HI BIRD ATV ELECTRICAL ISSUES

[BIGGKIDD]

Hi

I'm having a problem with my 2008 Hi Bird 250. Once its been running a while it looses fire to the plug and dies. So far I have only been able to trace it back to the coil which is also not getting fire (power) when this happens. This tells me the problem is farther back in the system. I have found that when it does this if I wait a couple hours it will start and run again. One other thing I have noticed is that the kill switch on the handle bar acts weird. If I push the switch back & forth while trying to get it started it will sometimes start but I am not sure thats the problem. I have taken the switch apart and it makes no difference it still wont run until it has sat for a while. It almost acts like it has to cool down. If anyone can help please chime in.

Thanks Larry

[BIGGKIDD]

Note:
To self since it seems no one else is ever here.

The kill switch seems like it might be the problem.On the off chance it is I took a whack at it tonight. The switch has 3 contacts in it one hot and two grounds. The way it works is if you push it to either side it grounds the ignition out and kills the engine. So in the center it is supposed to run. Well my switch looked like it may MAY have been grounding out in the run position sometimes. So I covered the center portion of the slider with electrical tape. Its shaped like a staple with 2 raised spots near the ends of the long flat. They are supposed to contact one ground and the hot when the switch is moved to either side. But the bare center looked like it may have been hitting the center HOT while the two raised spots were resting near (on) the grounds. I don't know if this is the case but it seemed like a good chance that it was the problem. If NAPA has bearings for our 110 then I will find out tomorrow if this fixed it. I have to fix that also before we can go riding again.

If anyone else has to take this little project on too beware theres a lot of wires and junk crammed into that tiny little housing. Pay special attention to the order things come apart it can go back two ways only one will work right. Guess which way I had it first.

Sorry I didn't think to take any pics.

Larry

[BIGGKIDD]

Hi All,

Well it was not the switch. Now it will only run 4 or 5 min and cut off with no fire. Wait until its completely cool then it has fire and will start and run for 4 or 5 more min. I need ideas.

Larry

[BIGGKIDD]

Well it was not the switch. But that was as good a place to start as anywhere. So now I think I have it narrowed down to the CDI but it could be the pick up in the engine. But I have no way to test that. So I have ordered a new CDI hope it gets here today so we can take the ATVs out this weekend.

Currently we are waiting on the wheel bearings for Kyrstin's 110 and the CDI for my 250. So I sure hope we get some deliveries today.

KIDD

[BIGGKIDD]

Hi All,


Well I got the CDI and its not that either so its got to be in the engine it self. I checked to make sure the CDI worked by plugging it in and it ran so I took it back out and put the old one in and ran the engine until it lost fire. Changed CDI's no change still wont run. I still haven't been able to a hold of any one from the place I bought it. They haven't returned my calls or emails.

Larry

[BIGGKIDD]

Well I got some parts in from the dealer today. I haven't had time to open the box yet to see what he sent. I sure hope its the right parts. It would be a nice change.

Larry

[BIGGKIDD]

Well I just opened up the box from the dealer. He sent me a new Coil, CDI, Stator & Pick up along with new gaskets. Wow I am shocked I only expected a new stator & pick up. It took me a month to get a hold of anyone but once I did I got the parts quickly. So I have to hand it to them once they new I had a problem they took care of it. The office person has been out for a while and the guy who actually does the work wasn't getting the messages I guess. But once I found a number for him and talked to him I had the parts in under a week.

Now I just have to figure out how to install it and find out what the clearances are.

Larry

[BIGGKIDD]

Hi All,



I got some work done tonight. Better yet I remembered to take pictures so you all can learn from my mistakes. So far I have taken the starter gear cover off and the gears out. There was one case bolt that had to come out behind the gear set. I will post the picks and tell more about it when I get it farther along. I hope to get it apart tomorrow.

Larry

[dwayne]

I saw where you replaced the parts and have it running again. Hopefully it was just the pickup and that fixed it. If not it can only be a fuel flow problem or perhaps the valves too tight.

I looked at buying a chinese ATV, pep boys put on clearance the 400cc 4x4 ones they had for 2K. Of course they were all gone by the time I called. That was a ridiculously low price.

[BIGGKIDD]

Hi all,

I have to go into the engine and replace the stator assembly. So to start off I disconnected the battery.



Then I drained the oil. As I remove parts I laid them out with the bolts where they go in the order they came off.



I started off by removing the chain guard and shift lever and laid them out in order.



Next I had to remove the starter gear cover because there's a bolt in there behind the gears that had to come out to remove the cover.



In the last pic you can see I am pointing at the hidden bolt that has to come out from behind the starter gear.

The shaft that goes through the starter gears has a key way that has to line back up to go back together.



There is a slot in the crank case that the shaft key has to slide into.

Now I am ready to remove the side cover. Which was not as easy as it sounds. I used a Razor Knife blade to separate the cover by tapping the blade in real easy and using two of them I was able to get the case apart with out damage.



Before I could remove the cover from the engine I had to unplug the wires.



Here is the stator.



This is the pickup which I believe is the actual culprit.



This is where the pick up gets its signal from off the flywheel.



Here is a pic of the cover after I removed the old stator.



Here is the new stator and old stator. New is on the bottom of the pic and the old one is on the top.



Here the new stator has been installed and I used Seals All for a thread locking compound. The bolts holding this engine together were extremely tight. I was shocked to find such small bolts with such a high torque on them.



Here we are going back together.



I almost forgot I had to take this tab off it holds the wires out of the way of moving parts.



I don't have any specs on the engine so I just tightened everything back up tight as I felt comfortable going and left it at that.

All back together.



So now its time to put the oil in and hook up the battery.

All ready for the moment of truth will it ever run again???

Double check the oil level and hit the switch bump it started right up. ;D I ran it a few min and cut it off and rechecked the oil which was a little low so I added a few oz. and thats it all done.

So now I wont know if its truly fixed until I get the chance to go back out to the country.

Hope this may help some one in the future. It was not as bad as I thought it would be to get it done. Like most things never done before its not as bad as you expect.

Larry

[BIGGKIDD]

Hi All,

We rode it for an hour or so the other day with no problems ;D I sure hope its all fixed for good. Two good friends of mine and I took turns riding since its cold and I needed to test it out. We each rode for ten to fifteen min and switched off to get warm again. Now that it seems to be running right Robbie wants one. I tell you a new toy that doesn't work right stinks but once its right its all fun and games. ;D

Happy Holidays
Larry

[dwayne]

Good news huh. Those electrical problems can be pesky.

I bought a kats heater for my Y485. What an improvement. Don't even need glow plugs to start it now.

I was reading your thread on your radiator, sure looks like a bad cap or poor seal at the cap.

[BIGGKIDD]

Dwayne,

Good news huh. Those electrical problems can be pesky. You better believe it but I think its fixed now. ;D

I bought a Kat's heater for my Y485. What an improvement. Don't even need glow plugs to start it now.
Thats great they sure are nice. I got one a little while back.

I was reading your thread on your radiator, sure looks like a bad cap or poor seal at the cap.

This is the second cap I got it from NAPA and we tested it also and its holding good right at 10 psi. I did find one drop of antifreeze at the by-pass hose when I looked at it tonight. So thats going to be the next place I check.

Thanks
Happy Holidays
Larry

[coloradotrailrider]

Nice pictures on the electrical job Larry. Good info, thanks.

[Derek]

I need a starter motor gear for a hi-bird 250 atv. Does anyone know where I can find one or anyone have one. I have hit a bunch of dead ends and am dead in the water without it. Derek 585-303-2461. Thanks!