Hi. I have a 1999 Polaris Sportsman 500. Main ground from engine broke (unknowningly) and then fried up the brown ground wire that runs from behind the stator to the ignition coil (there was lots of smoke). I replaced both. It started and ran well for a short while. Now if I do get it started after lots of cranking, it runs like crap (like the override is engaged (you know when you back up, how the engine kicks out some, only allows you to go so fast backwards or like a two cylinder that hits only on one head). Well that is what it does. I replaced coil wire, spark plug too and new battery. Coil has about 0.4 ohms resistance. I am waiting for a Clymers manual in the mail and also have purchased a multimeter. I took the stator wiring harness outside shell off to check the other wires- they seem to visually be ok but evidence of heat. I am wondering if the spark I do have is a "weak spark" that would account for this symptom.
I don't know how yet to use my meter to check the regulator, stator, etc. but I suspect that would be the next step. Any comments that would be helpful are always desirable from the experts! Thank you! Anthony Fraundorf, Phillips, WI.
p.s. Earlier this year you told me how to override the override, so I did that and it works great (i.e. I no longer have to push the yellow button on the handle bar to enagage 4 x4 in reverse). Just thought I would mention this, so you all know what I have.

 

A direct short to a brown (ground) wire could affect several components from the stator to the cdi,coil. Best to have the manual so you can go through the trouble shooting steps as far as checking wiring ,resistance values,etc. Here might be a better pdf manual than the Clymer that you can check out now along with the good wiring schematic in it.http://gh-ftp.com/ORV%20Manuals/Pola...0%20-%20SM.pdf

 

Checked the stator resistance. It was 416 ohms. Suppose to be 460 ohms. Pulled flywheel and found a washer in there that I must have picked up the first time I had it apart. Can see where it marked up the stator.
So based on this new information, I guess I need to replace the stator, yes? thank you!

 

Resistance is within the 20% tolerance the manual calls for,BUT resistance tests are not always accurate. The loose washer floating around sure isn't normal.. If you pulled the bendix out when you had the cover off you may have lost the thin one behind it. One thing you can see even though the stator may be marked up is to check the pick up (pulse coil) to see if it was damaged or just moved too far from the flywheel to get a good spark.Plus pick up coil Red to Red/White resistance should be around 97 ohms. Worth a try on the pick up coil before you spring for a new stator. Here's one guys problems similar to yours.May or may not help in your situation..

"Have Spark When Using Electric Starter"....


I really had my wits tested on this one, and it had me going in circles only to wind back up at the pulse coil (trigger). I was thinking, I had spark only when using the recoil, so what's up with that? I asked my self, one last time and if I couldn't figure it out, then I'll throw in the white flag, which is something I'm not doing without a fight

I remover the recoil cover last night after work, and began inspecting...

I looked at the pulse coil for any signs of rust, damage ect...nothing except for a large gap between the coil and flywheel magnet, I thought that looks incorrect, thinking back on all my years working on cars and small engines.

Well a while back the pull rope broke while engine was running. The cord wrapped around everything under the recoil housing and caused the starter bendix to jamb. I found frayed cord all over the place and bits of metal stuck to the magnet on the pulse trigger. I cleaned all this up and installed a new starter bindix, buttoned everything up, and that's when this no starting issue came up...well to shorten this up, apparently when the pull rope broke cord jamed everything up inside the recoil housing, it also pulled (bent) the pulse trigger down away from the flywheel magnet. In this position the trigger was only able to send the electrical pulse to the cdi to fire the coil, when using recoil starter, because it rotates the engine at a slower speed, than the electric starter, so the pulse coil could pick up that slower magnet of the flywheel and not the faster moving electric starter because of the large air gap, resulting in a no start when using electric starter, condition

feel free to correct me if I'm incorrect,

but when I bent the pulse trigger back up in the correct position and reset the air gap, re tightened the screws, installed the recoil housing. I went to check for spark at the plug with electric starter.....GOT BIG BLUE SPARK!!!!!!! now lets put the plug back in and see if she will fire up.....YES! YES! YES!!!! it fired up on the first hit of the key..
the end

thanks for all the input, and hope the information contained in this thread will help others

 

Hey Thanks! Lots of good info here. Yes that is where the washer came from (all in the learning curve aye! ) I then checked the pulse coil and the housing on the pick up side is worn or marked up- (possibly made from the washer), to the degree that I can see the white material that must be under the black outer plastic casing of this coil. Do you know the distance this coil is suppose to be from the flywheel? Can't seem to locate that spec in my manual and have not been able to download your link yet. Thanks again! ps yes the pulse coil checked out at 100 ohms.

 

Pick up if I remember correctly is between .025-.040 clearance from the flywheel raised tab. Again if the face of the pick up is chewed up,could be the reason for weak spark. Try LIGHTLY tapping the pick up coil bracket inward it if it's outside of the clearance range. If no go on running better you can take a chance on the pick up itself or the complete stator assy here. Ricky Stator

 

Ok sounds good. Thank you!

 

Keep us updated on what you find. Helps others that may have similar problems..

 

Sure will. Say, is there just one washer behind the started drive gear? I am just wondering, as I go to replace it. The photo in the manual (Figure 50, page 325) only shows one, but the wording on page 324 is plural "When installing, be sure to lubricate and install the thrust washers (Figure 50)." Thus causing me to question this. Thank you!

 

Just one thin washer back side of the bendix.