Polaris 500 H.O. won't start!

[ironranger420]

I have a 500 sportsman H.O. Not sure what year it is, it was my Dad's, and giving to me a few months ago. ANyway, when it gets cold out this thing won't start. You push up on the starter and you get nothing. You try to pull start it, and the pull cord comes right out, without any resistance, or sometimes you can't even pull the cord out. ALmost like it's froze in there. If you can push it into the sun, hopefully it's sunny out, and wait a bit it works fine. Give it 10 minutes in the sun, and push up on the starter and it will at least make noise, like it's trying to start. Give it 10 more minutes in the sun, and she starts like a dream. Our other 500 H.O. starts right up in the same conditions. I think there might be water trapped somewhere that's freezing it up. I just don't get it. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[Dave]

Sounds like a 2001 or '02 if it's an HO with the push up start button. Anyway, there should be a drain plug on the bottom of the recoil housing. Sounds like water in the recoil for sure.

[packattack]

I had this problem on an old 4 wheeler a couple of years ago. I took off the recoil cover and put a heat lamp on the assembly for an hour or so. Never had a problem since, I think there was water somewhere inside that I couldn't see.