I have a 2002 Yamaha Bear Tracker 250, and the starter motor doesn't work. It never had any trouble starting last Fall, but unfortunately the machine had to spend the Winter outside (removed the battery though & left it on a battery tender). Put the battery back in a few days ago, but there's no response from the starter. The engine will start fine with the pull rope. I just replaced the starter relay (complete with fresh fuses), and the battery has a full charge, but the sucker still won't start--it doesn't even click. The green neutral light is lit, and the headlight comes on (but doesn't go dim when the starter button is pressed, like a bad starter or solenoid would cause). The engine kill/run switch works fine (after I manually start the engine). I've re-seated all the wiring connectors I can find, that appear to be associated with ignition. Not really sure where to go from here, it's driving me crazy. Could the stator possibly be the cause, and if so, where is it located? I've pulled off the rear rack and fenders, so everything is exposed now. Can anyone offer any insight...please?

 

stator is not the cause. the stator is an alternator. if i was you, i'd pull the starter and test it. if you don't want to do that, then double check your wiring. is the inline fuse good? have you turned the key on and then jumped the solenoid posts? if it jumps and spins, then go to your push button start switch assembly.

 

Thanks for the quick reply Jaster94. I've worked on plenty of cars, but other than changing oil and spark plugs this is the first ATV I've had to tear into. The only inline fuses I can see are two 20A fuses right on the starter relay. Is there somewhere else I should look for a fuse? I pulled the starter switch out, it appeared to be ok (contacts weren't burned or dirty).

Also, there's a good size wiring harness that leads into the case behind the pull starter (it's attached to two multi-pin connectors at the other end, under the seat)--I assume that's where the starter and solenoid are? If so, do I remove the pull starter to get at the starter motor?

One other thing--and I don't know if it's relevant--when I very first tried to pull start the machine, there was no resistance on the rope whatsoever (just rewind spring resistance from the rope pulley), I pulled a few more times, again without resistance. So I put the machine in gear, rocked it back and forth a few times and I was then able to pull start it. But again, the thing sat out all winter, so who knows...

Sorry for what may seem like "duh" questions, again I'm new to working on ATVs. Thanks again for the help!

 

if you follow the positive wire from the battery, it'll lead to the solenoid which leads to the starter. you test an atv starter just like a car/truck starter.;...on the floor with jumper cables. at least that's what i do. sounds like the wires you're talking about near the ripcord are for the stator....unsure without being there lookin at your quad. do you have/use an ohm meter/voltmeter? if so, turn key on and start measuring voltage to/from the key/starter button/solenoid, to starter. that's the circuit path. NO different than a regular automobile. it's the same principle.

 

on your resistance of your recoil/ripcord....sounds like the centrifugal assembly was stuck until enough force was applied to free the moving parts so as to grab the crankshaft. just surface rust or whatever from storage. not to worry.

 

Finally got back to messing with the starter issue today. I jumped the posts on the solenoid, and the starter cranked. Traced the wires from the start button all the way back to the solenoid, and there's continuity. There's also continuity at the starter button, so that appears to be good. I get no power to the starter from the solenoid, when pressing the start button.

I bought the solenoid brand-new on amazon.com (aftermarket part, but it looks exactly like the factory part I pulled off). Fuses on either side of the solenoid are good. There are no clicks, or noises whatsoever when pressing the starter button. Neutral light is on (verified it really was in neutral), brakes applied, but the starter still won't crank. I can pull start the machine with the ripcord just fine.

The wire from the starter button goes to a connector on the solenoid with 2 other wires on it. One of the wires (dark blue with white tracer) goes to what appears to be a relay, near the solenoid. The remaining wire (red 16 gauge) goes to the rectifier/regulator.

The only thing I can think of at this point is maybe (but not likely) I got a bad solenoid, or the rectifier/regulator, or the "other relay" is defective.

Still stumped

 

I know this is an old thread but I have the very same problem with my bear tracker. Did you ever find a solution?

 

That post is from 2013, looks like the OP has gone. I don't have a wiring diagram for the Bear Tracker, but Yamaha always used the most complex "lock-out" to prevent you starting in gear, of any maker I have come across. I would guess a wire has broken in that lock-out set up, or the extra relay has gone. It will have a wire from the neutral light switch to signal when to let the power go to the solenoid, but this usually goes via an extra relay and, unlike most other makes, is also wired through the CDI. Get a wiring diagram, even if it means buying the workshop manual. Finding a wiring fault on a Yam lock-out circuit without one, is almost impossible.

 

Unfortunately I don't know if this thread is too old to be helpful. My 2001 bear tracker 250 had an issue with the break starter switch. If you didn't depress the break quite hard it wouldn't engage the starter. The problem you're having sounds exactly like that. Especially with the continuity path you've described.