[2003Scrambler]

My 2003 Scrambler will start with my pull chord but not by the electric starter. It turns over fine but won't start. Is there some sort of "switch" that isn't activating with the key but activates with the pull chord?

 

[Russ C]

Take recoil cover off, clean magnet and pickup coil with emery paper, set pickup coil .016 from magnet with feeler gauge.

 

[Bruce!]

Welcome to the board!

 

[2003Scrambler]

Hey Russ C, thanks for the info. I did as you said and solved the problem nicely!!

Very appreciative of the assistance!!

 

[2003Scrambler]

Well I have an update for anyone that may have been experiencing the same problem.....Finally after having several people with good intentions look at it, I brought it to a Polaris dealer and let a licensed tech look at it. He discovered the coil and spark plug boot put on by one guy was not correct as it had a resistor in it which it can not have. Another "good intentioned mate" had put a second battery on to give it more amperage to turn it over to start.....wasn't hooked up properly. Also found a short on the battery wire. The Polaris Tech actually found a few things wrong. He also discovered the left handlebar controls (kill switch,headlights etc) was damaged and when he removed it, found several wires corroded and green causing a short. So replaced the handlebar switch, removed the two batteries, installed one good one and fixed the short at the battery. Although the battery tested at 12 volts, as soon as you used the key it dropped to 2 volts and would not produce enough power to spark. But when I used the pull chord it was able to maintain 12 volts as it wasn't using the electric starter....

I think I got what he told me right. Hoping this may help someone else out experiencing similar problems. I guess in the end I learned a valuable lesson in taking my ATV to a trained and experienced factory tech first and not letting someone "experiment" on my machine. In the end I paid dealer price/cost for repairs but ALSO paid for the costs of the experiments by the guys with good intentions.....lesson learned. Thanks Go Performance in Dorchester Ontario!!

 

[2003Scrambler]

Well, sad news to follow this up. Paid my $550 for repairs, brought it home with great promises of success...and still wont start with the key but in fairness fired right up with pull chord. Once warmed up it will start with the key. .....called shop back and they said it's because the compression is too low to fire with the key. I'm going to check compression but sadly still not satisfied....

Is this possible? Runs great once started..

 

[twostarrz]

They didn't let you know you had compression issues when you picked it up? You didn't try it before you left dealer?

 

[jgue498]

I'd try cleaning/adjusting that stator and contact points again, since all else is new/checked already. Luck. :cowboy:

 

[2003Scrambler]

They started the ATV at the shop but of course it was in a warm shop all night. I called the next day again asking if they did a compression test, thinking that would make sense.... They admitted they didn't but said it's hard to get a true test because of the decompression system. They said it should be about 90psi cranking and a true reading is about 190psi but you can't get a true reading unless it's running which is of course impossible. Does that make sense? Does low compression = no start with electric starter? He said it won't turn over fast enough to create compression but pulling it spins faster creating more compression and it starts....I don't know. Pretty confused and disappointed now over the whole thing. Don't know if I can trust them?? Any suggestions??????????????

 

[Fastatv]

Darn...your having some bad luck here....that sux! Question, did you replace the battery with a new 14A-A2? And follow charging procedures ( if you had to add the acid )?
Here's something I have seen a few times when an ATV will start with pull rope and not the electric starter.
- Poor battery condition and....have you verified the charging system
- If battery and starter/bendix are not in good condition, and then draw too much voltage/current, sometimes there isn't enough voltage remaining to
"fire" the electronics and provide spark.
- As a note, if the compression is low ( and I'm not saying it is ), then your engine would actually turn over faster.......does that make sense to you?
Keep us posted and good luck.

 

[2003Scrambler]

They worked on giving it a strong spark. Redid the battery ground wire, new controls on left bars (kill switch etc was corroded) new spark plug, new spark plug wire new ground wire to Cdi. He assured me it now has strong spark. I replaced starter in fall. And I would tend to agree it would spin faster with weaker compression. Also they put new battery in it. 12v 14amp [email protected] rate

 

[Fastatv]

Leave the spark plug in....get another new plug ( $2.50 ), check for spark while using the starter motor. Your results may give us more ideas on how to help. The reason I say leave one plug in the head is because the engine will turn over more slowly and you will get a more realistic result in regards to how fast the engine spins...and spark. Also keep in mind that spark is always better when the plug is outside the engine as better spark is seen at atmosphere, than under high cylinder pressure. Spark should still be repetitive and bluish in color.