OK Hear is the problem. The ATV will crank over pretty quick but it won’t start when using the electric starter. When I pull the pull cord it starts right up. If you keep cranking it with the electric start fore a while it will make a big backfire and try to turn over backwards. When I got this machine the pull starter has come apart and damaged the pulls generator by bending it away from the magnet on the flywheel. I bent it back and it then ran. I checked the resistance on the pulls generator and it was 97 Holmes. In my repair manual it says it shoed be 97 Holmes. Could the pulls generator be damager cause this? It runs better than any ATV I have when it runs but it is heard to start. One good pull with the pull starter and it starts right up though? I am confused. The engine cranks just as fast when the electric starter is being used as a good pull on the pull starter. Could this ATV be modified maybe? I have a 1998 scrambler 400 4x4 that can not keep up with this 500?

 

My buddy has the same 4 wheeler with the exact same problem. He has gone through and over everything, and still wont start with the starter but it will with the recoil. I've searched forum after forum and he has tried everything I have come up with and nothing... How does the spark look when you pull out the plug and turn it over with the starter.. Craziest thing I have seen yet... Any luck since you posted this??

 

LOw or bad battery

 

could be a battery issue. try cranking it over w/ the plug out to see if its getting fire when your cranking. try to measure the voltage also when your cranking it over to see if its around 12 volts.

 

I would first try cleanning the battery cable ends and posts real good.I had the same problem this spring thought I needed a new battery but just needed cleaned

 

mine has the same problem and i broke the pull starter today.. the only way i can get it to start now is by jumping it with my jeep.. for some reason the extra amps seem to do the trick..seen in another post the a guy cleaned his coils and flywheel contacts and it worked again.. when i took my cover off to look at my pull rope i did notice that the flywheel was REALLY rusty.. gonna clean mine up and check the gap of the coils to the flywheel and will report tomorrow..

 

update.. found the problem.. talked to some guys at the polaris dealer and were extreemly willing to help.. not a bunch of ##### that you usually deal with.. its a pretty common problem where some of the 500's have the pulsar coil mounted on the outside of the flywheel and is un protected and takes some abuse.. my pulsar coil that is supposed to be about .4 mm away from the pickup on the outside of the flywheel was about 5mm away.. there is no adjustment so i just bent it back to where it was supposed to but and Vroooommmm.. started up with electric start just fine.. hope this helps other peeps with this problem..