not sure if the 500 has it, but a friend of mine had the same problem with his 700 sportsman "it would die but lights and everything else worked" under the hood there are 2 black sealed pouches that have breaker's in them "instead of fuses" that are supposed to re-set on there own, after a few years they go bad or get wet and rusty. when you let it cool down a couple minutes it will re-set itself but then trip out again. if your 500 has these replace them, you can pick the same part up at autozone for 3 dollars where the dealer wants 20+. as for the starter try tapping on it with something "not hard as you can damage it" and then see if it starts, the brushes wear out and stick causing it to not work "very common with polaris", you can re-build it.
Originally posted by jerry-89-250R not sure if the 500 has it, but a friend of mine had the same problem with his 700 sportsman "it would die but lights and everything else worked" under the hood there are 2 black sealed pouches that have breaker's in them "instead of fuses" that are supposed to re-set on there own, after a few years they go bad or get wet and rusty. when you let it cool down a couple minutes it will re-set itself but then trip out again. if your 500 has these replace them, you can pick the same part up at autozone for 3 dollars where the dealer wants 20+. as for the starter try tapping on it with something "not hard as you can damage it" and then see if it starts, the brushes wear out and stick causing it to not work "very common with polaris", you can re-build it.
I am going to do that tonight with the starter. I was also going to look at the possibility of pulling it out, and hot-wiring it to eliminate that problem before spending money on a solenoid. I am working on bits and pieces at a time since I have had multiple problems with it. It also happens that I inherit the task of working on my friends quads too because most of them have no desire to do so, and I actually kind of enjoy doing it and learning, and his starter is just spinning, so I am guessing that one needs to be rebuilt, so I will probably end up becoming an expert on Polaris starters soon.
Also, I did see the little black pouches, so I will check them out tonight also. I am thinking it is something dumb causing it to die like that because the more I thought about vapor lock, I do not think that is it because I was riding it and it was cold out the other night, and I didn't even let the machine get hot enough to even cause it. I pulled some of the vent tubing, and blew through them, and there was no blockage.
when those breakers wear out it can be minus 20 and they still kick out, it doesn't have to be hot just the engine running. the starter also have a bendix the engages the flywheel, it runs off the starter gear and is seperate from the starter so if the starter is spinning the bendix may not be kicking in. take the side cover off by the rear brake pedal and start it and see what happens.
Originally posted by jerry-89-250R when those breakers wear out it can be minus 20 and they still kick out, it doesn't have to be hot just the engine running. the starter also have a bendix the engages the flywheel, it runs off the starter gear and is seperate from the starter so if the starter is spinning the bendix may not be kicking in. take the side cover off by the rear brake pedal and start it and see what happens.
I was referring to the problem probably not being vapor lock if the machine is not hot.
I looked through the whole front end and I can not find anything that holds relays or fuses or anything along those lines. What I thought was the pouch was actually a rubber cover over a plastic piece that had 4 wires going to it. Unless that has relays under it, but I do not want to start pulling things apart that I do not know about. Seems that I can not find a single fuse or relay unless I am just blind. Guess I will have to just keep looking unless anybody else knows something that I don't.
On a side note, I did fix another minor problem that I had been having. I have been riding and my quad would keep flashing that it was hot, even though it wasn't. Well while looking for the relays on my quad, I found a connection that was becoming separated, I unplugged it, and turned it on, it was flashing HOT, I plug it in and it quit, so I am guessing that is why it was always telling me it was hot, because that connection was loose.
I really am going to be an expert on the sportsman, I should keep mine for another year or so and open up a shop after working on this lemon all the time.
Sooooo....... anybody have any suggestions on where to look for the relay/fuses on a carb'd sportsman 500
Okay, so after digging under the seat, I only found one thing that wires were running to besides the battery, starter, and the solenoid. I have attached a picture below to show what I found on my machine. Is this the relay you guys are talking about? It just doesn't look like what I was looking for. If not, what is it?
no, thats a diagnostics plug. there should be a pouch under the front rack i believe, look where the rad cap is and i don't mean the overflow tank by the wheel.
Originally posted by joeptc no, thats a diagnostics plug. there should be a pouch under the front rack i believe, look where the rad cap is and i don't mean the overflow tank by the wheel.
Thanks for getting back with me. I found out that my model does not have any relays on it, so I have since replaced my spark plug, and cleaned the carb so I am hoping that is the problem. If not, I am going to be really pissed off lol. I will take another look though just for good measure.
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