I have a 04 ranger 500 the starter keeps draging on what I think is the compression stroke, other wise it starts fine, I put a new starter and gear reduction have a hot battery, but it still will drag on compression it will bring the volts down to 7.5 or 8, Im just wondering if maybe it needs a valve adjustment, if there to tight when it gets to compression stroke??

 

Just eliminate one thing at a time. Check the valves when cold at tdc. The intake and exhaust valves should be at .006. Adjust if necessary and see if it helps with the starting. If it doesn't, the battery that you say is good,have you had it load tested for a dead cell or is it a new one?? I've even had new ones straight out of the box that were bad,could be the cause of the drop in voltage?. OPT

 

ok thanks ill check valves, battery is good it will only drag prob.1out of 8 or 10 key strokes and it when it starts normal it starts fine then that one time it wil just growl and barley turn over.

 

When you said you replaced the starter and "gear reduction" I'm assuming you meant the starter bendix or gear shaft as it's called in the parts breakdown.The only other thing I can think of is the valves or possibly the cam detent lever or spring that holds the exhaust valves open just a little when starting is acting up? I'm just fishing again....

 

I replaced the entire starter assy. and the drive , not sure the technical name, the part that is on the stator side that engages the flywheel, just wondering you talk about a relife on the cam how does that work , I know what the mechanical ones do on some older motorcycles but how does it work on the polaris 500 as it has nothinig external mechanical?? and thanks for the input I thought I knew all there was about engines but learn new stuff all the time

 

It's just a shaft that goes through the cam,has a small ball bearing that as the shaft turns from the centrifugal force the shaft lever on the end of the cam,the ball bearing pushes down the exhaust rocker arm a little,to reduce the compression so starting is easier.It's basically like the ones on the older motorcycles. Sure beats the old decompression lever on the handle bars on the 60's motorcycles. Dirt Cheap Yamaha, Honda, Arctic Cat & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse

 

well I tested the batt. and it was a little low on load so I went and bought a new one put it in and it acts worse now the solenoid clicks and the stater will just spin not kick out, sometimes it will, but i took off the starter cable and touched directly to batt. it still drags bad and the volts drop down to 7.5 or 8, ???
I dont think its compression relife because when you hit the key alot of times or touch the cable the starter engages but the engine dosent turn right off the bat, and then when it starts to grind and rotate is when it will go, it seems to me the starter is weak or bound up somehow.

 

Just pop the cam cover and check the valve setting art tdc. .006 intake and exhaust. If the valves are ok you can pull the cam shaft removal cover on the drivers side of the engine. You have to clamp off the coolant return hose and remove the thermostat cover first to access the cam cover,then you can see if the cam detent lever and spring. It's not impossible for the small spring to break as I've had one do it. Item #12 is the cam removal cover. Dirt Cheap Yamaha, Honda, Arctic Cat & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse

 

just wanted to update for anyone who may benifit,, I first put a new battery just to make sure also the old one was not enough cranking amps, did not fix problem in fact got worse b/c it fried the solynoid so I put a new one it got better then but would still drag, so I took opt's advice and pulled the cam detent lever and the spring was good but at the end of the lever it self where it raises up the check ball in the cam it was pretty worn actually made a cup in it where the ball was riding I happen to have a spare engine laying around and pulled the one out of it and put it in and walla its stared every time so far, thanks alot opt for leading me in the right direction!!!

 

Glad you found the problem. You're about the third one on the forum with this kind of problem.Makes sense if the detent shaft itself or detent ball cup is worn then the exhaust valves won't open enough and can drag a battery down from the compression.