250sx no e-start

[Twilight]

so the project 250sx is turning into a part out, and fast. Found more and more things I dont like and few things I do like. If I cant get it to e-start or even get it to work, then im gonna part out.

Heres the problem. I cant find out why there is no power going to the electric start. i know its not the starter, because i can get it to turn with a battery charger. Neutral/reverse light turns on the machine when i shift, headlight works, tail light works... so whats a good culprit for this problem?

[Dirtcrasher]

What do you mean - no power!! Arrrrggghhhh!

Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. I'm not attacking you (heck, at least I'm replying :D) but it's really not hard at all to fix this stuff.

Wiring diagram and a meter and how to read and use them both is the top priority. I have seen SO many people part machines because of electrical problems and it's a real shame.

The coil is an electromagnet. It gets 12V and a good ground and it makes a large amperage draw and contact connection to the starter. Which has a large diameter wire for the 12V aspect and the body itself is the ground. Which, all have to be clean and have continuity.

If you put a small wire from the positive post to the starter coil and it turns over, you have bypassed every "in series" switch but established that the starter is good.

So.... WHAT is in series with that starter coil connection??

- Does it have to be in neutral?
- Does the key have to be on?
- Are there any safeties in that series connection that have to be NC or normally closed??

The wiring diagram tells us all of this.... If you do have the diagram I'll tell you this and it's all off the top of my head with just general knowledge. Follow the power........

SOMEHOW!! 12V originates at Mr. Battery, goes thru a fuse and maybe other "in series" crap and heads up to Mr. Push Button Switch. Does it get there in gear? does it get there in reverse? Those again are shown in the wiring diagram..... So now we establish power AT the push button. We have 12V at that location to ground, any good ground.... Push the switch, do we have 12V at the other contact? Where does that wire go now? does it have 12V at it's next mounting point or connector? OK so we traced power the whole way and it gets all the way to the starter solenoid or coil. Does the coil or electromagnet have Ohmms or resistance between it? If it does, then it's off to the ground side of this. Does the ground have any switches that have to be closed to make the ground? Like a neutral switch? Is it closed?

Honestly, you guys can ALL figure this stuff out with a diagram and simple working knowledge. Beginning at square one, does the battery have the balls to turn it over? is the battery bad? has it been "load tested" are the grounds good? do the switches close? does the solenoid have Ohms?

The hell with what the lights are doing, you just have to follow the wiring diagram and see where your losing 12V or where your losing the ground........

Post up the wiring diagram and if the service manual doesn't give you enough info to test it, I'll walk you thru the colors and what you should be reading.

I guess my point is that rarely are electrical problems difficult, but they are hard for people to tell others what to do if they don't have a diagram and meter they understand and are comfortable with. People throwing ideas out there usually don't get it fixed. But, if you tell me you have resistance but lost power at XX switch, then we can work from there. Otherwise your just gonna get allot of people that tell you to clean this, buy a battery or the most popular repair method is to replace every friggin component and then the harness only to give up at the end because ya just didn't understand how it all works............................................. ..............................

[Twilight]

I have the manual from the owner, and I did follow the wiring. Power goes up to Mr Button and from there the wire has power up to the the points to where I cannot test with my meter.

Grounds are all grounded, unless the manual missed one? I found the neutral switch problem by using the search feature here, yes its closed and not open. Battery can turn over my FL350 with no problems whatsoever, so its not the problem.

Tracing the power to all points and I can only find a break in the power hitting the starter in itself. So i went back to my neutral switch thought, only this time checked the reverse, nope not it and e-start still doesnt hit a mark.

This isnt like the 200x where I had no idea, this engine resembles my FL350's and Pilot's. Yet all I go after, I hit a dead end. Im not sure if maybe just the fuse going to the starter is blown, or if the one wire going to the starter is ****ed.

I asked here because going by what I KNOW isnt working. And if im missing something simple, I would like to know what it is.

Can I bypass anything to just have power to the starter from the switch, or will that mess something up? I did it to my 350 because in the races I needed to start in gear to save time.

[Dirtcrasher]

OK, so where in the tracing is 12V lost when you push the button down??

Can ya scan and post the diagram up??

[Twilight]

Just went through with the meter again to check for the loss of power. Im losing it almost right before the fuse on the red and yellow wires that go to the starter http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j27/TwilightOfHeaven/ATC%20250sx/wiring.jpg

I'll try a fuse tomorrow when I get done with studying and work. Its looking really close to what my problem is, or its the wires right before shorting out, but I cant find any shorts or breaks as of yet.

[Dirtcrasher]

Looks like Blk is your common 12V and when you hit the switch it gives 12V to Y/R and thru 1 connector and off to the solenoid switch and then the ground side of that switch. The ground side looks like it just need the neutral switch closed......

Your "hot" side might be good to the switch, seems like it's lost after there.....

[the great gazoo]

I had the same problem w/ my '85 after I got the motor back- There were 2 black wires up at the triples & I had the wrong one plugged in, it drove me nuts! I had neutral light & the starter bench tested right.........don't give up, you have a good base for a running SX, they're great trikes.

[Twilight]

Found the engine to be not saveable by my knowledge. can even get the damn thing to partially move.

I have given up, this wasnt meant to be.

[Name Brand]

Time for a 300cc swap!

Do recheck your electrical connections. Where the battery wire meets the fusible (mine is old enough it did not have a fuse) the wire had completely corroded through. The wire insulation did not meet fully with the fusible link insulation and left a gap for the wire itself to corrode. I cut it all out and put in a fuse and made everything waterproof.