Polaris 90 with no spark

latebird said:

Battery is not part of the ignition system - it is AC ignition

Try unplugging the grey wire from the CDI - that connects to ground if the throttle sticks.

Is there appx 100 volts peak on the blu/wht wire from the CDI unit to the coil?

Click to expand...

latebird said:

Battery is not part of the ignition system - it is AC ignition

Try unplugging the grey wire from the CDI - that connects to ground if the throttle sticks.

Is there appx 100 volts peak on the blu/wht wire from the CDI unit to the coil?

Click to expand...

yes, I have tried unplugging the gray wire to eliminate the switch in the throttle.

I just measured from ground to the blue/white wire that goes into the secondary coil and this is the picture I took. Here I’m only measuring 8.3 V. Going into the coil. I do not have a peak voltage reader

thriller said:

yes, I have tried unplugging the gray wire to eliminate the switch in the throttle.

I just measured from ground to the blue/white wire that goes into the secondary coil and this is the picture I took. Here I’m only measuring 8.3 V. Going into the coil. I do not have a peak voltage reader View attachment 178549

Click to expand...

And if I do the reading from the Black/Red to the black on the bullet connecter coming out of the stater this is what I’m getting today.

latebird said:

You have a meter with a peak function, but I can't see from the pic if you are measuring peak voltage - the min/max button is for reading peak voltage - read the instructions that came with the meter to determine how to read peak voltage - typically is is a DC function

I have a digital meter with a peak voltage function, but I prefer the old Simpson analog meter and a peak voltage adapther

The should be 3 to 5 volts peak on the wht/red wire to the neg side of the battery
Typical is about 45 volts peak red/blk to neg side of the battery
The wht/blu wire at the coil will typically have appx 100 volts peak to neg side of the battery
The blk wire at the CDI/ unit should have continuity to the neg side of the battery

Don't worry about voltage from wht to yel/red - that is for charging the battery

Click to expand...

Ok here is what I get on the white/blue at the coil while disconnected from the coil. I wasn’t sure if that would be the same thing as the additional peak voltage reader. I would not look at the average because I started reading before the the engine was spinning over. Should I disconnect the CDI when I am taking these other readings? Also, the white/red that you’re talking about is it the one that goes into the CDI or is it the one that comes off of the stator? I assume the black wire that you’re talking about is the one that goes into the cdi in the two wire connector. If it is, that one does have continuity to ground when the key is on or off.

Thank you so much for your continued help.

So, here is the two readings from the red and black right at the stator disconnected, and at the wiring harness going into the CDI disconnected. They are very close to the same. The thing I do not understand with this meter is if you want peak AC or peak DC. The pictures are of AC but when I go to DC peak reading I am getting only about 3.1V DC peak.

4x4Scrambler500ho2003 said:

Hey late bird I’ve seen your name all around the forums while trying to solve my problem, I was wondering if you could help, I have a 2003 polaris scrambler 500 HO. my cdi box shorted out (part# 3087169 ) but that oem part has been discontinued. I tried a aftermarket one (part# 160-02120 ) and it didn’t work after looking into it everyone else is having same problem with aftermarket cdis not working, any idea what I should do? Any help would be appreciated thank you for your, time sorry to join a random thread but it wouldn’t allow to send a private message

Click to expand...

That part was discontinued after 2004 - it was used in the following models:

2003 500 MAGNUM 4X4 HDS A03CD50FB
2003 500 MAGNUM 4X4 HDS A03CD50FB
2002 500 MAGNUM VL HDS A02CD50FB
2004 A04CH42AA SPORTSMAN 400 A04CH42AA/AE/AG
2004 A04CH50AA SPORTSMAN 500 A04CH50AA/AC/AE/AG
2004 A04JD50AA ATP 500 4X4 A04JD50AA/AB/CA
2004 A04JD50AA ATP 500 4X4 A04JD50AA/AB/CA
2002 ATV PRO 500 4X4 PPS C02CD50AC
2002 INT'L BIG BOSS 6X6 A02CL50DA
2002 LUH 6X6 PPS C02CL50AB
2002 MAGNUM 500 A02CD50AA
2002 MAGNUM 500 2X4 HDS A02CB50FC
2002 MAGNUM 500 RMK A02CD50AB
SERIES 10 PTV 4X4 C10CD50AA
SERIES 11 RANGER A11RB42AA/A11RD50AA/AB/A11RF50AA
1999 RANGER A99RF50AA MAGNETO -
SERIES 11 RANGER A11RB42AA/A11RD50AA/AB/A11RF50AA
SERIES 10 RANGER A10RD50AA
SERIES 10 RANGER A10RD50AA
SERIES 10 RANGER 500 6X6 A10RF50AB
2002 SCRAMBLER 500 2X4 A02BA50AA
2002 SCRAMBLER 500 2X4 A02BA50AB
2003 SCRAMBLER 500 4X4 A03BG50AA
2002 SCRAMBLER 500 4X4 A02BG50AA
2002 SCRAMBLER 500 4X4 FREEDOM A02BG50AC
2003 SPORTSMAN 400 A03CH42AA/AB/AC
2002 SPORTSMAN 500 ALL OPTIONS A02CH50
2003 SPORTSMAN 500 HO A03CH50AA/AB/AC/AD/AE/AH/AJ
2002 SPORTSMAN 6X6 A02CL50AA
2003 SPORTSMAN 6X6 A03CL50AA

Does your CDI look like this?


Try a Rick's 15-509 - about $160

I basically answered my own question - the above unit is for a 2001-2002 model, but it can be used with some rewiring the 03 unit wired up like this:


The 03 uses the same stator, bur t wire up like this:


The wire colors are the same - just splice the 02 unit's wires to the 03 wires and it should work.

4x4Scrambler500ho2003 said:

I’m actually not sure what year my quad is I got it off marketplace and I’m trying to fix, it didn’t come with much info. But the cdi looks just like a black box with a female plug in, # 3087169
I’ve already removed the old one, I just know it’s whatever year came with that model cdi.

Click to expand...

So your CDI (regardless of color) looks like the CDI box in the pic I attached and like the one in this parts breakdown?


It's important to know the year and model of Polaris you have as there were many mid year changes - the 03 Scrambler 500 used two different CDI boxes depending on the serial number of the unit. What is the VIN of the one you got?

No, my cdi looks like this one

let me check vin