Hello, I am new to this so please bear with me. I recently purchased two broken Giovanni mini quads. One started easily just by changing the gas. The other makes a click sound one time for every push of the start button. The broken quad came with a remote with several buttons (lock, unlock, lightning button, and a bell button). I have tried boosting from my truck. Swapping the part labeled the "starter relay"(the thing that clicks once) to the working quad and works fine. When the two cables touched on the working quad when I was swapping the starter relay the starter fired. When I tried to replicate this on the broken quad nothing happened (I think this is this called crossing the starter). By nothing happened I mean no spark and the starter did nothing. The lights that work stand at a count of one, an orange right rear light. The brake light works intermittently between attempted starts. I assumed the quad would start with faulty lights. I have also made sure of the basics ie. brake lock engaged, kill button in the middle position (the circle with an arrow), the parental kill pull button toggle switch engaged. I also read on a previous post to remove the remote control box, so I tried it with no prevail. Please help me with any troubleshooting you can think of. As these are my first quads and I have never been a great mechanic please explain the simplest procedure and what the part looks like that I am troubleshooting. Thank You

 

Your troubleshooting steps so far have been very helpful. So the solenoid goes "click" when you push the start button, and the starter doesn't turn. You jumped across the solenoid and the starter still didn't turn.

1) Take a meter and measure the battery voltage right on the positive and negative battery terminals while the start button is pushed and the starter soleoind is "clicked" in. Set your meter to the 20 volt DC scale. What do you measure?

2) Measure the voltage again right on the starter motor under the same conditions (start button pushed and the solenoid "clicked" in). Place the red meter probe right on the starter motor input post, and place the black meter lead right on the starter motor case. What do you measure?

If you read above 11.5 volts right at the starter motor then the problem is a defective starter motor, or the engine is too hard to turn. If you don't get 11.5 volts at the starter motor then you've got a bad connection somewhere in the starter feed wiring, or the ground return path back to the battery.

Lets start with the above tests, then branch out from there.

 

WOW, thank you for a prompt reply I just came in from the garage and before I read your response I loosened the starter motor and tried to turn it over while boosting, the starter turned very sluggishly at first then gained momentum. I then tightened the starter back up and had to tap it with a wrench while pushing the start button to get the starter to crank the engine but it will not start. I also loosened a screw at the bottom of the carb to drain some gas and to make sure that gas is getting to the carb and to make sure the old gas is out. I'm going to pick up a volt meter tomorrow as I am sure I will need it by the end of this.

So to sum up I just read your post, did everything wrong but luckily got the starter to crank the engine now. So now I'm just dealing with a quad that won't start. Feels like I'm making headway but now i have no idea which direction to go.

 

Actually you've done everything right so far. Your logic is sound, the posted results are clear, and most importantly they make some sense. You're a natural at this .

Definately get the meter. You'll use this over and over. With a little practice it can be a very powerful tool.