Hey guys. I am needing any kind of suggestions yall can think of on this. I will do my best to describe as much as I can. Here goes.. so I got this evil Polaris 425 Magnum I think it's a 98 model and the dang thing ran like crap and the guy I got it from was having issues resetting the timing. Got it for a good price and thought it wouldn't be a big deal... well I tore her down and replaced the camshaft with a new one and replaced the rocker arms reset the timing to the exact marks (all of them) in the book. Oh and I adjusted the valves to the books specs too, and put it all back together and now it turns fast sometimes and sometimes it's barely turning and whining. I checked with a volt meter but eventually ran the battery down trying to get it to start so put it on the jumper box. Still off and on with this fast then slow crap even with good juice going to the battery. Oh and the pull start is out of order too of course. Is there something off the top of your head that I could have done wrong because it would start up just fine before. Thanks in advance, I will try anything and let ya know.

 

Check that the small spring hasn't slipped from the detent lever on the end of the cam.If the spring is in place,lever lifts and springs back,then possibly could be a starter problem.

 

Thank you so much! I checked and the spring is good so I'm ordering a starter. Soon as it comes in I will let you know how it turns out Thanks again

 

Check this place out if you think you need a new starter. If the bendix(starter drive) is suspect,I'd get a new one too.DB Electrical - Sportsman

 

Ok here's an update... So it's not the starter, I hooked my jumper box to it with ground and positive and it spun perfectly. Then I bypassed my wires to check as well I got the same horrid noises and sluggish turn with no start, did find the starter positive wire was jacked up so I replaced it as well. The spring was jacked up.. thanks wouldn't have thought of that.. Pulled everything off anyway to do the starter so I went ahead and took the rest apart and when I got to the spark plug I had oil deposits on it. I am resetting the valves now. I will keep this updated because when I was searching for an answer I couldn't find one so for anyone else that may come across this problem it will be here. Also if anyone can think of anything that would be helpful let me know as I am not sure this will fix it....

 

Oh I am seriously missing a piece of info... When I took the cam cover off, (when it did start) The top dead marks lined up had the chain link with only the ONE nickel plated link on top. I have the book and it says the TWO nickel plated links line up at the top with all the other marks. So I turned the crank and held the chain to keep going until the two nickel plated links were at the top, I could feel in my hand the diff stroke coming thru. I am wondering if even tho the book says two at the top could the problem be that I am on the exhaust stroke now and need to go back to where it was? Remember my spark plug has oil on it... Please let me know what you think.. Thanks!

 

First off the two plated links on the two dots and the one plated link for the bottom cam sprocket are for original cam timing only!! Once you turn the engine over the plated links wont line up again until several revolutions if your lucky! Easiest way to set the valves is to remove the plug,slowly pull the recoil and as the intake valves slowly come up have the sprocket index pin straight up center of the head. This is TDC. Then you can check/adjust the valves.

 

thank you so much... That's the only thing I changed was the two plated putting them at the top! Thanks for being so quick on the response On it now...

 

As long as you're sure the lower crank sprocket is also on the tdc mark OR you just removed the tensioner and slipped the chain around(without moving the crank shaft) to align the plated links to the dots. This should be okay. If you ever get the cam timing off you can have big problems that you don't want to have!

 

Well I have those big problems you have mentioned above.... So I have been trying to make it right.. I put a straw into the spark plug hole to find my TDC taking it to it's highest point, then I put all the adjustments back according to this new TDC. And it's a hot damn mess! It's still doing the same thing but at least I think it's right on the timing... so I gotta check the starter drive now and see if that could possibly be it. I have never seen anything this crazy! I have always worked on Dunebuggies and Yamaha raptors etc. never a Polaris before. We now have two Polaris four wheelers so I am learning as I go and not so much a good Idea with these things....