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View Full Version : Predator Won't Start, Please Help!!



ALEXANDERJASON
04-27-2007, 07:33 PM
2003 PREDATOR 90 BONE STOCK

I CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING I CAN THINK OF.

CARB CLEANED BY DEALERSHIP 2 MONTHS AGO (ULTRASONIC) WAS RUNNING GREAT WHEN I GOT IT BACK. HAVEN'T STARTED IT IN 3 WEEKS


FRESH GAS
CLEANED AND RE-OILED AIR FILTER
TOOK CARB APART AGAIN AND CLEANED TOP TO BOTTOM PULLED OUT JETS/AIR SCREW/IDLE SCREW(ALTHOUGH IT WAS CLEAN AS A WHISTLE)
REPLACED SPARK PLUG JUST BECAUSE I HAD A SPARE
CHOKE IS WORKING PROPERLY.
BACK UP KICK TURNS MOTOR OVER.
STARTER TURNS MOTOR OVER (CAN FEEL EXHAUST)
FULLY CHARGED BATTERY (UNTIL TRYING TO START IT FOR 10 MINUTES) KEPT ON BATTERY TENDER
CHECKED THE RELAY UNDER THE SEAT AND THE FUSE NEXT TO THE BATTERY. (BOTH GOOD)

MY NEIGHBOR CAME OUT TO HELP ME, AND THINKS IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH NO SPARK. THE SPARK PLUG WIRE GOES TO A CYLINDER THAT HAS TWO WIRES. ONE IS BLACK AND GROUNDED TO THE CHASIS, THE OTHER IS WHITE/RED STRIPE AND GOES TO THE REV BOX. I THINK IT SHOULD BE GETTING POWER WHEN THE ENGINE IS CRANKING BUT IT'S NOT.

COULD I HAVE A BAD REV BOX?? DO THOSE THINGS JUST GO BAD OUT OF THE BLUE?? SHOULDN'T ONE OF THE WIRES GOING INTO THE REV BOX BE HOT?? IT SEEMS AS IF NONE OF THEM HAVE POWER AT ALL??

I'M SO FRUSTRATED!!! I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT TO THEM DEALER FOR THE TO CHARGE $70 JUST TO LOOK AT IT, AND ANOTHER OVERINFLATED PARTS/SHOP CHARGE.

PLEASE HELP!?!

predator dad
04-28-2007, 03:05 AM
I had an 05 and had a similar problem. I'm not sure if the 03 is the same or not. On the 05 you had to engage the brake for it to start. That sensor or cable was not engaging enough for it to start. i just adjusted that and problem was solved.

ALEXANDERJASON
04-28-2007, 08:11 AM
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY. IT IS THE SAME ON THE 2003 AS WELL. WITHOUT THE BRAKE PULLED IN, IT WON'T TURN OVER. MY PROBLEM IS THAT IT TURNS OVER FOREVER, BUT JUST WON'T KICK UP AND GO.

ANY OTHER IDEAS?

cliffymiracle
04-28-2007, 02:57 PM
Sounds like the CDI or Rev box...not an uncommon problem.

ALEXANDERJASON
04-28-2007, 04:12 PM
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY.

REALLY?? I GUESS IF I HAVE TO REPLACE IT, I COULD TRY ONE OF THE AFTERMARKET HIGH PERFORMANCE BOXES. PROBABLY COST LESS ANYWAY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, GET ANOTHER STOCK OR TRY AFTERMARKET? AND IF AFTERMARKET, WHO MAKES THE BEST?? WHERE DO I GET IT??

cliffymiracle
04-29-2007, 08:40 AM
Well first, did you check the ignition wire for any spark? If you've got no spark, it's most likely the REV or CDI box...CDI boxes do go bad all the time. Could be a number of things to make it go bad. My friend just spent a poo load of money trying to get his Z400 to run, only to find out that his power washing finally infiltrated the box and shorted it out.

If you can, find someone who has the same model as you and try his/her CDI box...a cheap diagnosis. It's plug and play...

ALEXANDERJASON
04-29-2007, 09:38 AM
FIRST, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY.

WELL, I PULLED THE PLUG AND HIT THE START BUTTON TO TURN IT OVER. NO SPARK. DO THE SPARK PLUG THREADS HAVE TO BE GROUNDED FOR THE SPARK TO JUMP ACROSS??

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE CDI'S WERE A COMMON PROBLEM. I DO POWERWASH MY QUADS AS WELL.

