Don't beat yourself up too hard over it - I've seen batteries hooked up backwards MANY times over the years - (have even been guilty of it myself once or twice [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img])

It really says something for someone with the reputation like BBS to come back and admit his oooopppss.

On the starter drain - I've always pulled the plug and left it open until the next time I ride - I put the plug in a ziploc and stuff it between the throttle cable and handle bars so it is in plain view next time I go to ride to remind me to put it back in. Because of the seal on the rope handle, just draining the water does not get all the moisture out unless left open to "drip dry"/evaporate - the moisture also makes the rope swell.

 

Ok, running into a little problem here. I removed the 9 bolts holding the recoil housing on. But the SOB wont budge!!! I tried tugging, wiggling, hitting it with a rubber mallet, and calling it every name under the sun!! But I cant get the thing off. Any tips for removeal? All the manual says is to remove the bolts and remove the recoil housing, nothing special. Also, I figured I would take the starter off to see if the starter drive was even engageing. WRONG!!! They stuffed the b@stard in there!!! I got one bolt out, and the other one loose enough to fall out, but it is bottomed out on the clutch back cover. Do I have to remove the clutches and back cover to get that bolt out??? Any tips or suggestions would be great. Thanks guys!

 

Why didn't you take out bolt #10??

J/K [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Use a bigger hammer, sometimes the housing corrodes to the dowels and you have to really work to get it off. Never had a problem getting that bolt out of the starter bracket- you may have to pop the clutches off, OR just remove the 2 bolts from the support bracket to the back of the starter (allows the bracket to flop back away from the starter since you have the other 2 loose) - giving the starter room to come out and down........... BUT you will have to get the starter housing off first to access the other 2 front starter bolts.

 

WHOO HOOOO!!!!. Got er runnin!. I took the recoil housing off and cleaned it up real good like you guys suggested. (I used a bigger hammer to quadwrench[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]) Man!, the spring was a bugger to get back in. To address the problem with the rope not retracing all the way back in, I ended up winding the spring a little tighter and had to shorten the rope a few inches. Works good now. That housing was in need of a good cleaning. But I also took out the starter drive and cleaned and lubed that up. It engages right away now. That one starter bolt is still a b!tch to get at. I am sure the clutches would have to come off for that one. But luckily, that wasnt needed. I put everything back together, turned the key and she fired right up. It surprised the heck out of me because usually after removing the gas tank and draining the fuel line it takes abotu 30sec to 1min to start. But she fired up withing a few cranks. I must have done something right??[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]/ Oh, and I love scaring people with the horn that I wired up to[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FROM POLARIS WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR PULL START COVER OFF YOU SHOULD FIND WATER OR YOU WILL THESE NEEDS CLEANED OUT ALSO YOUR STARTER DRIVE ASSY HAS A THICK GREASE FROM THE FACTORY ON AND IN IT .WHEN IT GETS COLD THIS GREASE KEEPS THE DRIVE ASSY FROM MAKING CONTACT WITH YOUR FLYWHEEL. YOU WILL EITHER HAVE TO PUT A LOW TEMP GREASE ON THE DRIVE ASSY OR REPLACE IT .FROM MY EXPERENCE YOU SHOULD REPLACE TO DRIVE GEAR IF NOT YOU WILL BE BACK INTO IT AGAIN IN A MONTH OR SO

 

My electric start wont work because my compression is low[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]