I am having problems on my 2001 500ho with the starter not engaging all the time. It might start 10 times in a row with out missing a beat and then it might take ten times for the starter to engage sometimes. Installed a new battery still have the same problem. In what order do check out this problem before replacing the starter motor and drive??.
Jim E[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

My brother had this problem with his sportsman, he had to remove the starter to have it rebuilt, the mechanic said all he had to do was replace the contacts inside as they were corroded, sometimes it would start and sometimes it wouldn't. A new starter from polaris was 400.00 cdn and he had it repaired by a small engine mechanic for 80.00 cdn and it has worked well this spring. Hope this might help.

 

Whats not engageing? Is the starter working at all? Does it just spin and not engage the flywheel? If thats the problem, then the starter itself is fine. The problem is the starter drive gear, which is located in the recoil housing. I just recently encountered this problem. The starter gears arent cheap, so I just lubed mine up good with some synthetic grease and reinstalled it and it has been working good since. Sometimes it gets kinda grubby in their and the starter drive sticks.

 

The starter workes some times and engages but when it doesn't start all it does is clicks and nothing engages and I have to hit the starter button 7or 8 times before it engages the starter.

 

That sounds like possibly a starter solenoid malfunction, or your starter brushes are going.

To check the solenoid - next time it won't start with the button, reach down by the battery and jump across the 2 leads on the solenoid with a screwdriver (this bypasses the solenoid and puts battery voltage straight to the starter motor) - if the starter motor works then, you most likely need a new solenoid. The new Polaris solenoids ($60) are the same as a $15 lawnmower solenoid - but you will need to fabricate a small "pig tail" to plug into the wiring harness (not a big deal) for the wire that comes from the starter button (polaris has this already made up in their $60 version).

If jumping the solenoid does not work the starter motor, then it is time for some new brushes - pay extra care to the needle bearing on the starter motor when disassembling, as a lot of times these bearings have become dry and have eaten pits in the starter shaft, or they just kind of fall apart. If this is the case you will need a $50 rebuild kit, instead of a $30 brush plate (you can get just the brushes that will have to be soldered onto the old brush plate, but I have found it is much easier to just get a brush plate). When putting the starter back together, make sure you put a dab of grease in the brush end bushing and the splined end needle bearing.

 

Thanks for the help my wheeler is 160 miles away so I think I will bring a selonoid with me in case I need it. If I have to pull the starter out can I do it all from the outside or do I need to pull the starter recoil cover off to get at the starter drive??

 

The recoil housing cover needs to come off to get at the starter drive gear. You MAY need to remove the inner clutch cover to get one of the starter bolts out. I tried to remove my starter (before I figured out it was the starter drive gear) and that lower bolt is damn near impossible to get out without taking the inner clutch cover off, which means removing the clutches[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Mine has a brand new starter and I have noticed after it sits negglected and un-used for a while, the starter will just spin and not engage the flywheel. I have found if I rock the 4 wheeler frm side to side for a bit it will engage the flywheel, something to try. I plan on diving into the recoil stater soon to clean it up.

SLG

 

Bigkkat, if it does that, give it a little tap on the top left corner of the recoil housing. That is where the starter drive gear is located. Most likely it is just frozen a little and needs a little tap. Thats the problem I had. A little grease on the spinning parts of the starter gear and she was good to go.