Thanks for the next steps. I should have thought to check the voltage running to the coils while I was in there, but it slipped my mind. I will check that, as per Bryce, and then proceed to the 4 steps as per Zbart. Will let you know.

 

I checked the continuity through the 4 wheel on-demand switch. Lead comes up from the switchbox as a brown wire to the ETC in the throttle, turns grey to the on-demand switch and returns to the block as a grey wire. This setup shows continuity on a volt meter. The wire to the coils show 27 ohms. However, the voltage from the brown lead on the block to a ground is only 2.7 volts. The red/yellow wire had 12.7 volts. Shouldn't the elecrto-magnets attract a piece of steel, like a screwdriver, when turned on? I tried it, and nothing.

The hubs look good, no wear to speak of. That's good--inner & outer together are about 200 each!

 

the magnets at the hub should be "magnets " when energized- no doubt about that,. They are quite strong when powered up. I;ll see if my dealer guy can go further

 

I came here looking for answers and got more than I bargained for. I've a 2004 ATP 500, does it use the same overunning clutch system as the earlier models you guys have been discussing? I was out playing in the snow the other day and noticed the fronts locking unexpectedly while the bike was in 2wd mode.
I assumed this was because of contamination in the front gearcase because I inadvertently filled it up with the AGL fluid used in the tranny. I realized what I had done and dumped the tranny fluid and purchased the correct fluid the next day.
Anyway to keep the timeline straight, I never noticed this problem untill after the fluid change, and since B immediately followed A I assumed causality. Now it sounds as if the drastic overspeed of the rear tires combined with some other factor, perhaps high oil viscosity due to the low temperatures caused the fronts to engage during pronounced rear wheel spin. This still happens, I put the bike on the lift and started the engine, put it in low range in 2WD gave it a little throttle and the fronts engaged after about 1/2 to 3/4 second. This makes me think that the clutch baskets or whatever were damaged in the initial high speed lockup or I damged the things inadvertently by mashing the damnable reverse override habitualy and they need to be replaced. Does this follow or am I on the wrong track?
Thanks
Q

 

Hello QBall. I looked at the Polaris parts manual and it appears that the 2004 ATP only came with the clutch in the front axle and not in the hubs. Seems an easy way to check would be to look for wires running to the front axle and no wires running to the hubs. And it is my understanding that if you use the wrong fluid in the front axle, you can mess it up. Hopefully someone else can chime in here on that.

BTW.. it sounds like you have a handle on causality. LOL, I have heard the term used in math, physics and control theory, but never in an ATV forum.
Bryce

 

Bryce,
Everything is relative...
Anyway, I wasn't going to get into the mysterious location of the actual clutch. I don't know, at first thought the hubs were solid, now I notice that there's a MYSTERY wire going into the right shock base/hub but not the left. Theres also a MYSTERY wire going into the front gearcase. Guess I am just going to have to wait for my shop manual to come in...
Thanks
Q

 

Hmm, switch is good, coils are good, hubs look OK. It sure sounds like I have no electricity going to the magnets. I double checked the grey to ground and had zero volts. Is there some kind of jumper cable in the wiring box that needs to energize the coil wires?

 

Sorry if I am repeating someone else, but make sure they greys are continuous with ground. I've heard of people having problems, and registering +12v, only to find their ground was incomplete.

 

On your ATP, you have a central hub system, where the AWD is engaged in the front gearcase -- your wheel hubs are just regular ones, like on the rear of the quad. I've never looked inside this system, but it works in much the same way. However, I have heard of many people having problems with these catching when they are not supposed to (on 04's.) WHen I first got my 04, the dealer did some work on the gearcase before I even picked it up; he told me it had something to do with erratic AWD behavior.

Might be worth a call to the dealer to see if they have something covered they can do for you. The wire leading to the gearcase is the AWD wire.

I imagine the other mysterious wire you speak of goes to the speed sensor, it should be on the right front strut. A little optical sensor, I believe, that pays attention to the brake caliper or something around it, from what I can see.

 

You write that the coils are good?..........but you said when you turn the switch there is no attraction to the plate. Place the armature plate on the coil it will have a strong attraction if it works.

Both coils don’t work?.......red flag ………..usually both coils don’t go bad at the same time…………thinking .........switch,,,,27 ohms .good……2.7…volts….ground?

If I was you I would take your mutimetter and put a pin probe in and pierce the wire right on the strut and check voltage. You can seal them back with sealant afterwards.

You need to make sure that there is power to the coils

I’m not quite understanding your process here ……