Don't Know Where To Start

[chad021]

So my quad died out in the field, and wouldn't restart, really weak cranking noise and it would not start. Got her home, charged it thinking the battery was low and still no help. Now all I can hear is the solinoid clicking. When I go to start it with the headlights on, they do not dim at all, so I know its not the battery being weak (and I had it tested a month ago and it was perfectly fine). Any help here? I'm getting real tiered of pushing her down the road and pop starting it just to get it to run.

 

[87warrior]

silonide might be going bad or u have a bad ground on the frame somewhere jump out the silonide first and see if it starts that way first pop a screwdriver in between the posts and if it starts its the silonide probley

 

[flyinacez]

Like 87Warrior says check for loose connections and that all grounds are secure aswell! EVERYONE really should spend the $20 and buy a Clymer's manual, they pay for themselves in no time!

 

[chad021]

silonide might be going bad or u have a bad ground on the frame somewhere jump out the silonide first and see if it starts that way first pop a screwdriver in between the posts and if it starts its the silonide probley

So what is the solinoid for if you can jsut bypass it anyway?

 

[yamarider]

The screwdriver test is just to check the solenoid operation, and a way to get by until the problem gets fixed. The way that the solenoid works is that when you press the button on the handlebars it sends current to the solenoid's coil, which closes a high current switch to send current to your starter, because a little button on the handlebars wouldn't be able to handle the amount of power the starter needs to turn over. I tried to make that as easy to understand as possible, but unless you have some basic electronics knowledge it's probably still going to be confusing.

 

[boxhead]

Basically the amperage is way too high for that switch, it would melt or burn away the fine metal connectors in the switch. I would just say **** it and get a new battery, they are only 25 or so new with acid. Be sure to keep the water up with only distilled water, and also to be sure to recharge it every month if you don't ride very often. Charge it more often if you have to crank the starter quite a bit too, that will destroy a battery quickly.

 

[chad021]

tried the solenoid screwdriver trick, and still nothing happened, just the click of the solenoid, went over my grounds and my wiring to find any probelms and I have found nothing.

 

[87warrior]

did u check your battery conections mine have done that befor i thought they were clean and they wernt good clean and make sure they have all the wires going the end some times the wire break out of the conectionn end and if they tap togather they will not have the best conection and couseingthe silonide just to click

 

[boxhead]

You might need a multimeter to check your ignition components if it died while running. It could be a damaged component and the battery both if it makes the weak cranking noise also. This would be a great time to download that service manual on here. Start the process of elimination, that's probably what you're gonna need to do. Electrical components are a pain in the ass. I would rather rebuild the top end than mess with the ignition system again, that only takes a little cash and a couple hours of time.

 

[chad021]

so i ripped the starter out, went straight off the battery leads and found out that the motor it self is turning very slows if at all sometimes. Going to have my battery load checked once again to make sure I am getting enough power, and than I will rebuild the starter motor itself.

 

[yamarider]

Try taking the starter apart first, and see what it looks like. I'd bet that there's oil in it that leaked past the seals from the engine, and that caused the brushes to get eaten up. or they could have also just worn out over time and are just barely making contact now.

 

[chad021]

The battery was fine. Should the inside of the starter be dry? Mine leaked a lot of black smelly fluid out. And what seal would there be? theres one on the outside of the starter which prevent oil going outta the motor, but not one that really prevents it from going into the starter, like a seal around the shaft so it would not go in.

 

[yamarider]

You found your problem, the starter should be dry inside. That black, smelly fluid is oil mixed with what's left of your burnt up brushes. There is a seal that keeps oil from getting into the starter, it may be built into the bearing though. A rebuild kit will include everything you need, so just get one of those, or if you don't feel like putting the work into it, you can get a new starter on ebay for a fraction of the price of a yamaha replacement.

 

[chad021]

Thanks alot for the help, is the seal really built into the bearing? and were can I find a rebuild kit?

 

[ronbo422]

I just went thru the same bullshiznit you did, execpt I didn't have much oil leakage past the seal but my starter brushes were ate up down to the braide. I got a rebuild kit off of eBay for $36 shipped. It includes brushes, seals, bearings and o-rings. Just search for "Yamaha Warrior Starter Kit" on eBay and you'll find it. The place I'm getting it from is DB Electrical out of Tennessee. They're the cheapest of the 2 dealers you'll find selling the rebuild kits.
BTW, doesn't that crap inside the starter STINK?!!!! I pulled mine apart in the house and the wife almost puked when she smelled it. Me? I'm used to smelling 90W gear oil so it didn't bug me much.

Good luck.
~Ronbo

 

[chad021]

haha yeah that stuff was disqusting. There was like a chunk of gunk in there too lol. I bent the springs so the brushes will have better contact, and it seemed to temporarily fix the problem!

 

[ronbo422]

Got starter rebuild kit today and did the deed. Kinda tricky getting the new, long brushes back in with the new guts, without damaging the brushes. Did find out that the bearing they sent in the kit was a sealed ball bearing style, but my starter uses a torrington bearing in the front nose cone. My bearing looks good, so stuck with it and used all the new seals/o-rings/bushings. Sounds ALOT better now, even when shutting the engine off the funky sound that used to be loud is much quieter now.
Oh, an interesting trick to "dress" the armature that my brother clued me in on (he's a Heavy Diesel Mechanic) is chuck up the stator in a hand drill, spin it up and lay a medium/fine tooth file across the commutator (brush contact point) and shave it down til all the pits are gone, but not too deep as to loose the long grooves that are in the commutator.
~Ronbo