1996 Polaris xPlorer 300 Kill Switch Problem

[frugalsob]

Good morning all,

I'm hoping someone can help out and lead me in the right direction.  I tried a search and really didn't find anything exactly like my issue.

Symptoms:  Turn key on, neutral light off, turn kill switch on, neutral light turns on, starts and runs normal.  While running, neutral light still on, turn off kill switch, neutral light turns off, atv continues to run and drive.  Only way to turn it off is with the key.

I tested the switch and wiring to the board and all of that checks out okay.  My gut says it's possible a bad ground somewhere, but if it was, why would it start?

So I'm kinda stumped for now, hoping someone here has experienced something like this before or knows what I should look at next...

[davefrombc]

Your quad likely  uses a magneto ignition.  Those are killed / turned off by  grounding  the ignition, If you  are looking for continuity when  On  and  no continuity when  Off you have it backwards.. When the kill switch is in the run  position  there should be no continuity through it ,  and in the  kill position there should be continuity.  It's just the opposite of a points and condenser or electronic system.

[Mech]

It sounds  like the kill switch is playing up..  See in the wiring diagram it has two poles that throw, one disconnecting when the other is connecting.. I'd recheck that.

[Mech]

If you are sure the kill switch is working, then use a wire to connect the black and the brown  kill switch wires at the connector plug and on the wiring loom side of the connector.

If the wiring loom is good that will kill a running engine. If it doesn't, then there's a bad connection in the wiring.

[frugalsob]

Thanks for the replies guys!

So I tested again and have continuity through the switch on blk/brn and r-w/r-blk.

I also tried to jump blk/brn on the board as it was running assuming it would kill it, but did not. 

Is it possible it could be the CDI not grounding the stator?

[Mech]

Not sure what you mean by "on the board", but I think you need to link the black and brown wires at the switch's connecting plug, and on the wiring loom side of the plug.

If that doesn't kill your running engine then there's a fault in the wiring. And since the main/key switch works, the fault has to be between where the black branches off the main/backbone black wire, to the kill switch, or where it branches off the brown main/backbone wire to the kill switch. If either of those wires from switch to their main/backbone wire is bad the kill switch won't work. You should first though check the wires at the kill switch connector plug to see the wires are making contact with the metal terminals in that plug. They might be broken right there inside the insulation, or they might have a bad connection if the wires are crimped into the terminals.

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[frugalsob]

By on the board I meant I clipped a jumper from where brown and black respectively connect. 

In the first image the red test prob is where brown connects to the board and the black is where black connects to the board.

The second image shows how I jumped the balck and brown on the board. 

Does that help explain?

[Mech]

Nope.. It doesn't.

If that's where the handlebar switch cables connect to the wiring loom then I think you need to check the wiring loom itself is connected to those points.

If you look at that wiring diagram I posted you will see there are two kill wires from the switch to the loom, one black and one brown, and they both splice into the loom.. I don't know where those splices are but you need to find them and check from each splice, to the switch. And check where the wires connect to the terminals on their ends for either broken wire inside the insulation, or dirty crimped connections.

[Mech]

The kill switch wires are just a parallel connection to the main/key switch's wires, branching off the same black and brown wires the main switch use, and since the main switch works, it has to be in the branching wires that the problem is.

[frugalsob]

Gotcha.  Your last comment resonated with me and I think I'm following you.

I printed off that diagram today while at work so I can try to follow it better.  I'll check it out tonight after work.

Thanks again for the help so far!  It's greatly appreciated.

I'll report back tonight on what I find out!

 

[frugalsob]

One more question as I plan to trace these wires:  is there something I could use to spray down that area to clean it?  Other then my air compressor.  I was thinking mass air flow sensor cleaner?

[Gwbarm]

I use electronic contact cleaner for the switches and connections not sure what mass air flow sensor cleaner is , never used it, but it should work. Sounds like it is electronic cleaner.

[Mech]

I don't have any faith in spray on cleaners. They wash grease off and leave switch contacts nice and clean, if it's only grease causing a problem, but I don't think they clean up dirty corroded connections like a wire brush or sand paper does.

If that board is the connecting place for the various lengths of wire involved, then check the spade terminals they all fit onto, and if there are parts riveted together, check the join between the two riveted bits carefully for resistance. Sometimes boards or fuse boxes get dirty where the wire connects on the back, and the fuse holder or other terminal on the other side of the board or box. Wires can corrode also where they crimp into their terminals.. Sometimes poking a pin through the insulation an inch back and checking for power there shows up the problem.

[frugalsob]

I owe you Mech!

Your explanation of the wiring diagram brought me right to the solution. 

The black lead off the kill switch was not tied to the black lead of the key switch. There were plenty of open spots on the terminal block the black key switch lead was connected to. I connected the black kill switch lead to the same terminal and it works like a champ!

Thanks again!  So VERY appreciated. 

[Mech]

Very good..

No trouble. Glad to be of help.