I took my daughter riding last weekend and small puddles kept stalling her quad. I figured water was getting into the electrical and on the spark plug. I brought it home and decided to liquid electrical tape the ends of the connectors where water could get in. Everything was fine... I got it all back together and it fired up fine, I did have a slight issue with the headlights not turning off. then I heard a little "pop" that came from somewhere around the CDI or rectifier maybe even the remote kill box. DUNNO. but the lights worked fine and ran great. I came out 3 hours later to put it away and NOTHING... won't start or even turn over. I turn the key on, squeeze the brake, hit the ignition and NOTHING. My rear break light won't even come on. I can turn it over crossing the solenoid and my voltage meter says battery is just fine. crossing the starter button does nothing. I have stripped the harness down and there are no visible signs of problems... I even rewrapped all the splicing Tao Tao did. I tried a CDI that I knew was good and even the stock rectifier that I switched out for fun. I have exhausted all the things I could think of and I'm at the point where sitting there looking pi$$ed off isn't doing it or me any good. Does any body have any guesses as to what this could be?

 

If the machine is totally dead, it is going to be the main wire from battery to ignition switch, or a bad earth. Or a faulty remote kill box could be the problem. You don't mention a fuse, presumably it has one somewhere?

 

yes it has a fuse and it's fine. all grounds are clean and secure (the quad is 9 months old) I heard the "pop" or "click" around the CDI or rectifier which is where the remote box is - I suspect that may be the culprit. I've looked at my local online Chinese quad store with no luck.
I get 13v to my Key ignition but nothing at my push button on the handle bars.

Thanx for weighing in. I'll buy a new remote box next

 

pull the black with white trace wire out of the cdi. that is the kill switch wire. also u have to remember the import quads everything important is in a bad spot so its easy to get wet

 

Thanx for responding ZROCK I pulled the black & white wire on my 5 pin CDI (on my kids quad it's the only one in the middle of the 5 pins) I know this on well because at on time I wasn't getting spark and thats the on I F'd with and it worked. This time though I still don't get any thing.

 

Thanx for your help but the problem was in the connections from the kill switch at the front brake. At least I found out what a wiring mess these Chinese quads are.

 

I pulled my harness apart and redid all the solder connections and sealed them up..

 

That's a great tip everybody should know. Almost as important as LOCKTITE on every nut and bolt.

Thanx for your help