Hi Guys/Gals:

New to the forum and of course starting of with a problem post---I just came home with a new-to-me 2005 Polaris Magnum 330 4x4. Most everything works except that it won't accept High Gear when shifting. It accepts everything else.

I did as much research as I could before posting so here is what I have tried:

a. Checked Linkage--all in good shape, the splines on linkage arm good.
b. Removed plate on tranny behind linkage arm to inspect--no missing teeth and it is lined up exactly in the middle (if that makes sense---this part is adjustable if you pull it out so its possible to mess up).
c. The brake pedal engages properly, so with motor running I can easily shift into Park, Reverse, Neutral, Low and High...but High makes a chatter sound as if it is very close to engaging like Low does, but just will not get there.
d. When I shift to High with motor running, it starts out quietly and then the chattering sound grows in intensity, then I take it back to Low and it works fine...as does Reverse etc.
e. I tried hand shifting to High with the linkage removed, and it still does the same thing.
f. I tried doing all this with the motor OFF, and all the active gears engage fine except High. I did notice that when I have it in Reverse or Low and the motor is off, I can push the atv forward and backward and feel the gears fully engaged. BUT, when I do this for High, it feels engaged pushing it backward, but no engagement when pushing it forward--just a chatter as if it is just barely missing being engaged.

So that is all I can think of right now...does anyone have any wisdom they would be willing to share? My big guess is that it is something deep in the dark recesses of this impossible looking transmission.

Thanks!!!

 

Welcome! If you're positive the foot brake spring is pulling the detent lever on the gear case fully (mainly for park position) and does engage in high range with engine off,then its possible you have a slider gear problem or forward gear problem on the gear lugs. Either the lugs on the slider or forward gear could be worn not allowing them to fully lock together, or wave washers between the double slider gears may be compressed not allowing full movement to allow a positive engagement.Could even be a problem on the small gearing outside the main case. Look here under your model at "gear case". Browse This is a more complicated gear case than most models because of the double gearing, wide shift forks,wave washers between the slider gears,and outer case gears that are involved also. If you decide to tackle this yourself best to have a manual. Look at the "sticky" in the regular thread section about a manual for your model or check PartShark.com - Motorcycle Parts, ATV Parts, UTV Parts, PWC Parts, Powersports Apparel, Motorcycle Accessories for OEM and Aftermarket. to see if they can help you. OPT

 

Hi again:

I never solved the Magnum problem so had to sell the machine. BUT, I found another one, 2003 Magnum 330 2x4. And guess what, it does not like high gear either.

I can actually get this one in high gear and drive around, but it is some work getting it there. Sometimes it goes right in, other times it grinds a bit like it is searching. If I shift back to reverse and back to high, it seems to work better going into high.

So just curious if this is maybe a shade easier than my previous Magnum to fix?

 

You actually have the same basic gear case as the 2005 model. You can check the small shift gears under the small outer plate,but this gear case gave us fits as it was on the Ranger 700 too and had the same basic problems until the gear cases were changed. What we found a lot of times when we had to tear into them was wear on the WIDE shift forks along with the cheap springy wave washers that went on either side for the sliding engagement gears. Seems like the engagement dogs on these and the mating gears would wear down and do what you describing,erratic gear engagement. We ended up replacing a lot of shift forks,slider gears and all the wave springs.http://www.cyclepartswarehouse.com/f...2003&fveh=5624