I have noticed that the pull start on a Kodiak 400 is rather difficult to start that way in fact for the year that i have had it i have not yet succesfully been able to pull start it granted i have not yet had to use it yet, (knock on wood) and have not had a chance to look at it yet either, but My dad owns a Polaris Magnum and that thing starts right up with a single pull, i bought it new so i would not think that there would be anything wrong with it but i guess i am not really sure if you guys have any advice please respond. THANKS

 

Lift some weights

 

I think that we will need a little more detail in order to give you an answer. Is the atv turning over? Is it just hard to pull? If you can give us a bit more insight it would give us a better idea what the problem is.

 

Not sure if yamaha changed this or not, but most manufacturers pull starts have a "compression release" that makes it easier to pull start the quad. Polaris definetly has this and has had for some time. A friend of mine has a 220cc Timberwolf and he has never successfully started it with the pull start. Nothing wrong with it, just poor design.

 

I've had good success using this method. Turn key on, choke on full, slowly pull the starter rope, until you feel it go beyond the compression stroke (you'll get the feel of things and know where it is, ) once it goes beyond the compression stroke, stop pulling. Let the rope retract, back into the cover, then slowly pull it out about 2 inches, til you feel slight resistance, then pull firmly and smoothly. My 450 will start using this method, either on first pull or second pull. The reason you want to get just beyond the compression stroke, is so the flywheel can help get you thru the next one. Even on a 20 degree day, starting from cold, this works on mine.

 

What he said.

 

NJK425, I have the same machine for my wife, 97 Timberwolf and it fires right up using the pull start so it is a good design if you do it right, which is excactly like HondaBuster described. the King Quad that I sold was bad on batteries or at least when it got very cold out and would not start, but it had a decompression lever on the jug, first time I tried to start it to see if I could I almost dislocated my shoulder. AlaskaBoy.

 

Alaskaboy,
it's still a bad design if you have to struggle thru that first compression stroke, doesn't make it a bad quad, just something they should do better, they have had this problem for a long time. And I'm not talking about a decompression lever either, just a compression release that happens automatically on shut down so when you go to start it, it is easy for the battery to turn over and easy on you if you are starting it manually. 4 & 500cc Polaris' are very easy to start manually. Can't speak for every manufacturer, but it is hard to believe that in 2004 we are still talking about hard starting Yamahas.

 

good luck pulling it over! Ya have to put some *** into to it to be able to pull start!

 

i agree with farmstud