I bought a used 200cc Hibird atv for the kids to ride last weekend. I went out and took it to check horses today and started fine, after checking I got on it to head to the house and nothing, no lights, no start. I was parked on a hill so I rolled it down and it started right up. Got back to the house and decided to see if it was something easy to fix (). So below is what I have checked and found.

1. Key switch is good.
2. Battery is good.
3. I have 12v at solenoid
4. Starter button is good
5. Fuse under left seat is good

Here it starts getting weird

I tried jumping the solenoid and nothing happend I checked the voltage had 12v checked the other side just for giggles and it had 12v also . If anybody has any ideas I would love to hear them. I can push start it and it runs and while it is running all the lights work.

 

Are you certain you don't have AC lights? The symptoms are those of a failed starter except for the lighting. Sorry to be repeating myself but the test for a starter is:-
Get a 12 volt test bulb and connect it between the starter live terminal and earth. If the bulb lights and the motor doesn't turn when you press the starter button you have a bad starter, either a new starter, or probably just brushes, will cure it.
If your lights are DC the wire with the fuse in it is the problem and the fault is fairly close to the battery and fuse, as regulator power is feeding the ignition switch instead of battery power once you get the engine running.

 

Thanks for the reply,
I have power to the solenoid, starter button is sending the 12v, the lights come on after it is started and running (by push starting). The starter may be bad, I will pull one off an old scooter I have laying around. I don't think that is going to fix the problem though. Like I said even without pushing the starter button (which I tested and it works) I have 12v going through the solenoid, like it is shorted across. I will change that out also. That does not explain the no lights though. I will try to get into it this weekend and start tearing apart until it works.

 

If you checked things with a voltmeter you are wasting your time. The starting system needs amps and this is best checked with a test lamp.

 

Ok I will get one today and check it again. I don't know why that would cause the lights not to work though. I know the battery is good, I also had it on the charger while I was testing it.

 

Ok I have gotten it figured out. There was more than one problem is why I was so baffled. First problem was the ground on the battery was corroded and was not making good contact (that was the starting issue). Second was the connecter from the starter button, lights, etc... had a bad connector(that was the lights problem). After I started it the vibration was enough to connect the lights wire. Thanks Merryman for your replies. I am off to the trails.