hello everyone,
i was buying some new parts for my quad and one thing i was going to buy was a new solenoid because it would no longer eletric start using the switch, only when i jump the terminals on the solenoid with a screw driver.
the solenoid DID until 2 days ago "click" once when the ignition switch was pushed so when it didnt do this i checked to see if there was current flowing from the wires that come from the switch to the solenoid, there was NONE (thats with the switch pushed).
i decided to also test the solenoid by putting power through the switch wires of the solenoid and it CLICKED which was good... i put the multi meter on the 2 big terminals of the solenoid with the "continuity" setting on the multi meter. when the solenoid clicked the multi meter was saying that the two terminals werent connected....
so from what i can tell is that both the switch AND the solenoid needs replacing... what do you thing?
please help me out because i need to get it starting by eletric start for this winter.
thanks everyone.

 

It does sound like your solenoid is bad based on the data you provided.

But there's much more involved with the input side of the solenoid (the two small wires) then just the ignition switch. The brake switch safety interlock wiring and the start button wiring itself is all in there too.

You'll need a meter to figure out that part. But to get started, what brand quad, and what engine size? This is a chinese quad right?

 

ya.. i have no idea the make, i have been looking everywhere but cant find out which makes it very hard to get parts for. its a 200cc and previous to this i did not need to use any saftey switches (break leaver, clutch, out of gear, etc)
it was just push the button and it would start up every time.
i guess now i will dig out the wires and see where its stopped working.. but with the solenoid when it clicks the two terminals should be connected.. shouldn't they? could it be a carbon build up on the inside of the terminals?

 

If its a chinese quad you may find that a lot of the parts are generic with the same parts used on many different brands. Generic chinese quads are really easy to find parts for.

Yes, when the solenoid clicks the two big screw posts should get connected together. If they aren't the solenoid is bad. And clicking, but no starter connection is a common failure mode...

Just about any solenoid will work as long as you can fit it in mechanically, and you don't have one that incorporates the main fuse in it as well. They're cheap and plentiful .

 

ok, there are alot of really cheap solenoids on ebay that are going for $7-$8 but im guessing they will only last a month.. what would a properly priced solenoid cost?

 

My cheap chinese solenoid has lasted several years and 2500 miles.

With chinese stuff you take your chances I guess. Most of the time it works out OK. If not, then buy a second one from a different source so your chances are better that you're not getting another one from the same bad batch.

And keep in mind that a bad solenoid isn't likely to strand you somewhere. If it ever fails you just jump across it to start your quad and drive home. No big deal...

I suspect that a lot of bad solenoids are caused by people with chronically dead batteries that routinely start up their quad with a "boost mode" charger that they plug into AC power. These only provide power in spurts at twice the power line rate (120 hertz in the US) to the battery. If the battery is completely toast it cannot keep the solenoid completely closed during the dead time of the boost charger (the dead time occurring 120 times a second). So the solenoid partially opens 120 times a second, so the contacts are a little relaxed, and the contacts inside burn.

 

i am having the same problem. i can only start my quad using a screwdriver against the two terminals on the starter solenoid, i also have a dead battery so i can only jumpstart the quad to get it started. Could the electric switch be broken or the battery being dead isn't giving the switch enough power to start. also where can i find a cheap battery for a gy6 150cc. thank you

 

what i found is that rather then using a screw driver to cross the terminals it is much easier to disconnect the lead going to the starter and leave it hanging about beside the battery. that way all you need to do is touch it onto the positive terminal of the battery which leaves you with a second hand to play around with the throttle and choke, you dont have to carry around a screw driver when your out and about and is much faster.....
its not a solution but is a temporary fix.
i would also suggest finding out why the battery isnt charging (magneto, regulator rectifier, leads or just a bad battery) do that before replacing the battery because a good battery costs up on €60 and mightn't fix your problem

 

Walmart is the best place I've found to get a battery. Measure your battery compartment and buy a battery that will fit - that is all there is to it.

Also heed irishdudes advice: If your charging system isn't working your new battery will go dead and get ruined very quickly. You must keep your battery charged up. So you need to measure the charging system with a meter and see if it is working. And as the same time find out why the starter interlock isn't working.

 

how would i go about measuring the charging system?