Have a cylanoid problem and the only way to start my quad right now is with a screw driver and jumping the cylanoid also using jumper cables initially on the battery. If I am correct the cylanoid also acts like an alternator??

I have a brand new battery and am wondering if anyone has any ideas of where I could pick up a cylanoid that would work on this bike or if I am in left field and have another issue going on?? I am not very mechanic orientated so I apologize if this sounds a lil rookie.

 

The solenoid is just a remote controlled switch. When you apply 12 volts across the 2 small wires coming out of the solenoid a small coil inside generates a magnetic field which sucks down a steel plunger which shorts those two big terminals together - just like you've manually been doing with your screwdriver.

It is possible that your solenoid is bad, but even more likely is that it isn't getting that 12 volts required across the two small terminals. Do you hear a "click" from the solenoid when you try to start the quad? If yes, then the solenoid is bad. If no click is heard then probably you're not getting 12 volts to the solenoid actuating coil.

A couple questions:

1) When you turn on the ignition switch, and turn on the headlights, do the headlights work?

2) With the ignition switch on, apply front and rear brakes one at a time. Does the rear brake light come on? If so, does it come on with the front brake, rear brake, both? Neither?

The above tests will narrow down what might be keeping the solenoid from getting the actuating coil voltage.

To answer your question on whether the solenoid acts like an alternator: No, the solenoid is just a switch. It generates no power to charge the battery. It just connects the battery to the starter while you are starting up the quad and after that it does nothing until the next time you try to start your quad.

If your battery isn't keeping charged up then that is another subject quite seperate from the above problems. To test your quad charging system is easy, just measure the battery voltage while the quad is running at medium fast speed with the headlights off. It should measure 13.5 to 14.5 volts DC. It's that easy, but you need a meter of course. They're cheap these days.

 

Thanks for the info. Yes the solenoid does click. All headlights/brakelights work. I am sending it back to tim at V-Bike and he will replace. Does it require cutting wires because the way I see it the wires are glued directly into the solenoid???

 

My choice of words for the small wires on the solenoid was not the best. The small wires from the solenoid (the actuating coil) come out of a molded assembly and go to a 2 pin connector a short distance out. On my quad it is about 8 inches.

Changing a solenoid is easy. It will take them less than 5 minutes. The solenoid itself is also inexpensive.

 

Excellent..thanks for the info....hopefully I can tackle this week...