I have been having problems with the battery going bad on my 2005 Polaris Trailboss 330. I took the atv in for service this week and they say the stator is bad and want $375 to replace it. The Trailboss will start and run fine but just can't keep the battery charged. The service manager said I could drive it as long as the battery stays charged but it would die and not start when the battery ran down. I don't use the atv very often and was wondering if I could just keep a battery maintainer on it when I don't use it. The other work is already $400 and the atv is only worth $1,000 if I sold it. I don't want to keep throwing money at a lost cause. Any ideas?

Thanks

Linus

 

I'd suspect the ecm module before the stator as to all the problems with them. Plus it's been updated. Should have been on the recall list,but wasn't.If you still have the BLACK Chinese ecm,replace it any way as they all fail,sometimes even the newer US replacements do also. Item #18Dirt Cheap Yamaha & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse A cheap 5 buck manual can also show you on stator checks in case the dealer misdiagnosed the machine.http://polaris-atv.brssm.com/2005-Po...ce-Manual.html

 

I replaced the ECM 5 years ago. They also said the solenoid was only passing 7 volts and would have to be replaced. It started right up today when I picked it up at the dealer, I will check the charging output tomorrow.

 

If battery load test ok and it's not charging at least 14 volts back to the battery,then I'd still suspect another ecm failure as it controls charging,fan operation,along with having several circuit breakers. I've replaced a bunch of US made Sure Power modules even after replacing them for the Chinese modules.Here's an example of one that burnt up.

 

I'll check that, thanks.

 

Its crazy how much some of these parts cost. That's why i got rid of my 2001 500 scrambler 4x4 last year. Going to cost almost as much to fix it as what it was worth. $1000 to fix a $1200 machine. I sold it for parts for $250. I'll never own another used Polaris again.

 

I agree, anything to do with an atv costs much more than for a car. I just had the oil and filter changed and the oil was 11 dollars a quart. I should learn to do it myself but there is a lot more involved compared to changing the oil in my lawn tractor with a similar sized engine.

 

Not really as the owners manuals and service manuals show you most of what you need to know. You don't have to use Polaris oil,even brands like Mobil 1,Rotella are cheaper.Plus depending on the model just one plug to drain. Even on the Sportsman 500 you can drain the oil tank,crank the engine up for a few seconds and kill it. Then the engine sump oil will drain into and out of the oil tank. Just replace the drain plug and new oil filter and oil.Plus here's a simple pdf on a 500 oil change. http://www.purepolarisoil.com/pdf/SP...l%20Change.pdf Even simpler on your 330.

 

Just and FYI in terms of parts cost; going thru your dealer will cost you big time. I got a new stator for my sportsman 500EFI for $120 delivered to my door off ebay. Dealer wants over $500. There are better sources for your parts than your local dealer if you don't mind waiting for delivery.

 

Amazon is another good source for atv parts. I just bought a new battery for my Rancher for $42 which is exactly the same as the oem battery that cost $70 from Rocky mountain atv, which is usually one of the cheapest sources for oem parts. I'm sure at a dealer the battery would be probably $80 or more. Oil changes aren't that expensive. I buy oil by the gallon instead of by the quart. For my Rancher, 2 gallons of oil is enough for 3 oil changes. Its $21 for a gallon or $7 a quart for Honda oil. Filters are cheap, I think the one I got cost $3 and its basically identical to the oem filter. So basically I can do 3 oil changes for $51, or $17 per oil change. Its easy to change oil on the Rancher. Drain the oil by pulling the drain plug and then 4 bolts to take off the side cover to get to where the filter is. Replace the drain plug then put the new filter back in, put the side cover back on and then fill up with oil, checking level when you're done, takes about 2.5 quarts. Just takes maybe 15-20 minutes to do. Longest part is waiting for the old oil to drain out, the last bit takes a few minutes. Every machine is a little different but Honda is pretty easy. Sorry about the earlier rant about Polaris, I've owned more than one of them and just haven't had good luck with them. I think the last 2 were more the previous owners lack of maintenance, guess that's always the risk you take buying a used machine. Some people take care of them and some abuse them every chance they get.