OK, this is only about the 3rd or 4th time we've taken the unit out for a ride. Trail was VERY wet, several inches of water in many places. After the little man splased through a puddle, the engine stalled. I stopped to help but it would only barely turn over. I suspected dead (cheap) battery. I pulled the battery from my Rancher and hooked it up, still nothing. Now it won't turn over at all, I can hear the solenoid clicking solid, and I can bridge the two poles on the solenoid with pliers and the starter still does nothing. What gives with these?

If the starter is bad I can get a new one, its still inside the warranty. Are these things a one month product or what? Is there a beefier replacement starter? Has anyone else experienced this? Did the water ruin it? How can I seal it in the future?

 

Ok, no one seems to know the answer.

How abaout this....does anyone make a kick or pull start kit i can install as a backup system?

 

Make sure water did not get in the motor by pulling the spark plug & then try to turn the motor over.If it still does not work check wire plugs & fuse if there is one.If it is clicking then I would guess the ignition switch is ok.Let us know & if all that fails pull the starter & take it apart & clean it

 

No water is in the cylinder. I can push the little booger down a hill, jump on, then jam it into 1st gear and it cranks and runs fine. Just no action at the starter motor. Like I mentioned, I can bridge the solenoid to eliminate it from the equation and still no action at the starter, It's got to be the starter motor. I plan to pull it tonight and 'clean' it as recommended. I've never seen a starter motor that didn't work when dirty but worked when clean, but heck, its worth a try!

I really would like to know if this has happened to anyone else.

 

first off where did you buy the atv from? I am here just about every night and read all the posts. I have had 2 chinese atv's for about a year now and have had no trouble at all. I just sold the kazuma because it does not get ridden much anymore. I have read very few problems with starters on these. Not sure why yours went bad. It may be just one of those things. There are some kids that ride through mud, water and snow with no problems. The starters are not expensive if you had to buy one. You may be able to take it apart and clean it. A wire may be loose. Depending on where and when you bought it, it may be covered but if not call John at Raceway and he can get parts.

 

4Run4Fun:
One fast test you can do, jump the + and - out on the starter solenoid like you would do with an older car starter. If the starter spins 99.9% of the times that would mean the solenoid is bad. If you jump it out and the starter dont spin then it would most likely be the starter! One more thing, after washing them and getting a lot of water on the starter button switch on the handle bars some of the ATV's would not turn over. So we blow the switch out with the air compressor to get out any water and that fixed the problem also! Let me know how things work out!!!
Raceway ATV Mini ATV

 

Why do I get a Security Alert when I click on your link???

 

Last night I pulled the starter and the flywheel cover on the opposite side where the starter chain and magneto is located. The entire thing was full of mud and water. Thats obviously the problem, the starter is either ruined by the water, or the dirt has bound up the gear reducers. I am very disappointed in this engine design. As far as I can tell the whole compartment containing the flywheel, magneto, and starter chain is intended to be sealed, when in fact it was anything but. I don't mean there was a few drops of water and a few grains of dirt. I mean when I split the housing, water gushed out and there was handfulls of mud inside. There's no way all that got in past the starter O-ring, or the flywheel cover gasket, but those are the only way in.

Thanks to the guy from Raceway for responding, but one of my earlier posts mentioned that jumping the solenoid poles was one of the first things I tried.

Someone else has to have experienced this, are all the 110cc engines not the same design? No one else has had mud and water ruin their starter from the inside out?

There has to be a way to create a better seal on the whole case, or a new starter will suffer the same fate.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

Finally I bought the quad from a local 'dealer' - but I'm sure if he sees the case full of mud and water, he's going to scream abusive riding!

 

OK,

I took the starter to the local shop and they took it apart. They said no dirt or water had penetrated the gear reduction unit or the starter motor. They said the armature simply overheated and seized. Its unrepairable, has to be replaced.

There goes my theory of mud/water ruining the starter, now I'm thinking I got a lemon starter. Like many other people on this board have mentioned, I now cannot reach the guy who sold it to me. Even though its supposed to have a 30 day unconsditional warranty, what good is that when the guy is a no show.

Who's got a starter they'll sell me?

 

Get a hold of John at RaceWay ATV.