No Spark after rebuilding water pump on polaris 1999 explore 400L
 

I'm working on a 1999 Polaris explorer 400L, 2 stroke. it was leaking coolant, so I rebuilt water pump. It was running/starting with pull rope before I took it apart to rebuild pump. The electric start does not work but it started fine with pull rope before I rebuilt the water pump. After rebuilding I have no spark, and it will not start. I was careful to move the stator out of the way and did not disconnect any wires from it while rebuilding the water pump. i'm guessing I messed up the timing or damaged the stator. What would be the correct way to check the timing/stator?. or any other help would be appreciated.

If you didn't mark the stator plate possible you could be a little out of timing but that shouldn't have affected spark. Make sure the on/off switch is on position. People have over looked that one.Check that you didn't knock the pick up coil out of range as it was dangling. You can lightly tap the bracket to move it inward. If that doesn't help,pull the black wire from the reverse limiter module and check for spark.If no difference,then pull the black kill wire from the cdi. If still no spark and wires are still connected you need to check resistance. Pick up coil white to white/red 97 ohms. Stator Red to Black/white 226 ohms. Red to ground and white to ground no connection.If you need the manual here's one for 5 bucks.1999 Polaris Xplorer 400 Service Manual PDF Download

Polaris Tech,thanks for the quick response back. I did not mark the plate, my bad, first time working on a ATV and didn't realize the plate was a little slotted until I went to reinstall it. Yes the switch is on the center position which is the on position. I will follow your other suggestions as time allows and I've studied the manual a bit more. I will post my findings as I go. Thanks again for the help!

Polaris Tech, took apart again and there is a line/mark on the top of the plate that the stator mounts too which I never removed the stator from this plate I just moved the whole assembly/plate to the side to rebuild the water pump. There is also a arrow on the housing that it mounts too at the top. I'm assuming this is the mark/alignment for reinstalling it from the factory. It was off the mark about 3/16" (misaligned) so I lined the two marks up and cleaned/sanded the the bump on the flywheel that makes contact with the pickup coil as it was pretty rusty. Still no start. Had enough for today and I will continue with your other suggestions as time allows.

Update: in continuing with Polaris Tech suggestions and doing more research, I ran across a video online of a guy who has a Polaris 500 with the same symptoms as this 400 which I did not post or mention all the issues this 400 has in my first post which I'm going to mention now, along with the coolant leak none of the lights work and the electric start does not work, although the mach would run with the pull start before I rebuilt the water pump.The guy that posted the video with the 500 had the same symptoms as the 400 minus the coolant leak (no lights, electric start not working, mach won't run) He replaced the module on the left handle bar the one with lights switch, red start button and yellow backup button is all one module. After replacing it, it fixed all his issues. So I'm hoping by doing the same it will fix some if not all the issues on the 400. The part/module is on order and should be here end of next week, I will post a reply once I replace this part with a update. I'm sure there is a correct procedure for checking this module out, if Polaris Tech or anyone else wants to chime in on this feel free to do so but I'm hoping if nothing else the lights will work again.

You can try electrical spray in the cracks and crevices of the switch and move the on/off switch back and forth.Contacts can corrode over the years.Switches do fail,hard to tear one apart without springs,brass plates and the small ball bearing from flying out. You can trace down the black wire from the switch,disconnect it, hook the black cdi wire back up. If you have spark then the left control switch was the problem.

Polaris Tech, thanks for the reply, excellent tip on the electrical spray. The module/switch is on order so with replacing that when it comes in should eliminate any issues that it may be causing. I've removed the starter and when the module comes in I plan on testing the starter before fully reinstalling it. The starter gear does turn over by hand so it's not binding or locked up inside the starter. I realize there could be other issues with the starter, brushes armature etc. but if I test it before fully installing it and it turns over/runs that tells me the starter is good without having to tear the starter apart. I've decided to try and get the elec. starter working first before moving on with the no spark issue. Just easier to test than trying to use the pull rope to test for spark. From what I understand the solenoid has already been replaced and is mounted up by the batt. I will post my findings as I go.

Starters and gear shafts are too cheap to replace to warrant tearing into them. Cleaning one up,replacing brush kits won't guarantee that they'll last very long.We had a generator shop turn armatures,replace worn parts and brushes,but quit selling them after they wouldn't hold up for people.https://www.dbelectrical.com/starter...v/polaris/400/

Polaris Tech, thanks for sharing your knowledge and the link to order one, makes sense to me!

Polaris Tech: update and more questions, replaced switch module on left handle bar also replace starter. Still no lights on mach. except yellow reverse light works when gear shift is in reverse. new starter works/turns over mach. still no spark. Followed the wires up from Stator/pickup coil to up by the cdi tested the white to white/red it reads 104.4 ohms you stated it should read 97 ohms, does this mean pickup coil is bad or is 104.4 acceptable? on the stator wires red to black/white I believe is red to black/red if this is correct I was getting a reading of .2 to .3 when I switched to to the higher 200k on my meter otherwise on the 200 setting on the meter I was getting a reading around 167, 168. Suggestions?? or what am I doing wrong?