Starters gone bad

[Eric Wettschreck]

I have a 2000 Yami Big Bear 400. For the first 5 years of it's life everything was peas and carrots. Now, every other year it fries a starter motor. A big problem I've noticed is even when I've bought new starters for this machine, half the ones I've bought were faulty out of the box.

Just wondering if any of yous guys have encountered the same thing, or if I'm just the lucky one.

[Macgyver55]

If it makes you feel any better Eric. I put one on a Polaris 600 for a guy and it didnt make it a year!

He ordered it off of E bay.

[trapperdirk]

Alot of auto parts places rebuild starters and could be an alternative .

TD

[McGurk]

I just bought a '95 Wolverine, and as I was looking for an ATV I noticed that it seemed like a lot of Yamahas with the 350 and 400 engines had starter issues. From what little I've found, the starter gear is always engaged, but there is a separate starter clutch and bearing that can go bad and cause you to ruin starters. Being you say that they are bad right out of the box, it makes me wonder if there isn't an issue with the machine that is being attributed to the starter motor. Did you try wiring it up off of the machine and try it without a load? Just a thought.

There is a replacement starter for around $50 at a m a z o n , but it might only last you another year. Search for "Yamaha Starter Wolverine Big Bear 350,400 YFM350 YFM400", and it's $46 today, plus $11 shipping.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Out of habit, now I take them out of the box, put em in a vise, and wire them to a battery. Half of them have not even spun.

Thanks for the cheap tip. I'll check it out.