My quad would not start today as I was going to load it in the truck. It turned over but it seemed to not be getting fire. It usually starts right up without any throttle.
I decided to use the pull rope and to my surprise, it fired right up!
It did the same thing out on the trail so I tried the pull rope again, this time much to my dissappointment, the rope never retracted. We finally hooked up the tow strap and "pull" started it. I rode it directly to the truck and after I loaded it up and killed it, I tried to start it with the starter again. It fired right up.

What could this be? Is there a part that works with the starter only?

 

You jump started an automatic?? thats kind of cool . Id buy a new spark plug and see if that helps, also check your battery, it could be low?

 

BTW my quad is the Xpedition,auto clutch manual shift. Also, the plug is new and the starter turns over just fine, no dragging at all.

 

The first thing I would check is your ignition switch. Seems the first thing it does if all is not right with it is cut your spark. This can happen if it not turned on ALL the way. I have even seen them die on the trail, where the lights and everything works, but the motor won't run. Usually, there is a key chain on the key that hung up on the gas cap just enough to bump the key, and turn it 'off' ever so slightly.
I would bet that is the problem. When it wouldn't start, you tunred the switch off, thought to try again, turned the switch on all the way, and it started. Either that or the contacts in the switch are dirty.

 

Hi Ronnie,
I had a similar problem earlier this year, and it did turn out to be the ingition switch. One of the pins had worked its way out. It just snapped back into place. No problems since. I don't remember if it would start with the rope, but my partner did have the exact same problem with his sportsman. His was a connector under the hood. He had no lights, or starter, but it would start with the rope.I believe it was the same connector we used for the 4wd reverse mod on our expeditions.
Brian

 

I talked to my dealer today and he seems to think my problem is dirt/mud/water in the recoil housing. Ive pulled the plug a few times before and no water came out, but I admit I havent checked it as often as I should have. I havent had time to mess with it today but I noticed the recoil rope had pulled itself back in so that makes me think that maybe a good cleaning inside there just might do the trick.

Just to clarify, the starter IS working, the only thing I lose is the SPARK to the plug.

Thanks for the replies.

 

Today I have no spark, regardless of starting method. Recoil housing was pretty clean, no sign of water/mud entry. Im going to get the shop manual for my quad tomorrow, my dealer said it has a good troubleshooting guide in it.

 

Any luck figuring out what's wrong?

 

Well, I followd the steps in the troubleshooting guide and have narrowed it down. Its either a broken wire going to the stator(capacitor charge coil) or a broken wire in the stator itself.
I sure hope I find a broken wire cause I bet that stator is EXPENSIVE!