Okay, so by ignition switch I mean start button.

The kill switch and start button were connected as in the above diagram when I got the quad, but as mentioned above, that setup didn't make sense to me. So the orange and pink/green is now currently connected to the start button, with the black/white and green connected to the kill switch (I missed that green off the diagram and the green off the ignition barrel).

This is the setup as I currently have it (hopefully I haven't missed anything this time):



Thanks again

 

Everything looks correct. You need a brake on for the start button to work but that is normal. Not quite sure what your problem now is, if there is still no spark when engine is spun on starter, check the kill wire black/white at the CDI plug, it should be negative with key switch one way and open circuit with key switch the other. Usually open circuit with ignition on, but some makes do it t'other way round, so key switch and CDI need to be compatible.

 

So you're right! It is that black/white kill wire that is causing the issue. If I take that pin out of the CDI connector, I get spark and the engine fires up. So like you suggested, theres something not quite right with the signal thats being received down that wire at the CDI.

Now I need to figure out which part it is that I need to find a better/correct version of. Whether it be the ignition or the kill switch assembly.

As it currently stands, I can now start the quad, but since I've disconnected the black/white wire, it won't turn the engine off when turning the key to off. And the kill switch has yet to make any difference - I can start the engine (or turn it over previous to today) with the kill switch in either position.

I do need a new kill switch assembly anyway as this one doesn't have the manual choke cable housing on it - just need to find the right one. But then it will be - do I need a different ignition too.

Thanks Merryman - I was reading through some other posts on here yesterday, this forum would be nothing without you!

 

To test key switch kill circuit, put a ohmmeter between that disconnected kill wire and earth, with key switch in off position you should get no resistance between black/white and earth (closed circuit), if it is an earth to kill key switch. With key switch in run position you should get open circuit.

 

I seem to get <1ohm from black/white to ground in both positions, key off and key on.

What does that mean?

Whilst I was doing this, I noticed the crimp on the pin didn’t look very good and couldn’t see much connection with the wire. I pulled it off and noticed what little I could see looked corroded, stripped the wire back a bit and it still looked corroded, took it back about half an inch to get clean copper. (The readings above are from the clean copper).

 

The kill switch has to be in the right position when you do this test. Try again with kill switch other way. Most quad's copper wires go black, this is not a problem except they won't take solder. Green corrosion however, turns wires to powder and doesn't conduct electricity.

 

Still makes no difference whichever way the kill is, roughly 0.6ohms in both positions on the kill and both positions on the ignition.

I think I'll just try get the correct kill switch assembly first then try and diagnose from there if its still an issue.

Struggling to find the exact one though...

 

Disconnect the kill switch altogether, if you still get the same low resistance on black/white with ignition on or off, your ignition key switch is faulty. As it shows on the drawing there are four wires to it. Inside are two separate switches, one switches together the battery positive to the light switch etc. The other switch inside the key switch contacts an earth wire to the black/white, in your case it needs to be a closed circuit with key switch in off position and open circuit with ignition set to on.

 

Same thing with the kill switch disconnected:



0.4 ignition off
0.4 ignition on

put the original ignition switch back on, with kill switch still disconnected, exactly the same .4 and .4.

 

The black/white is shorted out then, check with both key switch and kill switch disconnected. Some kids bikes have another kill switch, either a "sink plug" type at the rear with long cord that an adult can hold and run behind the quad, pulling the plug out if the child gets into trouble, thus stopping the engine. Others use a radio controlled "remote kill". Adult holds a remote box and switches to kill if child gets into trouble. A receiver box would be somewhere on the bike. If your bike has either of these on it, it could be set to the kill position.