Ask The Editors: Where Is My Electricity Going?
Case of the stalled out electrons.
I have checked continuity in the kill switch and that seems fine, but not sure. I guess I am still confused why I have no power on either side of the 20amp breaker with the key on or off. I have a new CDI unit coming too, but not sure that is the issue. I can jump the solenoid and get power to the starter, I just can’t seem to get power beyond the solenoid.
I also pulled most of the connections off the fuse panel and cleaned then with contact cleaner before replacing them. Anybody out there have thoughts because short of replacing every electrical component, I am at a loss.
I was also able to get it started by using the pull start.
It seems from your description that you are taking all of the correct diagnostic steps. It’s tough to say from afar but it almost sounds like you may have gotten a faulty replacement solenoid. Our go-to move when diagnosing electrical maladies is to trace the flow of electricity to the component where it stops. In this case you say it stops at the solenoid and that you can get it beyond by bypassing the component? This is certainly the sign that the solenoid isn’t functioning reliably – especially if you are experiencing intermittent starting (as the recoil system still uses the same electrical path as the electric start).
We would test the consistency of recoil starting while bypassing the solenoid. If it starts regularly via this method, it tells us that not only is the new solenoid faulty but there is likely an additional issue in the electric start process.
Have you tried testing the starter relay as well? You can measure resistance here by placing the red probe of your multimeter to the ignition circuit terminal and the other to the ground terminal. If the voltage comes back as anything under 12V when the ignition switch is turned on, the starter relay needs replacing as well.
