I have a 110 China quad that when I turn the key it wants to start without pressing the starter button. It will actually start the quad but I can hear the starter still whining as if it is not switching off. I really dont know much about these things so looking for some suggestions.

Here is when the problem started. I had a dead battery so I hooked it up to the lawn mower with it off and tried to jump it. No dice. I believe this burnt a fuse out which I just replaced. No I have the above symptoms.

Thanks for any help.

Jason

 

I think this will be an easy problem to solve, but you may need to use a meter (gasp). Do you have a meter? Can you borrow one? They are really inexpensive these days.

What brand quad? I just want to see if a have a wiring diagram.

Do you have a remote start/stop module?

Did this quad ever work in your presence before? What I'm asking is: Did this quad suddenly go from "working" to not "working" under your ownership? Or did you buy a non-running quad from someone and now are faced with this situation? No problem either way, but it does influence the troubleshooting strategy somewhat...

 

Thanks for the reply.

I do have a meter. I am not sure what kind of China quad it is. I added a pic in my album. I dont have a controller for remote start, and I'm not really sure if it even has that option.

The quad ran great for a few months after I bought it used. I started having problems with the throtle dying out when you pressed it fully. So I took the carb off and found the choke was off track. I fixed that, put it back together and then it was fine. The battery died as mentioned before and I tried to jump it. It didnt work and then I had the in-line fuse blow. I replaced that and that is where we are now.

Jason

 

I actually found the info for what quad this is.

Brand: Taotao
Model: ATA110
Date: 06/2008

 

Follow the big fat red wire from the positive battery terminal to the starter solenoid. Find two small wires that feed that solenoid. Usually there is pigtail wires coming off the solenoid that tie into the wiring harness vis a 2 pin connector. Uplug that connector. Now turn on the ignition switch. Does the starter motor still spin?

All non hacked quads have a safety interlock that will not let the starter motor spin unless the quad can't move. This is to keep the quad from starting up in gear and taking off unexpectedly. It's the same idea that everyone has in their car. You can't crank the starter motor unless you're in park or neutral. You can't start up the car in drive. Think of the possibilities (almost all bad) if you could....

Most (actually almost all) chinese quads use the brake switch interlock method. You cannot crank the starter unless the brakes are applied (in other words the brake light is on). Did your quad ever require that you apply the brakes before the quad will crank the starter motor? Is that still something that is still required and you just forgot to mention it? Will the starter motor still crank if the brakes *aren't* applied? Make sure you're in neutral for this test. If the above safety interlock is hacked "neutral" will guarantee your quad stays put if it should somehow start up...

 

I unplugged the pigtail as you mentioned and it did not try to start. The brake light did however come on still as normal. To start the quad normally I do have to apply the brake first.

Your comment about neutral either doesnt apply to this quad or it hacked to where I dont know how to put it in neutral. When the guy showed it to me he said lock the hand brake before you start it. It is definitley in gear when started because if you pick up the back end the tires are spinning. So the quad will never sit still unless you have the brake on. I wasnt thrilled about that when I got it, but if its idled down enough it is at a slow roll.

Thanks for the info. Any idea on where to get a wiring diagram or manual for this quad that might be useful?

Jason

 

Excellent. Things are much better than I had anticipated. Your starter solenoid is working, and the brake safety interlock is working. So it it starting tp look like your start button is stuck in the "on" position. Have you tired wiggling the start button to see if you can free it up?

But for my hypothesis to be valid your starter motor would have to stop spinning when you release the brake. Is that true?


Fair enough. There's no neutral. My comment was only to see if any interlock circuitry was present. Some quads use netral and/or clutch switches, but most just use the brake interlock, as you have verified.


I've never seen a tao tao 110cc wiring diagram. There are lots of other 110cc diagrams out there. There is a lot of similarity between them. Usually one can figure out (with some help) any particular wiring problem by using other wiring diagrams and seeing which one fits best for that particular circuit (such as the starting/interlock circuitry in your case).

So next look to see where your starter button is. Is it in the left handle bar switch cluster? Where ever it is follow the switch pigtail wires until they come to a connector into the main wiring harness. Unplug this connector. Now the starter switch is unplugged. Then see if the starter still spins when the ignition is on with the brakes applied.

 

I unplugged it and it still tried to fire up by turning the ignition switch.

 

But does the starter motor stop spinning when you release the brake switch? You didn't answer this question from my last post.

I'm trying to narrow this down, and to do that I need complete information from you. (This is actually now the third time I've asked this question...)

 

I really appreciate your help and appologize for not responding completely.

With the starter switch on the handle bars pigtail unplugged and the brake released it is still trying to start. This is not what used to happen. If the brake was off before it would not try to start at all.

Thanks,
Jason