Got a Tao Tao 110 a few years old. Not sure how old since I bought it second. I would say 3-4 years old. Been running fine up until now.

Wouldn't start yesterday. Would crank and would hit occassionaly but just wouldnt' start. Kept runnig battery down trying. So I pulled my truck over and just hooked up the jumper cables. Boy she spun then!! Hit a few more times and even ran one time for a few seconds but just wouldn't stay running. But now comes what I"m asking about. While trying to crank it it suddenly wouldn't do anything.

hitting the red start button just yeilds a click. I've now put a brand new battery in that is reading 13.1 volts. I'm wondering if I have damaged some fuse or relay by having it connected to my truck. It should be spinning the engine but it just clicks a single time each time you push the read start button.

Any help appreciated! Kids distraught

 

In theory, jump starting shouldn't do any harm but, like you wrote, a big battery seems to spin the engine over faster so must feed more amps through the solenoid and starter. First check the earth leads from battery to frame and to engine. Then to test the starter circuit, put a test lamp between the solenoid to starter wire and earth. When you press the start button, if the solenoid clicks but the lamp doesn't come on, you have a faulty solenoid. If the light does come on, you have a faulty starter.

Once this is fixed, the original fault needs sorting. If you are lucky, a new spark plug, or cleaning out the carburettor will fix that.

 

Thanks for the reply! I don't have a test light but have a multimeter. I'll check for voltage though I don't know what the voltage values should be.

 

So I tested with the multimeter. Holding one lead on the terminal connected to the battery and the other one on the neg side of the battery I get 12.7 volts. Holding the positive lead on other solenoid terminal (the one leading the starter) I get zero volts. When I then hit the switch, it goes to 12.4-12.7 volts. So I guess that indicates that the starter is bad.

I really wanted to check the voltage right at the point it goes into the starter but can't figure out how to pull the connector out. Not sure if it clicks in or not. I'll have to do some more digging.

 

Voltmeters only test for volts. With a lot of electrical problems you need to test for watts, which is why I specified a test lamp. A motorcycle "stalk" indicator with old style 12v 21w bulb or "accessory shop" reversing light, is perfect for the job. LED lights don't use many watts so are no good for testing circuits.

 

I haven't had a chance to pick up a test light but I'm getting 12.5 volts at the electrical connector on starter. I've got my positive lead on that connector and neg going to the battery. When I hit the starter button the volts go to 12.5. You think that would indicate a bad starter since it seems power is getting right to the starter and yet nothing happens.

 

Final test, put jump lead negative to starter case, and positive directly onto starter "live" lead. The E22 engine starters are different depending on engine size, the 90 and 110 starters look identical, but mounting hole spacing is a few mm different.