Picked up a 2000 trailblazer last night that wasn't running. Owner said it lost compression and he just shoved it back in the corner of the garage after losing interest in it. Got it home and did a compression test on it and confirmed around 60 psi so it definitely needs a top end. Tore farther into it and found out the bottom end was solid and turned over nicely. Just have to check the rod when I pull the jug. The previous guy broke the recoil rope and didn't finish putting the recoil on. I tried to get it to tighten up the slack but can't get any tension on the spring. The inside of the recoil is clean and has no broken parts. How does this come apart to access the recoil spring? Hoping to have this one buzzing again by the end of the week but this recoil has me confused.

Thanks
Mike

 

You would have problems on the worst recoil Polaris made.. Outer black cover has to be removed.It will unwind if any tension at all is on it.Remove the small return spring you show pictured. Hard part is that you have to clamp the wide square piece somehow in a vise without damaging it or breaking the other parts.Use a strap wrench or if you're strong enough,see if you can unwind the plastic reel counter clockwise.This removes the reel from the square piece.Then you can remove the 4 screws and inner plate to get to the spring.Once everything is repaired,have the rope fully out of the outer cover. Turn the cover clockwise to wind the rope in and when the handle is seated,turn the cover at least 4 or 5 turns to tighten the spring. You can pull the rope to check the spring tension.

 

Thanks OPT,
I ended up finding out the spring was fine in the recoil. I found out why the recoil didn't work and it was because the square catch thing was actually broke. When I went to remove the small spring, a piece of it fell out from the backside. I took the recoil to the ATV shop that was doing my cylinder. They had the square catch piece available new but not used so I have another 45 bucks into my fund to get this one back in its feet. I put it together tonight and it works as it should and will be ready to bolt on once I finish the top end assembly and put the flywheel back on after I get the crank seals in. How tight do I tighten the plastic recoil down to the square piece? I don't want to chance breaking this new piece since it cost so much.

I got my jug back and it needed a little bit to clean up. I ended up going .020 over to get the cylinder back to perfect. The previous owner said this machine ran great until his kid ran it though a large puddle and it got some water in the air cleaner box then it wouldnt start afterwards. It had the stock piston in it so i find it hard to believe it ran well with that piston clanging around in the bore. I noticed a deformity I'm the rings also. Bottom end and rod are both tight and rolls over cleanly so after I get it back together it should have many years of trouble free service.

Thanks,
Mike

 

On the reel I just used blue loctite on the threads,spun the reel on and tighten it up pretty snug by hand. Yes does look like a chunk was removed from that ring at one time or another. Surprised it ran also.

 

Thanks OPT,

Got it all together this weekend. Drained all the old gas out and rebuilt the carb. Put a few gallons of premix gas in and a new battery and she cranked right up. Starts easily with the recoil also. Now to spend a couple nights this week after work slowly breaking the engine in so I can fill it up with some straight gas. Fun little machine to drive.

Now I got my eyes on two 2000 to 2002 xplorer 250's that have blown motors. Have wanted one of those for some time now.

Thanks,
Mike

 

If you find a real clean one that'd be one I'd add to the collection you have. Chain driven rear,shaft driven front.I was impressed by these little ones and so were a lot of customers we sold them to.