250 suzki will not run without lights on
 

Can anyone answer why 96 quad will not run when weather is cold without head lights being on. Idles fine but won't pull move until it warms up for a long long time and lights on. Any help appreciated.

I read this once before and the poster said the solution was the regulator. Do you have 14 volts on the battery when its running with and without the lights?

I will check voltage today. Thanks

Randy,
Voltage 16+- with lights on or off. Will run 3 or 4 seconds good as soon as it start and then nothing above an idle. Could it be getting too much voltage? Thanks for your help.

16 is far too much. The lights probably reduce the voltage somewhat and that's why it runs better when the lights are on. I wouldn't run it again until you fix the problem. Who knows what could happen at that voltage. Battery damage at the least.

Take the regulator off and look at the back of it. Are there any cracks? Those screws holding it on are really tight. I would rap them with a hammer before stripping the heads out. Use the right size screwdriver. Not one that's too small. I would try to get them out the first try.

Here's what mine looked like

Attachment 15418

The regulator's job is to dump excess current to ground in an effort to reduce voltage to 14.4 or whatever it is.

Will be gone a couple days. Lord willing, I will take it off Sat. Is there any way to check it or should I just buy a new one? Could I have a ground problem? Where is a good parts source. You have been a great help. Thanks

That's why I said to look at it. If it has a crack, then its bad for sure. A ground problem would mean low voltage, right? I guess it depends where the ground problem is. I'm betting the regulator is bad though. Ebay is the best place to look. Bikebandit is next. Then cheapcycleparts. Compare prices on all those.

Had to strip suzuki 250 down to frame to find rectifier. Had a hair line crack. ordered a new one. Had to drill th bolts. You have been right one so far. Thanks

No trouble. Keep us posted