Starter Problem

[teampoo01]

Help!!
I have an 06 RMK 700, and started having problems with the battery going dead last year. So naturally, I checked the voltage reading and replaced the old battery with a new one. The problem didn't go away, so I took it to the dealer, thinking he would fix it. "NOPE" New battery, and same problem. Took it back and told him to fix it right this time. Recieved a call from him today, He says it's the Starter... When it is engaged, it draws the battery down to 7 Volts. I'm having trouble understanding this?? wouldn't that be normal? He wants to put a new Starter in the sled. $400.00 for starter and 4hrs labour.. Hmmmmmm, something smells fishy. Any ideas would be awsome folks?

 

[MORSNO]

If your battery is good there will be significant amperage draw when the starter is engaged but there should NOT be a large voltage drop. If your battery is in fact dropping to 7 volts, you have a bad battery. Each cell in your battery provides about 2.2 volts x 6 cells=12 volt battery. Any respectable battery shop or automative parts shop will test the battery for free.

 

[teampoo01]

Hey Morsno
Thanks for the quick response, I'll be calling him in the morning and getting a little more info from him. I'll try to get him to send me an e-mail with his findings so that I can try getting a better understanding of how they came up with that idea

 

[Super Dave3]

There was a service team tip issued by Polaris to address the issue of dragging starters. Tell your dealer to search for Team Tip S-07-03-03. It goes into detail how to repair your starter. If you continue to use your starter without getting this repair done it will do damage to the starter and render it useless. Without throwing your dealer under the bus, four hrs to make this repair is more than double what the repair should take.

 

[NapaMatt]

Check Start Amp Draw Test too..


And yes Double Check Volt Drop Tests!!

And yes a starter can take out a battery!

thanks matt

 

[teampoo01]

Thanks for the replys folks..
Here's one for you.
I was having a little trouble with the whole starter issue and the fact that I was told that there was a "dead short" in it.
So I told the dealer to put the cover on it and put it outside, we went and picked it up and brought into the shop to do a little checking under the hood.

On the battery, there is one ground cable from the battery to the frame, and we found another cable that runs from the same frame point, up through the engine room, across to the recoil starter and suppose to be bolted to the engine. it was not attached. so I checked my 900 switchback. it was the same. not bolted to the engine frame, just laying in the engine room.

Anyone know why these cables wouldn't be hooked up? Are they neccasary?
We hooked up the one on the 700, and it seems to have solved the problem.. Just unsure as to why they wouldn't be attached in the first place?
They may have pulled out of the clamps. they seem to be a pretty tight fit.

Thanks again for your help folks

 

[deepdiver]

Ditto what Super Dave 3 said.

Take your volt meter(true RMS) and measur across the + and - of the battery with motor on. Watch it closely with the motor running and have someone rev it a little for you and hold the rpms up...play around with the rpms...watch the meter close and look for any drops. I had a stator act up that would drop out intermittently and then you wont have the voltage needed to charge...you sled may run off the battery for a while. This can cause some strange issues.

More than likely go with what SuperDave3 said.

 

[Super Dave3]

Thanks for the replys folks..
Here's one for you.
I was having a little trouble with the whole starter issue and the fact that I was told that there was a "dead short" in it.
So I told the dealer to put the cover on it and put it outside, we went and picked it up and brought into the shop to do a little checking under the hood.

On the battery, there is one ground cable from the battery to the frame, and we found another cable that runs from the same frame point, up through the engine room, across to the recoil starter and suppose to be bolted to the engine. it was not attached. so I checked my 900 switchback. it was the same. not bolted to the engine frame, just laying in the engine room.

Anyone know why these cables wouldn't be hooked up? Are they neccasary?
We hooked up the one on the 700, and it seems to have solved the problem.. Just unsure as to why they wouldn't be attached in the first place?
They may have pulled out of the clamps. they seem to be a pretty tight fit.

Thanks again for your help folks

The ground cable is supposed to be bolted using one of the recoil housing bolts.