How to Put a New Pull Rope on Polaris 440

The Polaris 440 has two starting mechanisms.

A Polaris 440 snowmobile has an ignition starter and a backup recoil starter. While the recoil starter is not used regularly when the 440 is in proper working condition, the pull rope is susceptible to wear and tear from repetitive emergency use. Replacing the pull rope is not a difficult process because the recoil starter is housed on the outside of the engine bay. With a few basic tools and a new pull rope, the repair takes less than 20 minutes.

Things You'll Need

• Safety glasses
• Socket set
• Knife

Instructions

1. Remove the recoil housing from the engine block. Unscrew the bolts on the housing with a socket wrench. The recoil housing is located on the right side of the engine above the foot runner. It is round with a flat face.

2. Detach the plastic tab on the top of the pull handle if the existing pull rope is not broken. Simply slide a knife into the seam between the tab and the handle and pop it off. Untie the knot in the rope -- the knot prevents the rope from sliding out the bottom of the handle.

3. Remove the handle from the pull rope. Allow the recoil wheel to pull the rope through the hole in the housing plate, but do not allow the rope to wrap around the recoil wheel. Tie a knot in the rope after it slips through the hole.

4. Put on your safety glasses and disassemble the recoil housing. Allow the recoil spring to spin the wheel until all the tension on the wheel is relieved. Unscrew the nut in the center of the recoil wheel with a socket wrench. Pull the wheel off the bolt. Do not remove any other components of the recoil housing.

5. Untie the knot at the end of the existing pull rope. There is also a knot at the other end of the rope. it is butted up against the inside of the recoil wheel wall. Grab the remaining knot and pull the rope out of the wheel.

6. Tie a knot in one end of your new pull rope. Slide the other end into the hole in the wheel wall from the inside. Pull the entire rope through to butt the knot against the inside wall of the wheel. Wrap the rope around the wheel clockwise in the circumference trough. Place the wheel over the recoil housing bolt and thread the nut on behind it. Tighten the nut with a socket wrench.

7. Turn the wheel counterclockwise to tension the spring. Rotate it until turning it manually is no longer possible. Hold the wheel in place with one hand and slide the end of the rope through the hole in the recoil housing with the other. Tie a knot in the rope one foot below the end. Release the rope. The recoil wheel will suck the knot up against the hole in the housing wall.

8. Slide the end of the rope through the handle and tie a knot in it. Push the knot into the inside of the handle and replace the tab. Remove the knot below the handle. Put the recoil housing against the receiver plate on the engine and bolt it into place.

References

• SnowGoer.com: How to Fix a Snowmobile Recoil Starter