Ok,I have another thread on this issue that's wrecked my brain.Saturday after a short ride down the street on my SP500 I switched it off and went to start it back up,the starter would not turn it over like it had hydrolocked or had a dead battery but it does try to turn it over,I pushed the starter switch again and it started it several times in a row and it did fine.Sunday It did it again maybe 3 out of 20 starts,I checked the clutch one way and even removed the belt and it would still do it.Today suspecting a decompression issue I pulled the rocker cover,cam side cover & rockers to check the decompression ball as well as the lobes and timing,everything looked good but the return spring on the Decompression lever seemed weak so I replaced it adjusted the valves but did no good,the exhaust rocker did have the typical light wear mark from the ball but I've seen that before on many 500s.The battery test fine and all the connections are clean.What I did notice the other day with with the clutch cover off when switching it off the engine would kick back clockwise some,maybe that's normal,not sure?? I hooked up my battery meter and started it about 6 or 7 times before it did it and the voltage dropped to 10 when it would not turn over the engine,release the start button and press it again and it fires right up. Makes no sense,what am I over looking? I bet I've started it a hundred times trying to diagnose it.Could a starter be bad one minute and not the next.I'm open to any suggestions

 

I've had this issue on a outboard...the starter bendix didn't kick back. It was a combination of the bendix spring being weak and the starter gear got caught up on the shaft so it was right next to the flywheel. A starter/bendix won't start a motor if it doesn't have that jump start, spinning fast when it makes contact with the flywheel, it's only about an inch that the gear "rises" and makes contact with the flywheel but it needs that distance to get spinning...it needs to be on the move when it hits the flywheel or it won't have the power to overcome the compression.

I'd bet the bendix spring is weak or the shaft is gummed or rusty. Kind of sounds like a new bendix is in order.

 

Sounds like you may have some corrosion in the switch. Try bypassing it (jump it over at starter solenoid) If you have no problem starting it at the solenoid try the cheap fix first contact cleaner. I no this sounds to simple for the problem you have after reading both posts but if you are not getting enough power to the solenoid to engage the starter that could be the problem. Just a thought. Let us know if it works.

 

Much thanks had not thought of that,I'll pull the recoil cover this week and check the bendix as well as checking the switch,it did get full of mud last week,actually to the point I had trouble pushing up on the start switch.Thx,Charles

 

I bypassed the start swith jumping it at the solenoid and it did the same thing.I pulled the bendix which was clean and seemed to operate fine but the spring did feel weak but still retracts,not sure what's going on with the cover on.I went ahead and ordered a starter/bendix combo off Ebay,not sure if they are any good but for a $100 I hated to pass it up

 

ATV is pissing me off,I got my new starter and bendix in this morning,only took about 20 minutes to install,same issue! I am back to the light groove in the Exhaust rocker from the decompression ball,I got a new rocker on the way.If that don't fix it I'm clueless to what to do.I even hooked my new mower battery inline with the battery on the 4 wheeler,same issue.I've checked everything,by passed the solenoid,cleaned all connections....................................... ......................................

 

check the timing??

 

Yep,it's perfect. I may say the heck with it and ride on,it runs perfect other than the occasional start issue.I've worked on alot of ATVs over the years for others but mine has baffeled me

 

edit. seen it was tryed.

 

I had to have my bendix replaced on my 08 700. Every time I tried to restart the bendix would just spin and not engage the starter. If I tried enough times it would kick the starter. The manual says you need 12.4V to start. Any thing less and Polaris considers your battery low.