I have a 1999 Magnum 500. I can trigger the solenoid by jumping a connection between the 2 harnesses otherwise connected to the run/start/kill switch. When I try to start from the switch, I get less than a volt. Which is not enough for the solenoid.

I'm thinking the capacitor is bad in the switch? Can anyone confirm?

I can take apart and rebuild the switch, which is tricky with the tiny springs and ball bearing. It's not meant to be serviced, but can the capacitor be replaced by someone who repairs electronics?

Is it worth it for a 17 year old part? New ones are expensive, and the shipping is brutal on used ones.

 

Not worth tearing into left control switches on older machines. A lot of the parts can fly out,springs,etc plus brass plates can corrode over the years.Main thing is to see if you have power to the ignition switch. If not then a lot of times it's the connections/wiring from the left control switch or the switch itself. If you have power to the ignition switch,test that the small wire from the switch to the solenoid has voltage when the start button is pushed. If it does,then the solenoid is usually the cause. If the solenoid wire doesn't have power then the problem could be in the ignition switch or it's wiring or the left control switch wiring or the switch itself. I've had to replace both ignition and control switches over the years. You might try spraying electrical cleaner in the crevices of the control switch and see if that helps.

 

The problem is I have 12V going into the switch but only 1 V going out. Like the capacitor can't hold a charge.

 

Check the wiring from the control switch down into the harness for any bare wires. If this checks out and spraying electrical cleaner doesn't help,then if you're so inclined,you can tear into this switch. This 3 position switch,on/off,up to start was one of worst ones that Polaris came out with for failing.Possible if you can get it apart without loosing parts it may just need contacts cleaned to get it to work.

 

I'll try electrical cleaner, thanks!

BTW - this is the capacitor I'm talking about. I'm guessing this is the part that is burnt out.

 

I'll try electrical cleaner, thanks!

BTW - this is the part that I think is bad - the capacitor.




Inside of switch

 

If you have one,go for it.. May be able to save some $.

 

The parts you're looking at in your picture are a resistor and diode in series , appear to be for anti feedback to the lighting circuit , the resistor { the part with the colored bands } should read around 470 ohms and the diode { the black thingamajig with one band on it } should read continuity one way and infinite reading the other way with your meter set to X1 scale . I doubt either of those components are your problem

 

Thank you @Yooper265, exactly what I wanted to find out. I tried cleaning the switch contacts, no luck. Looks like I'll have to replace the switch. Nothing else I can do to make the old one work.

 

That's what a lot of people had to do.Usually the brass plates corrode and once you take apart down to the switch,almost impossible to get it back together right.I remember trying to tear apart a switch on an old 94 model and it ended up in the trash..Replaced it with a new one.