No fire without key being held in start position

[go-kart head-ache]

Another Newbie here. I picked up an abandoned GK-150 with the GY6 motor for 100 bucks. After cleaning a birds nest from the open gas tank and an anthill from the intake I put a coil, cdi, and a battery in the kart. It will fire but only with the key in the start position. I can't imagine what thats doing to the starter so I quit and searched this forum. I hope I haven't missed a thread that addressed this already but if anyone has a suggestion please let me know! The former owner had it in pieces so I'm starting from scratch on this one...

Thanks

[liduno]

Sounds like you may have the ignition switch wired wrong.

[GX150]

Switch is probably bad in the run position. Replace it with a marine grade model.

[go-kart head-ache]

Thanks GX150 and liduno for getting back to me. I took the wires off the switch and jumped across them in different sequences to check what worked or didnt. I also rewired the switch based on the results from my ohm meter (terminal on switch to ground with key turned one "click" Im guessing would be the hot to the ignition system and the temporary, further position would be the start position to engage the starter). By jumping all wires together it would do the same thing as having the switch hardwired in the new sequence but it takes all three wires to engage the starter and make spark. Could i have the wires crossed at the starter relay or coil as different sources call them?

Thanks to all

[GX150]

Your system may be wired with a common ground at the switch. The hot wire may be off the starter solenoid.

[go-kart head-ache]

Thanks again for the help. The black wire on the ignition switch used to be connected to the kill switch (It had a crappy chinese solder joint "Y" connecting the two). Someone had murdered what they called a flameout with a hammer so Im going to have to get a new kill switch ordered. Would that have grounded through a good kill switch circuit? I appreciate you GX150!

[GX150]

There is a kill pin on the CDI. Usually the kill switch is disconnected and makes contact with ground when you want to kill the ignition/engine. Sending a ground to the kill pin stops the engine while leaving it open allows the engine to run.

[go-kart head-ache]

I removed the kill switch wire from the cdi harness(white wire #5 on the pinout i have for the cdi) and same problem. Im missing something so basic here. Bad ground somewhere?

[go-kart head-ache]

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

[liduno]

I don't know this to be true so take this as a total guess. Maybe the kill wire is a normally grounded wire? Some ignition systems are grounded to kill and some are grounded to run.

Now going in a totally different direction, another thing you could try is eliminate the wire going to the starter from the ignition switch, then manually jump the starter solenoid. Hold the key in the start position and then jump the solenoid.

[go-kart head-ache]

Sounds good to me. I appreciate the input. When it warms up a bit Ill try what you suggested. Thank you very much

[SYCARMS]

do you have 3 or 5 wires at the switch?

[go-kart head-ache]

Hello SYCARMS, I have a three wire switch but I think i have it figured out. I ran jumpers around the harness from the ignition to the correct pinouts/connections. Starts and runs perfect every time.... Who knows what the previous owner had done because the wiring looks like a rats nest. It was either him or wires had rubbed together somewhere. Thanks to all that replied-wish i could buy you guys a real one!

[SYCARMS]

Glad to hear that you have figured it out.