1989 Polaris Long Track Reverse Snowmobile Rotax 440 Air Cooled Engine wont start - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

CraigBrian · 01-22-2012, 06:31 PM

My dad's 1989 Polaris Long Track Reverse Snowmobile with a Rotax 440 Air Cooled Engine wont start

He was going half throttle uphill and the ignition died. since then we could not get it to start again.

We don't know if it has a CDI box.

Keep in mind my dad is and has been electrician for 30 years so please don't hold back

any information would help of how to get this snowmobile to start and run again

He did get the ignition coil replaced a few years a go with an aftermarket one

CraigBrian · 10-20-2012, 08:11 PM

bump

**RJ Gleason** · 10-20-2012, 08:25 PM

I suggest that you try a known good unit to verify the CDI as the problem before buying another new one.

CraigBrian · 10-20-2012, 08:42 PM

We don't have another CDI Box

we will have to test it. But if its not the CDI Box what else could it be?

**RJ Gleason** · 10-21-2012, 08:30 AM

Well, if the cdi is good, then test the coil pack.
If you have positive tests here then you look at the stator.
I'll go out on a limb and say that the problem is the coil pack.

**smallengineguy** · 10-21-2012, 09:05 AM

If it just quit, I'd say CDI. Pretty common, and pretty inexpensive aftermarket.

CraigBrian · 12-02-2012, 06:38 PM

Ok well today we took out the snowmobile took out the old gas thats been in there for four or five years. we flushed it out used the primer to get the rest out and even drained the Carburetor

We checked the Starter Coil and the Ignition Coil, we had a Digital meter and a Analog Meter to check the ohms don't know the exact recommend are for the Ohms we have the "Clymer Polaris Service Manual 1984 - 1989"

the readings were close to spec but it was quite cool out so the values on the reading varied somewhat

we manged to get it to spark, we had weird issue happen but we disconnected the kill switch and then the spar plugs stated sparking again. we sprayed starter fluid into where the spark plugs screw in and it ALMOST STARTED four times in a row it made a whining sound then it stopped.

we almost had to start but it just wouldn't go, the spark plugs keep flooding. We did the best today tho. somethings just nor working were going to take out the carburetor adjust the float valves and clean it out one day.

93sportwithkids · 12-03-2012, 04:18 PM

The kill switches do go bad. I just put one in my 94... I did not buy the OEM unit because they have poor reliability and a high price. I did find a company which makes an aftermarket switch to replace it with.
If it was sitting for 5 years you probably need to drain the fuel take, change the fuel filter, and clean the carbs to get it going again. They are most likely gummed up from sitting too long.

98yota · 12-04-2012, 12:20 PM

If it keeps flooding, it's a good chance the needle is gummed up and stuck open. The crankcase is also probably flooded. Once you clean out the carb, I would pull the spark plugs out and pull the starter pull until the mist stops coming out of the spark plug holes, this will get the fuel out of the crankcase.

CraigBrian · 12-14-2012, 11:28 PM

Ok so last week my dad and I MANGED to get the snowmobile start! the choke it broken off but we used some Vice grips to hold it open and we pulled on the Cord about twenty times with the choke ALL the way on and each pull it started more and more. but It wouldn't rev up after the twenty time of pulling the cord the snowmobile ran for about five seconds with the throttle ALL THE WAY open and the choke on then it died so he pulled it again then it ran for about ten seconds this time then my dad let go of the throttle and it start to die so he pulled the throttle all the way open and it wasn't revving at all it would just Idle

So we took the carburetor off and open it up. IT WAS CLEAN! And the float system in it was AMAZING!!!!!!!

My dad thinks the Fuel Filter is dirty and that's why the snowmobile won’t start we also found out the Throttle cable is a bit frayed but just slightly so were ordering new parts.

I want to make sure though. Do any of you think the main issue is the Fuel Filter?
We put brand new gas in it drained the carburetor and crank case so there is new Gas in it.

And also the Spark plugs in it weren't BR9ES Spark Plugs they were BR8ES Spark Plugs
My dad had the originals in it but he switched them around with BR8ES Spark Plugs when it was last running about five years ago.

Here's a parts list of SOME of the parts for his exact Snowmobile
1989 Polaris Longtrak Reverse Snowmobile Parts | MFG Supply

CraigBrian · 12-16-2012, 05:45 PM

bump

aduck · 12-16-2012, 07:49 PM

If your getting good spark. Id lean towards fuel first pop the fed of the carb and pull. Gas should come out the line if not could be pump or pickup line.

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93sportwithkids · 12-17-2012, 02:20 PM

Ditto:
Pull the fuel line and check to see that you are getting good fuel delivery to both carburators... not just one or the other, check both. (I just put new clear fuel line on my Indy Lite last week and noticed after running that my left carburator fuel line was just having bubbles of fuel blown into it from the pump, and it never filled up at all with fuel. Altho it ran so-so, I ordered a new Mikuni fuel pump and put it on last week. The fuel lines filled in seconds after starting it. Definately a bad pump. I went with Mikuni since Polaris wanted 3 times a smuch for a rebulid kit) That probably saved me a walk out of the woods.
Even though the carburators look clean they may not be. The float issue that you looked at is one thing, but the idle circuit is another. If your fuel pump is working then you need to go back into the carbs and clean them. For now just see if your pump works, if it does... then there is a great "how to" thread on cleaning carburators and idle circuits. And... don't get too excited, you may have to do both!!! But its all fun right?