I got this 97 300 honda fourtrax but needed a lot of work. i tried to start it up, it turned over but wouldnt start. got a new battery and new selnoid. i installed them and when i tried to connect the negative cable to the battery terminal, the starter kept turning and the fourwheeler key switch was in the off position. i thought it would be the starter switch. i took the switch apart and went to connect the cable and the starter still kept working. it only stops when i take off the negative cable.
any help is greatly apperciated?????

 

Disconnect the starter solonoid, and attach the battery cable. If the problem still exists (which I doubt), then there is a starter problem.

Why did you replace the solonoid in the first place?

Sounds like the solonoid is either bad, or wired incorrectly. I say this because this wasn't a problem until after you replaced it.

 

thanks for the help but, i forgot to mention it but the when i bought the fourwheeler the guy i bought it from told that that the selnoid was bad. so your saying to go ahead and take out the selnoid and connect the negative cable to the battery? and your saying its probably not the switch?right

 

I would assume that the problem is either the starter switch, the starter solonoid, or wiring. The starter won't work unless it gets it's power from the starter solonoid. The solonoid gets it's signal to operate from the starter switch. If you unplug the starter switch completely from the wiring harness, NOTHING should happen when you re-connect the battery cables. (But you said, "i thought it would be the starter switch. i took the switch apart and went to connect the cable and the starter still kept working". UNPLUG it completely and let me know what happens.

 

i unplugged off the switch completely and connected the negative cable to battery and the starter still is working
i dont understand?, like you said something could be wrong with the wiring.
when i first got the atv i had jumped it using a car. i dont no if that could have been too many amps, probably wore out the bushings in the starter.

 

by saying unplug it completely you mean just the push start button. right?

 

Yes.

The push button sends 12 volts to the starter solonoid through a small wire. When the solonoid is activated (by this small wire), it internally connects a large wire from the battery to a large wire that goes to the starter. The starter is then activated.

If the starter is activated when the push switch is disconnected from the system, then either the solonoid is internally bad (constantly jumping the 2 large wires together), or the solonoid is getting an improper signal to activate.

What we are doing is troubleshooting the sysyem to isolate the problem. By unplugging the push switch, you have elliminated the push switch as the problem.

Now let's check the solonoid. Disconnect the large wire at the solonoid that goes to the starter. Now hook up the battery cables. Nothing should happen.

The small wire on the solonoid should have 12 volts only when the push button is depressed. Test this small wire with a test light or voltmeter.

Assuming that there isn't any voltage at the small wire (with the push switch unplugged), test the <u>terminal</u> of the solonoid where you disconnected the large wire (the wire that goes to the starter). There should be no voltage present.

Do these tests, and let me know what you find.

 

On the solenoid there are two large cables. One goes to battery POS and the other goes to the starter. If you have a Multi meter check for continuity at the studs the cables are connected to. Do this with the battery disconnected. If you have continuity between the two studs the solenoid is the problem. Get a new one. It is possible that the contacts inside are welded together.