Hi

I have a zstar 110 cc and there is no power, lights...nothing....I have changed keyed switch, swich that controls on/off start button, fuse, checked wires...no luck...any suggestions...I have a voltmeter not sure how to use it when checking certain check points....what wires to check...thanks

 

Take a meter and set to the 20 volt DC scale. Put the black lead on the negative battery terminal and leave it there for all the the subsequent tests. Use the red lead to follow 12.6 volts from the battery through the following (ignition switch on) :

1) Measure the positive battery terminal. You measure what?
2) Find the fuse. Measure the voltage on both sides of the fuse. What do you measure?
3) Go to the ignition switch wires. Usually there are four. Probe all of them. You should see 12 volts on two of them. Do you?
4) Repeat step 3) above with the ignition switch off. Now you should 12 volts on just one of those wires. Do you?

If you cannot get to the wires with the plugs connected then use a sewing pin to carefully poke into the insulation to the wire core. Then probe the sewing pin with the meter. Be careful not to allow the sewing pin to short to ground or sparks will fly.

This is a start. We're following the 12 volt path from the battery to and through the ignition switch. From here the 12 volts goes to many things, and because you say nothing that runs on 12 volts works it seems the problem must be before this point. But maybe not. Let's get through these tests first and then plot the next course of action.

The above tests assume that you don't have a bad ground. Again, get through the above tests, then let's see if the results tell us we need to back up and look at ground connections.

 

OK Here are the values....I now have power..Lights in front, but nothing when I hit start button....still will cross over....

#1 13.16
#2 13v on both sides of fuse
#3 key on red wire at key switch shows 13v and none of the other show anything greater then 0.4
#4 same as #3 which I guess is right....should only show 13 at red...

had to take connector apart to get readings.....

colors of wires at key switch are red, green, black, black/green...

Lynn can you pm me an email....

 

Your #3 result is wrong. If the ignition switch is on then *two* wires will have 12 volts on them. So if what you report is true then your ignition switch is bad. You might want to verify this just to be this isn't a blind alley...

From your wire colors I would guess that the black wire is the one that is supposed to be 12 volts when the key switch is on. If I'm right then the green wires is ground, and the black/green is the kill switch connection.

Use your ohm meter to verify that green is really ground all the time, and that the black/green is shorted to ground only when the ignition switch is off.

Are you sure the black/green wire is not black/white? That would be a more standard color for the kill switch function.

 

Yes you are right....13 v at two wires when key is on....13 v at one when not on.....the black green is connected to ground green in wire harness....

When I squeeze brake there is no brake light on.....I get taillight when lights are on....and have head lights.......

What is next...I am not sure..thanks

 

This is not right. Are you using an ohmmeter to measure these two wires connected? Are you measuring into the wiring harness, of measuring into the ignition switch (unplugged). Measuring into the switch (when unplugged) should show those two wires are open (not connected) when the ignition switch is on, and shorted together when the ignition switch is "off". Looking into the wiring harness: The two wires should be open (not connected) when *all* the kill switches are in the RUN position. If *any* kill switch is in the KILL position those two wires will be shorted.


This is a far cry different from your original post where you said "there is no power, lights...nothing...." . The brake switch is part of the starter safety interlock system. You cannot crank the starter motor unless the brakes are applied in order to keep the quad from starting up and lurching into something unexpectedly. It's like the interlock on your car that won't let you crank the starter with the transmission in "Drive". The interlock uses the brake switch to sense that the brakes are applied. Since you have no brake light(s), it suggests that your brake switch isn't working.

Can you see the wires going to your brake switch(es)? Are both of your brakes actuated by hand levers? Or do you have a foot brake pedal as well? Most quads are wired such that either brake applied (as measurd by the brake switches) satisfies the interlock and allows the starter to crank.

 

I was measuring when connectors unplugged.....the last time I measured, I did so when the connectors were attached making the reading with the voltmeter set to 20v.....

I do not have a ohmmeter unless the voltmeter will do the same job by a flick of the switch......

I did have no power nothing due to bad connection from battery to solenoid....clean this up and tightened then I have lights....no turn over...

I have two brake handles no foot pedal....I can follow wires unitl they go inside harness tubing......

What should I test next?

Thanks

 

I took the harness tubing wrap apart and found the yellow/green wire separated from the 2 wires that go the solenoid connector....connected again and fired up......

I am still interested where I would of checked next....I cam this far might as well know more tests for electrical.....is there anyone here that would have an accurate wiring diagram for zstar...someone told me they are made by shineray in china...thx

 

[quote=foles88;3110550...I do not have a ohmmeter unless the voltmeter will do the same job by a flick of the switch......[/quote]

Almost all meters have an ohmeter function built in. Ohms scales are usually designated with the greek omega letter (looks like an upside down horseshoe - but google it to see for sure what it looks like). But ohms (like, let's say weight), can be measured over enormous ranges. You can measure milliohms, to ohms, to 1000's of ohms, to millions of ohms. 10 milliohms will display as 0.010 ohms if you set to the lowest scale. 10,000 ohms will measure as 10K ohms (10 kilo ohms) , 10 million ohms will measure as 10M ohms (mega ohms). You have to choose the right scale to get the best resolution.

 

So you had 12 volts through the ignition switch (when switched on). You did not get 12 volts to the solenoid even after you applied the brake(s), and pressed the starter button. Those last two links in the solenoid actuating coil power path would be the next thing to check:

1) Measure the input voltage to the brake switch
2) Measure the output voltage of the brake switch (which you could also do by looking at the brake light since it gets it's power from this point. If the brake light is lit when you step on the brake [with the ignition switch on], then the brake switch is working).
3) Measure the input voltage to the start button (ignition on and brakes applied).
4) measure the output voltage from the start button (with all of the above, and the start button pushed).
5) Measure 12 volts at the solenoid.

There is a chain of connections: From the battery, through the fuse, through the ignition switch, through the brake switch, through the start button, and to the starter solenoid actuating coil. You simply go down the chain with a meter until you find where the chain is broken.

There is one more slightly more subtle piece to the chain. The other side of the starter solenoid actuating coil must be grounded and the ground path back to the negative battery terminal must be intact. But this is measurable with a meter too..