Just aquired a used bearcat. A 1996 454. This is our first ATV. Not being familiar with the charging system, using the winch alot drained the battery. At one point the battery was boosted from a truck.

Now the bearcat will not start. After some trouble shooting I noticed that the fuse (30 amp) in the starter relay was blown. After replacing and blowing a few more fuses the starter relay was replaced.

To replace the starter relay I disconnected the battery. Once the relay was installed I connected the battery. Before I could put the seat back on I noticed a electrical burning smell and then some smoke coming up from the battery area. I diconnected the battery as fast as I could and didnt take too close of a look where the smoke was coming form as I was more concerned about disconnecting the battery. Looking forward, smoke was coming from left side under the battery area.

After this I had a look at the new starter relay...and the fuse was blown again

Anyone have any ideas....Could the electrical system be damaged from jumping it from a pickup truck....could the voltage regulator be faulty.

 

I was running into the same problems with the battery. Also the fuses began to blow the same way yours are. I went through about 5 fuses before I realized that the voltage regulator had mud in the fins and that was shorting out the circuit and blowing the fuse.

Let me know if that was the problem.

 

Also, boosting an ATV battery with a Car battery is OK as long as the engine of the car is not running. It is not good to charge, even for a short time, and ATV battery with the 25 or 50amps that come from a cars charging system. It can permanently damage your battery and possibly your ATV charging system. A low amperage 2-4amp charge is better but will take longer.

If you saw smoke you have a short from some fried electrical component or wire(s). Voltage regulator, CDI both of which are expensive. Start from the battery and follow every hot wire to its end and look for charring or the black residue from the smoke. Hopefully it is just a wire.

SJ

 

Odds are it is the regulator. If it was smokeing it will have goo running out its backside. They are fun to change(ha ha), Best to remove the muffler so you can get both hands in there to get the bolts out. Check the harness where it plugs into the bike, these get corroded or a post breaks off and then the regulator fries. Hope this helps, TORK.