.

 

try changing your starter selinoid it's located inside your plastic next to the fuse box