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Won't go into high gear

23K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  Diabeticmedic 
#1 ·
Hello everyone. This is my first post in this forum. I bought a 1998 Polaris Xpress 300 2x4 this week and I'm having a few problems. I bought it knowing the starter was no good, and it also didn't have the rear hub or sprocket on it. I got the new hub in yesterday and put it, a new front a rear sprocket, and new chain on it. Last night was my first chance to drive it. It went into reverse as well as Low easily and drove fine. The problem is that I cannot get it to go into high gear. When I attempt to it sounds like the gears are grinding. I think it is just a problem with the linkage needing adjustmant but I've never owned an ATV before and I just wanted yalls opinion and input on it. Also need to put a new starter on it and was wondering how difficult that is since it appears to be wedged between the bottom of the motor and the skid plate. Thanks everyone!
 
#2 ·
Try disconnecting the linkage from the transmission while it's in neutral, then adjust the shift linkages until the attaching bolts 'drop fit' into the shift linkages; this should take care of the shift problem.

The starter is a bear to get to, but overall not too difficult of a job; you will need to drop the skid plate to remove the hot wire and unbolt the support bracket from the engine. Then you will need to remove the rope starter/side cover assembly to remove two starter mount bolts inside there. If your starter has been changed before, it's likely that you will only have one bolt on the support bracket, as a lot of people only reinstall one, since the other is such a bear to get to.
 
#4 ·
Alright fellas, I tried your advice but didn't work. I adjusted the linkage attempting to get high gear to bite but it never would. I adjusted it so far out that I actually lost reverse and it still didn't catch high gear. I moved it back so that I could have low gear and reverse. I have a feeling that either the high gear is missing several teeth off the gear itself or the actual gear is cracked and will need replacement. Thoughts on this?
 
#6 ·
Idle speed

I'll try that when I get home tomorrow. Working a 24 hour shift at the firehouse today. Just curious, but what does the idle speed of the engine have to do with it? Is there some kind of centrifical clutch that keeps it from engaging at too high an RPM to keep from causing damage?
 
#7 ·
I'll try that when I get home tomorrow. Working a 24 hour shift at the firehouse today. Just curious, but what does the idle speed of the engine have to do with it? Is there some kind of centrifical clutch that keeps it from engaging at too high an RPM to keep from causing damage?
Yeah, the clutches on these things are centrifugal and if the idle is set a little too high, they will be partially engaged when you are trying to go into gear. The idle speed is supposed to be 700 plus or minus 100 rpm on your atv.
 
#8 ·
OK. Great to know. Thanks John. I have been having a hard time finding specs on this thing. The guy I bought it from originally said it was a 2001 Explorere but after looking thru tons of pictures I finally figured out what I had. Since they only made the xpress for a few years it takes some digging to find things for it.
 
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