# 2005 Polaris Ranger Cranking Issues...



## DaddyPaul

All of a sudden my Ranger (372 hours) is having intermittent starting problems.  Depress brake, turn key and you get one "clunk" like the starter is trying to engage but it doesn't crank.  The starter does not spin either, just the one "clunk", then nothing.  Try it 10 or so times and it generally starts.  Finally got it started today and rode it around for a few minutes, shut it down and it cranked a half dozen times in a row perfectly.  Battery was replaced either last year or the year before, everything else is pretty much stock.  

Any suggestions?


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## Rivershot

I have 05 700 ranger and early this summer mine did the exact same thing. I tracked it down to the red wire that feeds the brain. The next time it does it turn the key off, open the hood, turn the key back on and wiggle the plug going into the brain (opposite of the battery) and you should here it click-in and fuel pump run. You HAVE to turn it off before opening the hood cause when it happens the click you are hearing is the breaker in the brain and it need a minute to reset.
 The fix was to unplug it, which was hard because it had melted together a little, and clean the connection and use the test light probe to tighten the female side.
 Later today I'll look and see exactly which red wire and its position.


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## DaddyPaul

Weird, it has cranked 20 times in a row flawlessly.  Maybe something loose?


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## NE GA Pappy

corroded connection on the battery.


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## rjcruiser

Sounds like either a bad connection on the battery or the battery itself.


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## mudracing101

DaddyPaul said:


> All of a sudden my Ranger (372 hours) is having intermittent starting problems.  Depress brake, turn key and you get one "clunk" like the starter is trying to engage but it doesn't crank.  The starter does not spin either, just the one "clunk", then nothing.  Try it 10 or so times and it generally starts.  Finally got it started today and rode it around for a few minutes, shut it down and it cranked a half dozen times in a row perfectly.  Battery was replaced either last year or the year before, everything else is pretty much stock.
> 
> Any suggestions?



Put a charger on the battery, my polaris did the exact same thing, ended up having to put a new battery on it. Yours may just be weak and need a boost. Mine would only take the charge for a day or so and do the symptoms all over again.


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## DaddyPaul

mudracing101 said:


> Put a charger on the battery, my polaris did the exact same thing, ended up having to put a new battery on it. Yours may just be weak and need a boost. Mine would only take the charge for a day or so and do the symptoms all over again.



I'll check it out.  For as much as I paid for the battery two years ago I dadgum sure hope it's not bad already.  

P.S.  Barely touched the key at lunch and VROOOOOM..she fired right up.  Headed to Georgia for the weekend tomorrow, probably leave me stranded.


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## mudracing101

DaddyPaul said:


> I'll check it out.  For as much as I paid for the battery two years ago I dadgum sure hope it's not bad already.
> 
> P.S.  Barely touched the key at lunch and VROOOOOM..she fired right up.  Headed to Georgia for the weekend tomorrow, probably leave me stranded.



I know, like i said mine done the same thing so i was very hesitate about the battery. Touch the key and it would bust right off. But every now and you could here it click like the solenoid or starter but nothing. Needless to say a new battery and it has went a way. This might not be your problem but it sure sounds familiar, good luck.


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## JpEater

Probably your battery. A battery tender is your friend. It will add years to the life of your small batteries.


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## markland

Sounds more like a bad connection and not getting enough juice to the solenoid to kick the starter over.  Check all your connections and wiring I am sure there is a problem with something in there.
I had to put a relay on my air fan solenoid key switch wire on my boat cuz the 20ft+ of wiring running from my key start on my steering stick in the front of the boat to the fan in the back was not getting enough juice to the solenoid and it would just click and click till it finally turned over.  With the relay it fires right over 1st time with no problem.


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## DaddyPaul

So if I could turn both the positive and negative battery cables by hand that's bad? 

Neither was sloppy loose but I could turn them with very little pressure.  Of course I am super humanly strong.  Just not very smart.


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## markland

Yep that could do it, got to have solid connections with 12V systems and I always use dielectric grease on all outdoor or exposed electrical connections.


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## James Miner

DaddyPaul said:


> All of a sudden my Ranger (372 hours) is having intermittent starting problems.  Depress brake, turn key and you get one "clunk" like the starter is trying to engage but it doesn't crank.  The starter does not spin either, just the one "clunk", then nothing.  Try it 10 or so times and it generally starts.  Finally got it started today and rode it around for a few minutes, shut it down and it cranked a half dozen times in a row perfectly.  Battery was replaced either last year or the year before, everything else is pretty much stock.
> 
> Any suggestions?


I had the exact same thing. I wore out the ignition switch doing the banging and the solenoid burned out. It is cheap and operates the opposite of a lawn mower so I took one from an old mower. 
The problem is one brush in the starter is worn away. remove the starter and it will spin out of your hand when jumped. But it loses half the torque with one brush out. The commutator will need cleaned up as it will have burn spots. I found a brush plate kit for $15 and now it is running before I know it. 
A full battery would help and so did a lithium jumper but only so long and it was nasty when way out at the deer stand. With one brush worn the current draw is WAY up so it melts the contacts into plastic in the solenoid.
I hope that helps you.


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## James Miner

Did you fix the problem? I have not heard from you.


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## JROESEL

look at the date on the prior topic, that was 9 years ago, he might not even have that buggy any more, and I doubt your going to hear back from him


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## James Miner

JROESEL said:


> look at the date on the prior topic, that was 9 years ago, he might not even have that buggy any more, and I doubt your going to hear back from him


WOW, I never looked at the date. Thank you for that.


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## James Miner

Any way it should help someone along the line.
What happens when a brush wears is you need an awful amount of current to complete the circuit. That is why sometimes a charger or jumper works. The current has to arc from the commutator to the brush and that just causes more damage as the solenoid can't take it. It damages the commutator also.
I see more and more of this problem on every ATV site and of course everyone blames the battery.


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