Starter struggles to turn engine over.
 

I recently purchased what i believe is a chinese childs 110cc quad, It may be a Loncin as the seat from a Loncin fits straight onto this one.


When i got it i was told it needed a new battery, I got a new battery and fully charged it but after connecting it the starter just barely turns it over, Now and again it will turn over once and quad will try to fire, But most of the time its just a really slow turn or just a rapid succession of clicks.

What i have noticed too is that when its trying the starter motor gets hot and the cables coming off the battery will get quite warm too.

I have even gone as far as trying a fully charged car battery but the motor still wont turn quick enough.

If i take the flywheel cover off i can turn the flywheel by hand and i can feel compression so i know its not seized and the starter motor will also turn.

Is it a motor problem ? If i were to get a new one would it solve the problem or am i looking at another fault.

Thanks for reading.

Here is an image of the quad



http://i1076.photobucket.com/albums/...7/IMG_0099.jpg

Have one similar. I had the same problem too. I put a larger battery tray under the rear fender and put a bigger battery. Fix the problem. Put a cranking charger on it and turn it over, this should give you a idea if the battery is too small.

It wont turn over properly with a fully charged car battery either :0

Cheers.

Sounds like a bad start motor to me. The starter and cables are getting hot suggesting that the starter is struggling, and the engine turns freely by hand suggesting that the starter shouldn't be struggling. I would pull the starter out and see if it spins outside the engine. Unloaded, the starter should spin freely under power, and shouldn't get warm at all.

A very remote (unlikely) possibility is that there is a mechanical binding going on somewhere between the starter drive chain and the output side of the starter clutch. So you may want to pop off some side covers and make sure the starter motor, chain and starter clutch moves freely when rotated backwards. [When you spin all this backwards the starter clutch is uncoupled from the engine, and you'd be testing just the mechanicals of the starter drive path].

The starter does spin when connected to a battery off the engine, Taking the flywheel cover off reveals the starter chain and cogs etc and this moves freely when i turn the flywheel by hand, However i didnt try turning it backwards too see if its free, I will try that when the snow clears. I am trying to find a starter for it but not having much luck finding one the correct shape.



Regards

Bad starter, just had the exact same thing happen, melted a bunch of my wires, bought a new starter, replaced melted wires & it fires right up now.

Thanks for the reply, That sounds promising, We just have not had the weather to do anything with it just yet, And i am struggling to find a starter for it here in S.Wales.

Its a top mounted starter which i have taken it off completely so if i can find a supplier within driving distance i can take it with me.

Regards

Ya the cold wether makes em even harder to start.

You can actually test the starter by putting a ground on the casing & power to the plug, mine turned but speeds varied, on or off. Mine had a chain I had to put around the starter when I put it back in so don't forget, had to remove the flywheel cover to get to it.

Ok new starter and still the same, I removed the flywheel cover and i can turn the flywheel by hand but once piston get to the top it gets very firm, BUT what i have found is with no plug the starter turns engine over really quick but with plug in it struggles again, i am thinking that there is TOO much compression, oil is good but REALLY thick and gloopy [wrong oil perhaps ?] would wrong oil cause that or maybe too much oil ?

Thanks

Any luck yet StaplerUk?