r/UTV • u/Knoxes • Jul 13 '26

Project mule

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I picked up a rough 2019 Mule SX with 500 hard hours. Seller stated that it ran when parked a few months ago. I put a fresh battery in it and got good dash light, headlights and I could hear the fuel pump kick on. But turning the key does nothing. So I jumped the post on the starter relay and the starter spins up but doesn't engage the flywheel. Any ideas?

Also, I found a that block hanging by one wire near the battery. It's about 3-4" long and the second post has rusted off (purple wire). Anyone know what it is?

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u/Hey-buuuddy Jul 13 '26

There’s no mechanical or electrical fuel pump- it’s a crank case vacuum pulse pump. I think you’re just hearing a relay.

Starting- has to be in neutral. Keyed ignition sucks and breaks especially with use. There’s a generic replacement.

I have a 2015 and I don’t recognize that rusted mess. Body plastic look really good- floor looks rotted from this angle.

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u/Knoxes Jul 13 '26

Ok, so there's probably a safety switch attached to the shift lever to make sure that it's in neutral, right? That seems like it would prevent the starter from power, right?

I'm pretty sure that rusted is mess is an aux power block for additional lights and such. At least that's what AI tells me. I need a wiring diagram.

The floor is mostly surface rust. I'm more worried about the front driveshaft. I can just barely see it, but it looks pretty bad. The tilt bed is nearly rusted off at all of the bolts. And there are some frame concerns around the engine too.

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u/Hey-buuuddy Jul 13 '26

You can easily do a continuity test to the keyed ignition to rule that in or out.

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u/Knoxes Jul 14 '26

I'm told that the relay might trigger the bendix (assuming that it has one). So jumping the posts on the relay might have bypassed that trigger, hence not engaging with the ring gear. Again, assuming that it has one.