I have a friend that has a 250trailboss(dont know year model)but he says that the starter spins but does not ingage.Does anybody have an idea?

 

Does anybody know how hard it is to check the bendix or change the starter,can parts for the starter be found?

 

Does the bike have a recoil????? Use it. My bike starts at first pull. The starter has been repaired, twice, each time it quits working. Each time it costs money. The recoil works very well, and if it didn't, then I would keep fixing the starter. Ray

 

I have 17 hours on my new scrambler400 and the starter is allready shot...this weekend it worked about 10 out of 100 starts... maybe due to water?

 

I really think the Polaris starters are inadequate for a quad application.
Polaris will blame the operator for not cleaning the starters out after a wet or mud ride but that is a lot of crap.I think they should fix the problem or remove the option from their quads.
It's not a new problem or one related to only one model.
I have a 1986 honda which has been side by side on every ride with my polaris and has never had the starter touched or cleaned. The polaris is on the third starter!

 

We have 4 Polaris quads in our family from '95 - '99. Never a starter problem with any of them. In fact, one, a '95 300 4x4 still have the original factory battery. Our '96 also has the stock battery. Never even thought about touching the starters. Mud and moistrue does have a lot to do with it.

The starter on our tractor is famous for spinning and not engaging when it's put away wet and it's below frezing. A couple of hits with a hammer on the side of the starter frees it up to perform. Allowing the machine to dry out in a warm place one in a while does wonders to eliminate the problem.

 

I will bet that most of the people who have starter problems have 2-strokes. The starters are all on the bottom of the engine where water and fuel both collect and seep into the starter. On 4-strokes the starter got mounted on top and you rarely have problems except for normal wear and tear. So 2-strokes need more attention to maintain the starters condition.

 

I had this problem once also. It was my starter drive.You may want to check into this, but before you do try draining all water from the starter by pulling the drain plug on it. You can look at the drive easily by taking off the reciol housing, but in order to get it out you have to take the starter off.

 

Charlie,
You maybe right with two strokes needing more starter mantanance but I ride with a 1998 sp500 and he had the starter bendix replaced once in 1999, then it went again this year and he refuses to get it fixed again.
I refuse to have anything broke on mine so I'm into it for 1 bendix and two starters.Wish there were a after market sealed unit.

 

Do all Polaris starters sound like they stay engaged for a second or two after the engine starts? The starter on my 99sp500 does, as well as a buddy's who owns a 97 trail blazer. Is this normal?