Stilkikn

I had a spark problem with my 2002 Bear tracker as well and couldn't find a way to test the CDI but found an aftermarket CDI for 20 bucks on ebay, took a chance and bought it and it worked fine. That was this past summer and the after market CDI still working like it should. Here's a link to the unit I bought. https://www.ebay.com/itm/373168428627

Here is the ignition circuit on my 2002. I don't know if your 2003 is the same but will be very similar. Might give you a starting point if you haven't found a better wiring reference yet. You're asking how to bypass to ground wire on the kill switch but as I stated above, apparently there are two different kill switch circuits one with a ground wire and one without, mine has no ground wire in the kill switch, just basically a dis-connect switch from the hot wire off the battery so I can't help you on that. If you know for sure which system you have and have the correct wiring diagram for it then post a pic of it and I'm pretty confident someone here will be able to help you figure it out.

Yamaha apparently made some changes in the starter circuits sometime in the early 2000s. I'm not sure about a 2003 model but my 2002 Bear Tracker doesn't use a ground wire in the kill switch. When it is ON (or RUN on some models) then battery voltage is continuously sent to CDI. But when kill switch is OFF then that voltage simply doesn't reach the CDI, no grounding takes place, just a voltage dis-connect. The kill switch on mine also sends battery power to the starting circuit cutoff relay, not to be confused with the starter relay itself. On my 2002 the starter won't even engage if the kill switch is turned off. Hope I haven't confused the issue further but important to know that there are two types of kill switches out there. Also, you didn't mention the stator or CDI as parts that the dealer replaced. Not sure why they wouldn't but if they didn't and you're not sure about condition of either of these, there are Chinese replacements all over Ebay for a fraction of OEM parts. Some folks report having bad luck with them but I recently replaced the stator on my Bear Tracker with a Chinese one for less than 30 bucks and it works just as it should. OEM stator is in the 300 to 400 dollar range...

My Bear Tracker 250 requires that it be in first gear before shifting into reverse. It is designed that way and talks about it in the owner manual. I suspect that your Timber Wolf uses the same transmission in which case there is no problem . See below. From Owners Manual Drive select lever operation and reverse driving CAUTION:Before shifting, stop the machine and re-turn the throttle lever to its closed posi-tion. Otherwise the transmission may bedamaged.NOTE: When shifting into reverse, the transmissionmust be in first gear. 1. Bring the machine to a complete stopand return the throttle lever to the closedposition .2. Apply the rear brake pedal. 3. Shift the transmission into first gear. 4. While pulling the lock release button,move the drive select lever toward therear until it completely stops

Quick update on the shifter problem. After adjusting the forward/reverse linkage yesterday it hasn't tried jumping into reverse at all. I worked it pretty hard in the woods all day today, hauling small cedar logs and cart loads of brush up and down these Missouri hills without a hitch so starting to think the problem was all in a simple linkage adjustment. Will post back if anything changes.

Well it tried to jump into reverse again this afternoon and it wasn't even under a load this time. I've been thinking about it and got to thinking it might be something as simple as the forward/reverse shifter linkage so when it acted up again today I took it straight to the shop and adjusted the linkage so as to move the actuator further into the forward position. I only adjusted it one turn on the adjustment thread since I don't really know what the heck I'm doing and don't want to go too far. Shifts into both forward and reverse with no problem but I won't really know whether that fixes the problem or not until I've rode it awhile since the problem is intermittent, but so far so good.

I agree, that's a head scratcher for sure. Anyway, glad you got it sorted out now.

That's pretty strange. I think I'd tend to believe the VIN number found on the frame. If you post a couple pics of your machine a member might be able to help you with it's identification.

I made the adjustment but it seemed to be very close to being adjusted correctly already. I was able to tighten it just a tiny fraction before feeling the resistance but I can't really tell that it made any difference. But I learned something anyway since I didn't even know the clutch was adjustable so it's all good! Thanks again for the information Ajmboy, much appreciated.

Yes that looks just like the one on my Beartracker. I'll check it out this afternoon and see if it needs any adjustment. It doesn't slip at all that I can tell and other than the trouble with it trying to jump out of forward and into reverse those two times it hasn't given me any other trouble. Thanks for the reply and the video link. I'll post up my findings after I check it out later today.

This morning I was pulling a small trailer to move some dirt, (knocking off some high spots and filling in some low spots,) carrying around 200 lbs of dirt each load. I was using first gear only, and only hauling it about 100 feet. Twice the transmission appeared to try to slip out of forward and into reverse. There was a scary amount of gear chatter and I immediately braked and let off the throttle. I pushed the forward/reverse lever back into forward and was able to continue on but on the very next load it did the exact same thing and I was again able to get it going by pushing the lever forward. After that I was able to continue hauling dirt for the next 2 hours with no problems. But the fact that it happened and the gear noise that came with it is worriesome and was hoping someone might know what happened, what caused it, and how to fix the problem and/or avoid it in the future. Thanks.

Thanks for the welcome!

Follow up on carb cleaning. Took it back apart this morning and repeated everything I did yesterday plus ran copper wire into every orifice I could find and put it back together and re-installed. Started right up and runs great. Don't know what I missed yesterday but must have found it today. Rode around the fields and woods for about an hour with no problems. Next step is to get the front brakes working which I hope to get to tomorrow. Two of the four tires are leaking air through cracks and around rims so considering whether to put tubes in them or bite the bullet and replace the tires. Tons of tread left on the old ones but sitting in the dirt for so long has taken a toll on the rubber.

Hello from Missouri, 72 year old outlaw here doing his best to stay in the game. Owned several bikes in my life, but just acquired my first quad. It's a Yamaha Bear Tracker, still working out what year it is but think it's a 2002 give or take a year. It had sat for several yrs before I got it so has a few problems. Both front brakes were locked up. I released them by loosening the connection at the master cylinder just so I could push it the ramps onto my pickup. Will look into that later but right now my first priority is to get it running. I was able to start it when I got it home by giving it a shot of starting fluid in the carb throat but wouldn't stay running. Took the carb off and gave it what I felt was a thorough cleaning and it did help. It starts and can even be rode but bogs down under a load and have to go very easy on the throttle to get it going. Big improvement over yesterday but looks like I'll need to give the cleaning another go round, apparently missed something somewhere. Anyways, came here looking for information so glad to be here and and any advice will be much appeciated.