[townhound]

Having trouble with the electric start and headlights. Symptoms are: No electric start, no headlights, no dash lights. Replaced: keyswitch, starter solenoid. Checked the 1 fuse I have found, its good. Checked the diode, good. I found a print for a 97 online, it only shows 1 fuse. I can pull start it. I can jump the starter solenoid, it will run. The keyswitch has 4 wires. Red, Brown, Black, Black w/ white. With the keyswitch off, black and black w/white are made, Red and brown are not. 12V+ on red. When keyswitch is made, I lose the 12v on red. At this point I think I am going to start jumping out switches such as oil temp, neutral safety, etc. I cant for the life of me find a shorted wire. Has anyone have any suggestions or have ran into this?

 

[waltinbatonrouge]

um why a shorted wire? Sounds like an open in the circuit, not a short.

Double check the key wiring...was it an aftermarket keyswitch? Interesting coincidence...only reason i ask, we just saw one on a big bear, customer replaced it with a no name one they found on ebay... the new one wouldn't switch 12v out to primary power, start switch etc etc ...kinda sounds like the situation that you are describing, yes? 12v doesn't come out of the switch
check the switch unplugged looking at schematic 12v in/out

I don't have print handy, but i can dig one up if you first look at 12v path from battery to key switch then out to headlight switch. etc ..let us know..

walt

 

[townhound]

You are correct, it would be an open circuit since the 12v goes away on the red wire when switched on. Near as I can tell, and by my own reasoning, the black-black w/white is a ground or negative that would open on keyswitch. If you have an accurate print, I would love to see it!!LOL!! Or if someone could ohm out their keyswitch so that I know what I am seeing is correct, and not a junk keyswitch.

 

[townhound]

This is the print I am working off of

 

[waltinbatonrouge]

Slow down a bit...the way your factory print reads is that in the "on" state (key on) the Main Switch connects the red wire (12v in from battery) to the BRown wire (12v out) that supplies 12v to the bike (headlight switch etc etc...)

Are You getting 12v on the brown wire when the switch is on? or IS the 12v disappearing from the Red wire (from battery) when you close the switch?
walt

 

[townhound]

I was losing the red wire. I FOUND IT!! I had a bad connection at the factory splice on the red wire. The splice was located about 6" from where it is connected to the hot side of the starter solenoid. That gave me lights and dash lights, however still would not turn over. Found the neutral safety switch bad. I wired around to frame and everything works, motor starts, thank god!! Going to order a new neutral safety switch for it. I just bought this atv. So the electric start never worked for me, the guy I bought it from had tried to trouble shoot it so every zip tie has been cut, electrical tape has been pulled off. So i'm going to take some time nd button everything up nice and neat before something bad happens, gets wet, etc. Thanks for the help. This machine is a beast, and love the low low range!!

 

[waltinbatonrouge]

thanks for letting us know what you found! have a great one..
walt

 

[dezz]

thanks for letting us know what you found! have a great one..
walt

X2.
We appreciate it when a person does this and closes the thread properly.

 

[WellsSmallEngine]

Hi. So upon much aggravation and research this is also my problem. Yet ive done everything ive read in this thread so far. But still no luck. So im basically at the point where I have done all the same testing, spoken of through this thread. I can get the bike to start off of jumping it but I still have no power to the switch or any – lights or anything up there I can't get anything up there and I'm at a loss for what to do next any help would be appreciated thanks.

 

[Ridgway81432]

Hi. So upon much aggravation and research this is also my problem. Yet ive done everything ive read in this thread so far. But still no luck. So im basically at the point where I have done all the same testing, spoken of through this thread. I can get the bike to start off of jumping it but I still have no power to the switch or any – lights or anything up there I can't get anything up there and I'm at a loss for what to do next any help would be appreciated thanks.

Welcome from Colorado.
Its best to start a new thread so we can keep up with your project.
Add a signature for your ride so we know what you're working on.
It sounds like you need to start at the battery and check the wiring, fuses and relays for the interruption. When using jumper cables you're adding a new power source, using different power path(s) to the different systems which is getting around the problem you're trying to find.