Yamaha Bear Tracker 250 Where to start?

[payne]

12 minutes ago, Frank Angerano said:

Yes that relay needs power to close and need to get it from someplace. So when you grounded the neutral safety switch and reverse wires and lights came on the starter button did not make the starter relay click ? 

Yes, when grounded lights came on but button didnt engage starter. And there is no power coming from red and white wire.

[Frank Angerano]

Ok but any click coming from the start relay? 
Put a tester on the the relay and and check each wire for power on the small plug when you hit the start button.   
 

One test lead on the ground and the other test lead on each wire one at a time. Press the start button and see if you get any readings. 
Did you pull the brake handle in as well and check that it has wires coming from it ? 

[payne]

Oh, ok. So that red wire is only gonna be hot once the starter button is pushed?

Yes, brake handle is pulled, I'm confident the switch is in there, because the wires are still running out of it. 

Do these bikes only have 1 ground? I found the one under the battery tray a d is very corroded.

I will check for power to those wires when I get home.

The bike must have been left out in the weather because every screw, bolt and nut are corroded when trying to remove them.

Wanted to look inside of the kill/starter/headlight switch, but cant get the 2nd screw out to look at it.

Kill switch doesnt move, but its stuck in the on position.

[Frank Angerano]

The kill switch is a common suspect with atvs that are left outside. Water gets inside and eventually fills and corrodes the inside. 
But if its in the on position and the engine starts like you said i think its ok for now. 

Try to use a bigger philips head  screwdriver on that screw for the kill switch.  If it still does not come out then drill out the head only and when you get the control off you can grab the rest of the stud with a pair of vice grips and spin it out.   
 

Take the ground wire off and clean it good and put it back on.  You may want to go get a can of dielectric grease clean and add it to all the electrical connections.  
 

So back to that red wire, it has voltage when you press the start button? If so thats good. 
Now do the same thing on the starter relay. Test all wires like we said in the last post and see if any get voltage when start button is pressed. This will tell you that the start button is working should you get power upon pressing the start button to any of those wires and thats a good thing if you do. 
  
Keep in mind a new relay may be needed and its cheap enough to get and easy to find.  I say this because if you get power to any of the wires on that relay when you press the start button means the relay is getting power and it should click. UNLESS there is a ground issue and that will be the next step.   
 

Back to the starter, i feel like you should disconnect the starter if its bad. Once you get that relay to click its going to send power to the starter and if you jumped the wires like you said and that starter is not  moving you could burn wires up so be careful.
 

Edited March 7, 2020 by Frank Angerano

[payne]

I will check for power to those wires when I get home.

The bike must have been left out in the weather because every screw, bolt and nut are corroded when trying to remove them.

Wanted to look inside of the kill/starter/headlight switch, but cant get the 2nd screw out to look at it.

Kill switch doesnt move, but its stuck in the on position.

[payne]

7 minutes ago, Frank Angerano said:

The kill switch is a common suspect with atvs that are left outside. Water gets inside and eventually fills and corrodes the inside. 
But if its in the on position and the engine starts like you said i think its ok for now. 

Try to use a bigger philips head  screwdriver on that screw for the kill switch.  If it still does not come out then drill out the head only and when you get the control off you can grab the rest of the stud with a pair of vice grips and spin it out.   
 

Take the ground wire off and clean it good and put it back on.  You may want to go get a can of dielectric grease clean and add it to all the electrical connections.  
 

So back to that red wire, it has voltage when you press the start button? If so thats good. 
Now do the same thing on the starter relay. Test all wires like we said in the last post and see if any get voltage when start button is pressed. This will tell you that the start button is working should you get power upon pressing the start button to any of those wires and thats a good thing if you do. 
  
Keep in mind a new relay may be needed and its cheap enough to get and easy to find.  I say this because if you get power to any of the wires on that relay when you press the start button means the relay is getting power and it should click. UNLESS there is a ground issue and that will be the next step.   
 

Back to the starter, i feel like you should disconnect the starter if its bad. Once you get that relay to click its going to send power to the starter and if you jumped the wires like you said and that starter is not  moving you could burn wires up so be careful.
 

I believe the state is fine. I have  connected the starter directly to a battery and it turns and starts the quad no problem. Just not with the start button.

I checked those wires earlier, but not with the button pushed in though. I will do that and let you know what I get.

Thanks for all your help. Are we able to message directly to one another on this forum?

