Four wheeler spark problems

LeeB · July 17, 2014, 09:58:55 AM

I need some help from some of you more mechnical types. I have a 2006 Polaris Sportsman 450. Got to where it wouldn't run worth a darn. Would loose power the more throttle you gave it. I figured it was the carb. Left it set for a while and didn't get back to it. Now I cant get any spark to it. Have changed out the coil, CDI, and ECM. With the old CDI it would spark a few times weakly and the quit. Let it sit a while and it would do the same. With the new CDI it wont spark at all. I thought the new one was bad and sent it back for a new one. The parts place was great about taking it back. Same issue with the replacement so I guess it's not the CDI. I've now ordered the pulser. Not much else between the plug and the magneto. I've never heard of a magneto going bad. Could it posssibly be my problem? I hope not. $380 for that baby. Already out over $500 on advice from the local repair shop. Should know better than to listen to them, but that is another story. Any advice?

drobertson · July 17, 2014, 10:14:14 AM

Not a clue Lee, but hate it for you, ours had similar issues but was the carb, finally got a kit put in and so far so go. Hope you get some good info on this,

WmFritz · July 17, 2014, 10:20:44 AM

The only thing left off your list is the stator (aside from the ignition/ kill switch; which wouldn't relate to your previous power loss issue).

LeeB · July 17, 2014, 10:25:06 AM

Right after I posted I thought about it maybe being the ignition switch. How hard would it be to bypass it just to check? I already had a young fellow that does odd jobs for me that I don't want to do rebuild the carb. He can see better than me and is a fair wrench turner. Neither one of us thought about the ignition switch.

Raider Bill · July 17, 2014, 01:18:32 PM

I had a similar issue, turned out it was a rev limiting switch on the reverse handle.

terry f · July 17, 2014, 02:02:15 PM

It was the stator on mine, $900 later and runs like a champ.

LeeB · July 17, 2014, 02:22:57 PM

The stator is about all I have left in the line. That will put me up pretty close to $900. >:(

snowstorm · July 17, 2014, 05:17:01 PM

there is also a safety switch that senses slack in the throttle cable. the reverse override retards the timing so you cant go 45 in reverse. i had trouble with that on one of mine. i assume you bought a new sparkplug? i had one crack it would run but barley

samandothers · July 17, 2014, 08:19:37 PM

I have a 2006 Polaris 700 Sportsman EFI. I had issue with it cutting out and loosing power. Not being all that handy I took it to dealer. The kill switch on left handle was bad robbing spark.

snowstorm · July 17, 2014, 08:23:57 PM

i also had trouble with the key switch on one of mine

js2743 · July 18, 2014, 01:50:36 AM

dOES IT HAVE A EMERGENCY KILL SWITCH? HAVE YOU CHANGED SPARK PLUG? IS YOUR KEY SWITCH WORKING? COULD BE SEVERAL THINGS TO STOP SPARK. SEARCH ON YOUTUBE MORE THAN LIKELY SOMEONE ELSE HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND WILL HAVE IT ON THERE.

WATCH THIS ONE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80zh6VYlvS0

drobertson · July 18, 2014, 09:01:36 AM

I asked a good friend who owns a Polaris, he too mentioned the stator,,

LeeB · July 18, 2014, 09:12:23 AM

When i get home agin, I'll put in the pulsar that I've already bought and see what happens. I'm begining to lean more and more toward the ignition switch. Should be easy enough to bypass that and check. Id no joy there I'll move on to the stator. Seems like there should be a way to test the stator without having to buy one. Somebody mentioned youtube. I'll do a little research there.

Hilltop366 · July 18, 2014, 12:14:59 PM

Not familiar with your machine specifically, but it makes more sense to troubleshoot electrical issues by following a path in the order that they happen, (it is harder on newer machines with more wires and switches).

Start at the battery condition, battery cables and connections, charging output, fuse block (corrosion will cause a week spark), if not charging well check stator output if output low check for open or shorted stator coils, not common but a weak magnets or magnets that have moved on the the flywheel. (sorry ran out of time)

Keep following the path.

yukon cornelius · July 18, 2014, 01:24:43 PM

battery condition as previously stated can be a huge issue! just because it cranks fine doesn't mean its good...we had a Polaris wave runner of the same general age that had a spark issue. cranked over fine but with intermittent spark and weak spark. after lots of reading, testing and lots of doubt I checked residual voltage while cranking and it was below what was necessary fro the cdi to work. new battery fixed it

there are so many variables it hard to say exactly where to look but you are on the right path!