Suzuki LT80 Quadsport ISSUES

[Hillbillydrummer]

Hi everyone. New to the forum!

Hers is my issue.

I have a Suzuki LT80 (Not sure what year-I think it is 2002) and it will not start. I was told the starter is new and it has a new battery. I checked the battery and it reads 12.5V. When I hit the start button all I get is a click in the black 4 prong relay. I also unplugged it and jumped the 2 big wires but all it does is spark and get hot. It also gets hot if I keep pushing the start button. I also unplugged the white plug by the gas tank, hooked a wire to it and tried a battery charger...same thing...wires get hot. Then I removed the starter and used the battery charger on it. I hooked the black to the starter casing and the red to the hot lead on the starter...all it did was spark and make the battery charger hum louder. Is the starter bad? Do I need a relay? Both? I also know about the red button under the plastic. It wasn't even tripping so I bypassed it just to try what I could. I'm at a loss. I just want it to run for my son to ride. If anyone can help please do so. Thanks in advance!

[Hillbillydrummer]

No one has any ideas at all what the issue could be? No one? Any help is appreciated!!

[Tim-ANC]

Best way to check the starter is to jump it straight from a charged battery. By what you described so far it does seem like a bad starter. There are rebuild gets for them.

How does the pull start work?

[Hillbillydrummer]

It don't have a pull start on it. It's just frustrating dealing with electrical issues. I just want it to run haha.

[Tim-ANC]

Is the pull start broken or was it not equipped with the option?

Yes, can be frustrating. Be methodical. If your starter does check good by battery jump, then the relay is the next suspect. After that, wiring.

[Hillbillydrummer]

It has never had a pull start...was the battery charger too much to check it with? Could I clamp the black clamp on the stater housing and the red on where the wire hooks and use the setting "12V maintainer" I think I may have use the 12v 200amp engine start setting when testing it...I may have messed it up myself somehow. Thanks for the info so far!

[Tim-ANC]

Direct jump from a charged battery is best. Chargers limit amperage to deliver a trickle feed. Better to use the components the system was designed for.

[LT80]

Id buy a starter.

ebay starters have been OK.

[dtbprc]

put in in gear and try to push start it down a hill

[Tim-ANC]

put in in gear and try to push start it down a hill

There are no gears, CVT drive. Plus it's a centrifugal clutch.

[LT80]

There are no gears, CVT drive. Plus it's a centrifugal clutch.

If you can do that, you have more trouble than a starter.

[Hillbillydrummer]

Very trye...haha

[Hillbillydrummer]

Yea...I ordered a starter...

[Tim-ANC]

Ouch, that doesnt look healthy. Does it smell burnt?

[Hillbillydrummer]

Yea...I must have fried it trying to jump the quad so much...I'm not sure what caused this.

[Tim-ANC]

I dont thing you did any thing too it. Looks like an old burnt out starter to me.

[LT80]

I dont thing you did any thing too it. Looks like an old burnt out starter to me.

Ditto.

[Hillbillydrummer]

I ordered one and I'm also going to get a new relay since I seen smoke coming from it at one point too...it's more than likely fried as well!

[Hillbillydrummer]

I ended up needing a starter. I got it to run and my son can ride but I have to jump the red wires in the plug where the relay goes to get it to turn over. I even bought a brand new relay...plug it up...hit the start button and nothing! I keeping having to jump the wires to get it to start. It should start with the realy plugged in right? What would cause it to not work...since the relay is BRAND NEW???

[LT80]

The start switch/button has been known to go bad.

Tell me if Im thinking right::: You are holding the start button then touching the wires together to make the starter turn?

"I ended up needing a starter"....... LOL...Ray Charles seen that the old starter was bad. :D