SO WOULD IT BE BENEFICIAL TO REPLACE THE CDI WITH ONE OF THE AFTERMARKET ONES, OR STICK WITH THE STOCK?? I DON'T PLAN ON DOING MUCH FOR PERFORMANCE TO THE QUAD. I MODIFIED THE AIRBOX SLIGHTLY FOR MORE AIRFLOW, AND HAVEN'T DECIDED IF I WILL DO AN EXHAUST SYSTEM OR NOT.

cliffymiracle
04-29-2007, 01:37 PM
No, the plug does not have to be grounded. As for the box, it's your choice. With an after market box, it won't have a rev limiter and will give you some higher revs/top end...maybe a little more spark.

cliffymiracle
04-30-2007, 04:33 AM
Fleabay always has them...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Procom-Rev-Box-CDI-Ignition-Polaris-Predator-90_W0QQitemZ120113991915QQihZ002QQcategoryZ43976QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

ALEXANDERJASON
05-02-2007, 06:28 PM
THE REASON I ASKED IF THE THREADS HAD TO BE GROUNDED - I PULLED MY PLUG WIRE ON ANOTHER QUAD AND HOOKED UP THE PLUG FROM THE PRED 90 - TURNED IT OVER AND NO SPARK, BUT WHEN I TOUCHED THE THREADS TO THE ENGINE BLOCK, I GOT PLENTY OF SPARK. PROBLEM ON THE PREDATOR WAS THE PLUG WIRE IS SO SHORT, AND THERE REALLY WASN'T A GOOD SPOT TO GROUND IT TO. EVERYTHING IS PAINTED HEAVILY OR POWDRECOATED. I WRAPPED A WIRE AROUND THE THREADS AND WRAPPED THE OTHER END AROUND MY NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL, BUT STILL NO SPARK.

I WENT AHEAD AND ORDERED A NEW CDI BOX. SHOULD BE HERE FRIDAY. I HOPE THAT IS IT. I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED, AND THANKS FOR THE HELP!!

ALEXANDERJASON
05-02-2007, 06:30 PM
THE REASON I ASKED IF THE THREADS HAD TO BE GROUNDED - I PULLED MY PLUG WIRE ON ANOTHER QUAD AND HOOKED UP THE PLUG FROM THE PRED 90 - TURNED IT OVER AND NO SPARK, BUT WHEN I TOUCHED THE THREADS TO THE ENGINE BLOCK, I GOT PLENTY OF SPARK. PROBLEM ON THE PREDATOR WAS THE PLUG WIRE IS SO SHORT, AND THERE REALLY WASN'T A GOOD SPOT TO GROUND IT TO. EVERYTHING IS PAINTED HEAVILY OR POWDRECOATED. I WRAPPED A WIRE AROUND THE THREADS AND WRAPPED THE OTHER END AROUND MY TERMINAL, BUT STILL NO SPARK.

I WENT AHEAD AND ORDERED A NEW CDI BOX. SHOULD BE HERE FRIDAY. I HOPE THAT IS IT. I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED, AND THANKS FOR THE HELP!!

BradLoomis
05-02-2007, 07:46 PM
Yes you need to ground the threads of the spark plug. You can use a screw driver through the plastic hole, but not into the spark plug hole, and wedge it against the head. Now touch the base of the spark plug against it and you should have the same base for grounding that the plug normally uses.

The pull tether kill switch on these are notorious for failing. Normal kill switches ground out the electrical signal into the frame, stopping the signal going to the spark plug. These kill switches connect the path together allowing the signal to go through. I suggest following the kill switch wires to the connectors and disconnect them from the switch and wire them together. You can make an easy cheap pigtail to do this for testing.

I have not lost a CDI yet... but stators go out quite frequently if the right side of the motor gets ran through water alot. The stator is directly behind the flywheel which the fan to cool the motor is bolted to.

ALEXANDERJASON
05-02-2007, 07:52 PM
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY.

IF THE KILL SWITCH WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY, WOULDN'T IT KEEP IT FROM TURNING OVER?? MINE WILL TURN OVER ALL DAY, JUST WON'T START.

BradLoomis
05-02-2007, 07:56 PM
No... that's the problem with it is that it doesn't stop the starter, it just stops the path to the CDI that tells the CDI to send the signal to the coil. That's why I want you to disconnect it and wire the two wires together to bypass it for trouble shooting.

ALEXANDERJASON
05-02-2007, 08:07 PM
I THINK I UNDERSTAND. IT'S CONFUSING THOUGH BECAUSE IF THE TETHER IS DISCONNECTED, IT WON'T TURN OVER.

KEY ON, TETHER CONNECTED, AND BRAKE PULLED, OR IT WON'T TURN OVER.

THAT'S STRANGE THAT THE TETHER WOULD STOP IT FROM TURNING OVER WHEN PULLED, AND WHEN CONNECTED, CAN STOP IT FROM SPARKING WHEN TURNING OVER. POLARIS REALLY WENT OVERBOARD WITH THE SAFETY FEATURES IN MY OPINION.

ALEXANDERJASON
05-03-2007, 03:08 PM
WELL, GOT THE NEW CDI, AND NOW THE BATTERY IS DEAD. I LEFT THE KEY ON FOR A FEW DAYS. EVEN WITH THE BATTERY TENDER PLUGGED IN, IT STILL DRAINED ALL THE WAY DOWN. I HAVE BOUGHT 5 BATTERIES FOR THAT STUPID MACHINE. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME I GO TO START IT, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. IT WAS BETTER THIS LAST ROUND SINCE I HOOKED UP THE BATTERY TENDER TO IT, BUT I GUESS THE TRICKLE CHARGE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT GLARING FOR THREE DAYS!!

