I'm just trying to help a nice widow left with a farm and some equipment in need of maintenance. She had to let go all of their employees and they were/are good friends of mine. There is a 98 Polaris Sportsman 500 4x4 that is not running. Looks like it has got a LOT of use. She tells me it just quit working about a week ago. It is not getting any spark. I'm not familiar with all of the wiring. I replaced the ignition coil, wire, boot assm because the wire was brittle and fractured. The spark plug worked when I plugged it into my truck. Battery turns engine over no prob. Lights work. Getting very low ohms across exciter 3, and nothing across Ex 1 and Ex 2. About 2.3 ohms across Pulser (which I think is normal). My guess is stator is bad. Stator cost about $300. Ignition coil asm $130. Would that cause no spark? Can anyone suggest another troubleshooting technique, besides buy a new machine [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] ? I appreciate any help. Thanks.

 

what about the cdi box being bad? hard to tell that or the stator ??

 

Did you take the sparkplug out and lay it on the cylinder to see if it is arcing? You can visibly see it if there is a spark - not advisable ot hold the wire while you do this - tendency to straighten hair out.

Problem: Spark absent or weak
Condition Remedy
1. Ignition coil defective 1. Replace ignition coil
2. Spark plug defective 2. Replace plug
3. Magneto defective 3. Replace magneto
4. CDI unit defective 4. Replace CDI unit
5. Pick-up coil defective 5. Replace pick-up coil

Also, bad battery and/or bad ground, deterioated or shorted wires.

 

Thank you for the response.
There is no arching in the spark plug when I held it to the ground and cranked it. Is there a way to test wether the CDI or stator is bad? I checked the three wires coming from the stator and only got a few ohms between the red/black and green wire, but nothing from the others. There was about 2.5 V coming out of the CDI to the ignition coil.

 

I have the specs and the proceedure for AC but not Polaris. Look around on the net for a shop manual that you can download or you could go to the dealer and have him give you the specs and the proceedure for checking the CDI, magneto, coil etc... Sorry I can't be of more help for you.

 

No continuity from any one coil on the stator is a failed stator. Continuity from any of the stator wires to ground is also a fail. You do need the service manual to check specific coils versus ohms. CDI is considered bad when stator, ignition coil, switches and wiring have proven good. To check voltage from the cdi to the igition coil requires a peak voltage tester.

I have a 98 SP500 that I can check if you cannot get specs from a dealer.

 

I've ordered a Haynes and a Clymer manual. Hopefully one of those will have specifications. I did not pull apart the kill switch; I just assumed it was working because the Neutral light goes out in the off position. I'm still researching how the stator works. If all of the coils are in series? Is the stator just for charging the battery, or does it create a magnetic field around the flywheel which is picked up by the pulser coil? Where is the magneto on the bike?

 

The mag is behind the flywheel, on the right side of the engine.

Coils in the stator are not in series. Flywheel has permant magnets bonded to it.

Stator /Mag have two functions: 1) Produce three phases of AC power, which the voltage regulator rectifies to DC and regulates to 13.2 volts. Usually these three phases of AC use the same color wire (most commonally wires are yellow). And 2) Produce the power and signal for CDI operation through the use of two coils. One or more coils charge the CDI, the second (pulse or trigger) coil tells the CDI when to fire the ignition coil.

You have a stator problem. Check the wiring harness from the stator, particularily where the wiring harness crosses the starter; if the wiring harness is ok, then you need the stator rewound or replaced. When you re-assemble everything make sure you a have a clean ground (brown wire) under the hood.