2000 Xplorer 250 4x4
We went riding last Monday and had a blast. Everything worked fine.
Today I went to work/play on the quad and it wouldn’t start. The starter relay would click, but that’s all. Eventually the starter kicked in and the quad started. Once. Then no more.
I could pull start it, but got no starter action at all. After tearing the quad and down and removing the starter we found it to be full of muddy water, the kind we had been driving through that day.
I thought the starters were sealed on these quads. Am I wrong? What should I check? What went wrong?

bob

 

There not fully sealed, I had to take mine apart to clean some dirty sticking brushes with rust. I cleaned it out and lubed everything and used some blue silicone on the O-ring connections to help out.
That was 3 years ago and its still working so far.

Same goes with winches, people are living in a fanasty land if they think those things stay water tight.

 

Bottom of the engine is the worst possible place for the 250 starter as water can leak through the starter body o-rings themselves,the gasket where it mounts to the engine case,the recoil cover which is the worst place and the recoil starter handle. When replacing just silicone up every water entry point,even the recoil handle. Cheap enough here just to replace both the starter and bendix and be done with it. DB Electrical - 250

 

I’ve already ordered a new starter from PSEP. I did not get a new bendix as it seems the current one is still good.
Should I smear some silicone all over the two starter gaskets as well as where the starter seals to the engine?
My recoil cover was bone dry and clean.

 

I did,every water barrier helps. Water usually gets pass the pull rope handle and into the recoil. I silicone that down also.

 

WOW. Are these one time use starters? for that price I can just swap one out every season, and maybe not have to worry about trying 10 times to get the bendix engaged while everyones tail lights get further and further away.

 

My Polaris dealer had a OEM for bendix for $250 Canadian or a aftermarket for $70. I bought the $70 and its been good for the last 3 years now.