I just bought a 99 polaris xplorer 300 4x4. It has 2000 miles on it and 300 hours on it. When you go to start it it starts ok but when your release the starter it "drags" it sounds like the starter gear is not retracting and still spinning the starter. It sounds awful. It will stop immediately when I rev the motor a bit and then its ok. If I do not rev the motor it will drag non stop. I have a friend with a 92 polaris ??? and his does something similar but its not as bad. He said its done it for a long time, What can I do to fix this? I am afraid it will tear something up.

 

Common problem on ALL Polaris machines! You can try to grease starter bendix and try,but if as bad as you say probably best to replace. If its the original starter drive then its lasted a good while! YES it can do damage to stator and pickup coil if comes apart,cheaper to replace than a stator After market ones for less than $100 versus about $160 for OEM. Good luck

 

Thanks, I may try to clean it up we will see.