1999 Polaris Magnum 500

The recoil starter wasn't working when I bought my ATV. I took it apart and found damage to the fins (see picture). Most likely from the ratchet. The friction spring was on the wrong side of the reel, so the ratchet wasn't catching the fins of the flywheel.

I've tried to clean out the recoil starter (full of oil, grease) housing, without taking the spring apart/out. When I make the bolt and washer snug, the rachet seems to work, but the rope snags on the way back in. I can loosen the bolt a bit to make it work properly.

Questions: a) how tight should the bolt be? b) how/why could the fins be damaged from the ratchet? c) do I have to worry about this happening again?

I removed the ratchet for now, to avoid further damage.


Flywheel damage from ratchet

 

A) On an atv that I worked on it was tightened as tight as I could get it without stripping it out. If you have a repair manual, or can find one that you can download online, that should tell you ft. lbs.
B) I found on that same machine that that ratchet had been put on backwards and/or was the wrong ratchet. So it would only catch about 1/2 of the time.
C) As long as you have the bolt tightened down to where the pull starter works you should be just fine. There is the chance of it taking the fins completely off/stripping them.

 

Use blue lock tite on the ratchet cover plate bolt. Tighten until snug,loosen slowly until the recoil works. From appearances if you plan on using the recoil you're going to need a new flywheel.

 

Found the torque specs in the service manual, thanks!

 

Thank you for the tip - will get the blue lock tite. I don't plan on using the pull start, just want to have it for emergencies. Hope the fins aren't damaged so bad that they would break off.