Carbide 150 Wont Start

[TTwin]

Due to various other activities, my son's Carbide sat unused for about 6 months. It won't start up again. We've drained the fuel tank, fuel lines, and carburetor and cleaned the carburetor and refilled with good fuel. Still no good. Getting good compression. Won't start with starter fluid sprayed into carburetor.

I am not getting a spark like I should be. We've replaced the plug, ignition coil, and CDI, and bypassed the two kill switches, but still not right. The plug sparks once when the key switch is turned to the on position, but no spark when trying to start the engine. I've disconnected the key switch and jumpered the wires connected to it to see if the switch has a short. Same thing. Sparks when jumpered on, but not when starter rotating.

Anybody got any suggestions. Seems odd that the plug would spark when the electrical system first turned on, but not when trying to use the starter.

[x-bird]

sounds like power feed is not getting through from "run" to "start" on the switch. My quad engine did exactly that--one spark then nothing. double check how you're jumping the feeds.

[TTwin]

I've unplugged the kill switches and jumpered the wires together. Is that correct? Are they supposed to be jumpered together or left open to run. I have trouble understanding the NC/NO on the switches and whether continuity enables or disables the CDI.

[Gawald]

The kill switch on my Carter Talon has two wires going to it, one black/white and one green/white. To kill the engine, the black/white is grounded to the green/white. On the switch, there are 3 terminals, NO, NC, and C. The black/white goes to the NO lug and the green/white to the C lug. The switch has no continuity when running (normally open) but when I depress the push button, there is continuity between the b/w and g/w wires thereby grounding out the CDI and killing the engine. The b/w wire goes to the CDI and the g/w wire goes to ground with the switch in run position. You cab test the kill switch with an ohm meter with NO to C being open with the push button out and with 0 ohms when the button is pushed in. Continuity between the b/w and g/w wires kill the engine. Hope this helps.

[TTwin]

Thank you. That solved the problem. Unhooked both kill switch wires and left them hanging. Started right up. There is a short in one of the kill switches. But they will never be a problem again!

Probably never had a bad plug, coil, or CDI. But its got new ones now and running great. My son says it runs better than ever after cleaning the carburetor jets!

It was a learning and teaching exercise for both of us.

[Gawald]

Glad to have been of help. Having isolated the problem, I would replace the kill switch with a new one instead of leaving the wires disconnected. You never know when the kill switch might be needed in an emergency, especially with younger family members.

[Miamieddie]

I agree dont leave those wires hangin... and those parts you replaced are probably good keep them for spare.

[x-bird]

Originally Posted by Miamieddie

I agree dont leave those wires hangin... and those parts you replaced are probably good keep them for spare.

heh, i just found the kill circuit (from the long absent keyswitch) in the quad wiring, made a nice run up to the dash, soldered in the correct terminal ends for the kill switch from my carter harness that was in the buggy before, put the switch back in the dash, hooked it up ..... and had the terminal snap right off. guess what, they're gonna just hang there (taped off of course) Don't fret, it also has the quad's handlebar kill switch close by.