SO, STILL NO LUCK AS OF YET.

I TRIED TO KICK IT OVER WITH THE NEW BOX TO CHECK FOR SPARK BUT STILL NOTHING. I WILL TRY THE BYPASS OF THE TETHER KILL AS WELL.

I WISH THIS LITTLE THING HAD INSURANCE!! I WOULD SET IT ON FIRE!!! PROBABLY NOT, BECAUSE WITH MY LUCK IT WOULD ONLY BE WORTH ABOUT $300 AND I WOULD GET BUSTED FOR INSURANCE FRAUD!!

BradLoomis
05-03-2007, 06:14 PM
If you want to simplify it and only kick start it... you can get down to only 5 wires and that simplifies alot of trouble shooting. By the sounds of it, it might be cheaper in the long run with buying batteries.

ALEXANDERJASON
05-07-2007, 02:33 PM
OK, NEW BATTERY, AND NEW CDI BOX. I ALSO DISCONNECTED THE WIRES FROM THE TETHER KILL AND SPLICED THEM TOGETHER. STILL SAME THING, TURNS OVER FOREVER, BUT WON'T START.

STOCK BATTERY WAS A YT4 YUASA, AND I REPLACED IT WITH A YT7 WITH A LITTLE MORE CAPACITY (MAY HELP IF I LEAVE THE KEY IN AGAIN).

I MAY END UP GOING TO A KICK START ONLY. I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO KICK START IT COLD. ONLY AFTER IT'S BEEN RIDDEN A WHILE WAS I ABLE TO KICK START IT WITH SUCCESS. I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THE KICK STARTER DOES NOT ALLOW ENOUGH TURN TO DO VERY MUCH. IF I CAN GET THIS THING RUNNING AGAIN, I WILL TAKE THE LEVER OFF AND MOVE IT HIGHER SO IT WILL TURN FARTHER WHEN YOU KICK IT. MAYBE
THAT WILL HELP SOME.

IN THE MEANTIME, STILL NO RIDING, AND MY SON IS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS WEEKEND.

ANY IDEAS??

BradLoomis
05-07-2007, 02:43 PM
It's turning over... but are you getting spark at the spark plug?
Is the spark plug wet after you try to fire it?
If the stator is burnt out, your motor will not run. The battery will turn the starter over which will turn the motor over, but the motor relies on the stator for the electricity for the motor to fire and run.

ALEXANDERJASON
05-07-2007, 02:52 PM
NO SPARK. IS THE STATOR THE CYLINDER CONNECTED TO THE SPARK PLUG WIRE? THERE ARE TWO WIRES ON THAT CYLINDER. ONE WHITE WITH BLUE STRIPE AND ONE GROUND. THE WHITE/BLUE GOES TO THE CDI BOX. THERE IS NO POWER GOING TO THAT CONNECTION WHEN THE ENGINE IS TURNING OVER SO I AM INCLINED TO THINK THE POWER IS STOPPING FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE???

BradLoomis
05-07-2007, 02:58 PM
Check your PM's

ALEXANDERJASON
05-07-2007, 07:55 PM
BRAD,

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP. I AM CERTAIN AT THIS POINT, AFTER OUR CONVERSATION, THAT IT IS THE STATOR. I FISHED OUT MY PAPERWORK, AND SURE ENOUGH I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY UNTIL 5/17/07. STATOR SHOULD BE COVERED (ACCORDING TO CONTRACT, AND IT HELPS THAT I AM REGIONAL SALES MANAGER FOR THE WARRANTY COMPANY). EVEN SO, I WILL BE OUT OF LUCK FOR ANY FUTURE REPAIRS, SO I WILL TAKE YOUR ADVICE ON THE PARTS FROM THE NEWER MODELS THAT WILL KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I WILL LET YOU KNOW FOR SURE WHEN WE'RE BACK ON THE TRAILS!!

JASON

ALEXANDERJASON
05-29-2007, 04:15 PM
SO, IT TURNS OUT, AS BRAD THOUGHT, THE STATOR WAS BAD. I GOT IT BACK TODAY. NOW, I HAVE A BRAND NEW IN PACKAGING REV BOX FOR A 2003 PREDATOR 90 THAT I DIDN'T NEED THAT I AM GOING TO SELL. ANYONE INTERESTED, I LISTED IT ON EBAY, AND WILL LIST IT HERE IN THE APPROPRIATE FORUM.

BRAD, THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME!!

BradLoomis
05-29-2007, 05:21 PM
No problem... did you seal up the windings with epoxy? If not, you will probably have this problem again.

ALEXANDERJASON
05-29-2007, 06:05 PM
I AM PLANNING ON DOING IT THIS WEEKEND!! AND I BOUGHT A COUPLE OF PARTS FROM A 2004 THAT SHOULD HELP COVER IT BETTER!!

THANKS AGAIN.