[Frank Angerano]

If you know that starter is working thats great. But the starter should have cranked when you jumped the two big lugs on the starter relay. Definitely take the wires off that relay and clean asap and see what you get. If that battery is good then you should get a crank by jumping the wires. 
And check that ground for a good connection. 

 

 

[payne]

Will do.

[payne]

Removed and cleaned terminals on really, reconnected and jumped them out. Still no crank. Also none of the wires on the other realy are getting power when the button is depressed.

Thinking maybe the starter switch is bad?

[payne]

Also, took apart starter switch assembly and verified no power going to it. 

Jumped out both wires at the switch and nothing

[Frank Angerano]

What color wires do you have at the control? Post a few pics.

Should be a red wire and that should be coming from the main fuse block.  You should trace that wire back to the fuse.  

[payne]

Red/white and looks to be orange

[Frank Angerano]

Ok so start to trace that wire back to the source.  If you have to pull plastics and start exposing the harness do so.  You can also do continuity testing.  Find that same wire on the other  side and put the tester on each end.  Tester on continuity / ohms setting 

[payne]

Should the orange wire have 12v when the key is on?

[Frank Angerano]

Not 100% sure but do any of them have 12v power on them with key on ?

[payne]

No

[Frank Angerano]

Ok well one if them should.   Im looking at diagram now. Give me a few 

[payne]

Orange wire has power now, I found a broken wire.

Red wire going to key was nearly broke

[payne]

Now when I jump the 2 wires at the starter switch, the relay clicks but starter isnt cranking

[Frank Angerano]

Ok so relay clicks is a great thing.  I would remove, clean and reconnect all wires going to the starter and try that again.  

[payne]

8 minutes ago, Frank Angerano said:

Ok so relay clicks is a great thing.  I would remove, clean and reconnect all wires going to the starter and try that again.  

Ok, I do believe that I'm not getting power to the starter still though. I put I test light on the 12v wire coming into starter and jumped started button and the light didnt light up.

[Frank Angerano]

If that relay clicks then it should send power to the starter.  So the relay is most likely bad.   

[payne]

I take that back. Removed hot wire to starter. Connected test light to it at it lit up when I jumped the starter button wires. Light looked kind dim. Thinking maybe my battery is bad. It has 11.2v when no load is on it, but I have a trickle charger on it.

I'm gonna try and see if my lawn mower battery does any different tomorrow.

[Frank Angerano]

Ok thats good.  Just because a battery shows 11-12 v it does not mean it will crank an engine. Sometimes a cell is bas within the battery.   Make sure the battery is properly charged and ready to go or new. Its important.  
 

[payne]

Think I got it Frank! Used my lawnmower battery and it started right up. I think I'm gonna get a new relay because its hit or miss with it it seems. Thanks for all your help, I greatly appreciate it!

[Frank Angerano]

@payne thats great news and awesome work brother.  All i did was point you in the right direction. You did all the work! 
Tidy up all the wiring and make sure to lube and properly service that atv and take care of it. 

Post some pics,  stay in touch. 
Ride safe. 

[payne]

Thanks again. Think it was a combination of partially broken wire coming from ignition, bad/corroded connections things like that. I was actually fixing it for my brother in law. He's wanted a quad for few years now and he found this cheap,  not running. I'll post some pics when I'm done. Plastics are faded real bad. Was gonna try a heat gun on them or do you suggest something else?

I have a CFMOTO now, but had a 08 Rancher 420 and 87ish Bayou before.

[Frank Angerano]

I do recommend a way to clean them up. 
Take a look at this last project i did. 
 

 

Water sand and apply a clear coat thats flexible and durable to chemicals.  

Let me know what you think. 
 

[payne]

That looks great! It may be a lil more work than I'm willing to do. Not sure. What grit sandpaper do you use?

What mini battery jumper do you use?

[Frank Angerano]

Sandpaper was 500 to get it down quick and then 800.   It was not as bad as you would think.   
Its 10 times easier if the plastics are off of the atv. 
The  sanding goes quick and its water sanding so no dust. 
 

 Jumper pack i got on eBay my brand was i think red pack or red something....  But heres another that is the same.   These things are a life saver especially when I'm heading out to go get an atv that was sitting. I can hook it up and crank and check for compression etc. 

Arteck Car Jump Starter Auto battery Charger and 8000mAh External battery Charger Car Jumper for 12V Automotive, Motorcycle, Tractor, Boat, Phone with Clamps, LED Flashlight, 300A Peak 2.5L Gas Max https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DVSSCG6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_usVzEbQNWD8RF