# Sportsman won't start



## kevinski

Ok my sportsman has sat up for awhile now and I tried to start it the other day and nothing. I hear the solneiod click but nothing. I replaced the starter and still the same thing. I jumped the starter and bypassed the soleniod and it turns over. The wire checks good from the soleniod to the starter with my multimeter but for some reason won't start. I also checked the soleniod to make sure I was getting 12V out of it when I hit the button and it does. Another thing I tried starting it with the soleniod bypassed and it turns over but still won't fire up. It looks like it may not be getting gas to the carb but I have not verified this yet. Could it be the carb clogged up real bad? I just want some opinions before I start going any further. I called it quits for the day but any advice would be appreciated.


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## kevinski

Oh it's a 96 sportsman 400 4X4


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## bowhuntr

Ok, sounds like you have multiple issues. Start working on them 1 at a time.

Sounds like you have a bad battery or solenoid (im guessing battery). Can you check AMPs and volts at the battery, into solenoid, out of solenoid, and into starter. Maybe try hooking up jumper cables to your battery/car and see if your battery is bad. Once you can hit the button and it cranks then worry about your next issue. I had same issue on a lawn more last summer. I was just about positive I had a bad solenoid until I "jumped it" from my running car. Soon as the starter turned over I went and bought a new battery.

Easy thing to do once it will crank and not fire is check for spark. If you have it then yea you have a fuel issues. Then tear into taking the carb out and clean it. Unless this thing has sat for 12months you shouldnt have a plugged up carb. Any inline fuel filter on it? 

Goodluck


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## kevinski

Yes it has an online fuel filter. I just replaced the fuel lines and fuel filter. That's how I know it's not getting gas cause the fuel filter won't fill. As for the battery and solenoid I doubt they are the issue, I forgot to mention that 3 weeks ago I replaced those only to find that it still wouldn't start so I went to the starter. 

In a separate note, the ignition is missing well at least the part that takes the key. You have to use a flat tip and twist it and you can hear the fan come one and solenoid click. I think the previous owner lost the key and removed the keyed ignition. I don't think it has a chip in the key cause if it did I would have thought the previous owner would not have removed the ignition. Just a thought bit I don't know if this year model had some sort of DESS system or anti theft system on it that maybe preventing it from turning over with the button. My next step is probably to change the starter power cable and clean the carb. It's been sitting at least a year and a half.


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## bowhuntr

A 96 sportsman MOST DEFINATLY does not have any sort of chip/anti theft system. If your fuel filter is not getting any fuel its not a carb issue. Your fuel line should go from the petcock to the fuel filter to the carb. Plugged tank/petcock or pinched line.

If you are getting fan that means the ignition is in the "RUN" position. At that point you should have voltage to the machine. If you hit the button and get nothing you maybe have a bad starter button.

So you've replaced the battery, solenoid, and the starter and it still doesnt crank over...Pretty much the only thing left would be the start button. Maybe take the housing a part and see if you can cross the wires at the button/switch and see what happens. I dont know if you can buy just the starter button. Might have to buy the whole lights/button/override(if equipped) pod and unplug one and plug the other in.

PS: did you charge the new battery or atleast check the amps on it?


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