I meant Solenoid. I got this atv from someone... it was trying to start, now it won't do anything when I push the start button but the brake light is on. I didn't find a solenoid on it at all. Is it possible that I burnt the starter up because someone took the solenoid off and "bypass" it. I also would need to know how I would wire one up when I do get one and where to put it. Thanks

 

On your positive battery terminal you will have a heavy fat wire going somewhere. Follow that wire. Where does it go? It should go directly to the starter solenoid input screw post.

Look at you starter motor. The starter motor input wire post has a heavy fat wire going to it. Follow that wire. Where does it go? It should go directly to the other starter solenoid screw post.

So the above should help you find your solenoid (if you have one). But I expect you do because your quad won't work without one. If someone tried to bypass the solenoid using an ordinary switch to switch the 35 amps to the starter motor, the switch would get burnt up in short order.

Bypassing the starter solenod can burn up switches, and wires, but it won't hurt the starter motor. The starter would be getting too little power so it would just stall. The stuff feeding it would take the fall - starter switch and wiring would be first on the list.

 

I am fixing to put one on it and will let you know what happens! I knew there was something missing! I know what a solenoid looks like and that I didnt see one - cause there aint one. Thanks!

 

I have no clue how this goes! I have a coil that has 2 wires that go to it but they are attached by clips I guess you would call them.
| | is what they look like and the starter has the same thing? I can add pictures on my profile if you want to see what I am looking at! it is very hard to explain. If you know what I am talking about, great! Any advice or help or something would be awesome! Thanks

 

Solenoids almost always have 4 connections:

2 Big ones - with screw posts that accept big wires with big lugs on them.

2 little ones - usually though an in line connector of sorts that have small gauge wires.

Does this look like what you are seeing?

If so there is no polarity. You screw down the two big leads (one to the starter motor and one to the positive battery terminal). It doesn't matter which terminal goes to what - as long as one of them goes to the battery and the other goes to the starter motor.

On the small wires you plug them in to the small connector on the wiring harness.

So what part of the picture am I not seeing? I looked on your profile and didn't see any pic's .

 

Ok sorry.... I have tons of pictures of what I am stuck with? I possibly have a wierd setup or am missing a coil or solenoid? Thanks I havent seen a solenoid or coil that look like this but its got to be one of them. And the mystery part - a relay, or something? it is located right by the battery. Im not asking for a miracle by no means Lol! It does try to start well did.... but the starter is good, it tries to jump off with battery charger to the starter.

 

I did see some pics today - maybe they were there all along but I missed them.

I am not familiar with Arctic Cats at all, but starter solenoids are starter solenoids the world around. I did not see anything in your pic's that resembled a starter solenoid.

Let's back up a bit. Go to your positive battery terminal. Follow the big fat heavy gauge wire. Where does it go?

Go down to the the starter motor. It too has a fat heavy gauge wire coming off a screw post (not from a screw that bolts to the case - that's the ground return wire). Follow it. Where does that wire go? In both case they go to the starter solenoid.

 

Ok.... I did trace the wires and they go to that piece that I have pictured as what's this. It is a box with 4 prongs one is the green fat wire and another is the fat red wire from the positive battery terminal and another wire is green with a yellow stripe that goes to the brake and the other one is going to the start button (the one you crank it with) Help. Would that be called the solenoid???? I am confused! I have tried to find a part number... and haven't seen anything like this to even know what its called! I am sure that is the problem though that "solenoid" type thing.

 

I can almost guarantee this is your problem, get a pair of needle nose pliers and jump the connection between the two HEAVY red wires that "jumps the solenoid" but the black piece is called a relay (40$) unplug the relay, and stick the pliers in where the two big red wires go.Your starter will crank. It will start as well, but u need a new relay.

P.S. dont do what I did and use pliers to start it all the time, I melted the plastic plug and had to rig up my own starter mechanism lol

 

Im confused - if this is a relay then do I not have a solenoid. I traced both wires back to that. The brake light does come on - but if I push the green button I get nothing, it used to try to turn over but just stopped trying - electrical problem. What is this relay called if I was to try to find a part number? Could it be the black box instead of my gold one? I am thinking its the gold one that I have pictures of in my profile. Are we on the same page? I would call myself a beginner or less at wiring... but I am giving it a heck of a try! Let me look about the pliers just to see what happens!