[leatherneck77]

I'm working on a 2011 trx250x for a guy. So far I have replaced a bunch of worn parts and even did a top end rebuild. I'm not much for electrical but I got it cranking before I discovered it needed a top end. After the top end rebuild I got it all back together and cranked it and cranked it till I realized I forgotten to turn the gas back on by this time the battery was dead. I hooked up my charger and tried to jump it that's when everything got screwy. Now when I try to hook the battery up it Sparks like crazy. I unhooked the starter and hooked the battery up and it's Normal all the lights come on and everything. Oh btw the starter, solenoid, and most of the electrical are brand new. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks.

 

[retro]

Did you connect the starter motor cable up wrong? Got the negative connected to the positive post? The battery connected backwards? Jumper cables connected backwards?

Did you put any china knockoff parts on it?

Welcome to the forums!

 

[SlammedRanger]

Sounds like starter has a dead short. If you remove it and you can hook all the cables up normal with no sparking or issues. Or like retro said cables backwards. But if it was cranking before and cables werent moved in between then the starter shorted out. Sometimes it can happen from cranking to long and not letting it cool down all the way in between. Its shockingly easy to cook a starter.

 

[leatherneck77]

There's only one cable going to the starter. So what you guys are saying is I fried the starter? I bench tested the starter today and it works but it Sparks like crazy.

 

[SlammedRanger]

Yes the one lug on the side should be a + cable. The ground is done external when its bolted down. If its sparking when being bench tested that is 100% your problem. Cooked the starter for sure. You can pull it apart and see the carnage.

 

[leatherneck77]

Other than a busted magnet inside I don't see much wrong with this starter.

 

[SlammedRanger]

Yeah the busted magnet is a big problem lol. Thats the issue. Broken magnet will = a dead short internal.

 

[LedFTed]

sure is a lot of broke magnet problems showing up lately.

 

[retro]

That starter looks like a china knockoff from ebay or amazon to me. If so, ya got what ya deserved and must be very wealthy..? I don't see any OEM stampings on the parts, the armature is uncoated and everything is chintzy, poor fitting and cheap looking.

 

[leatherneck77]

I got a new starter and plugged it in, and according to the diagram I found online I'm hooked up right but it's still sparking when I try to hook up the battery and it's also trying to engage the starter.

 

[misterclean59]

I think you have something wired incorrectly. I'd check the solenoid wiring first.

 

[retro]

Double check that the starter is hooked up right, then replace the solenoid with a genuine OEM part. As you've just learned on your starter... china knockoffs are useless garbage ripoffs and forever will be.

There is a sticky (with a drawing) here that shows how the solenoid and starter cables must be hooked up:

https://www.hondaatvforums.net/forums/repair-maintenance/42316-how-wire-your-starter-s-battery.html

Let us know how it goes.

 

[leatherneck77]

The starter that was in the machine when I got it to work on wasn't installed by me. That diagram has 2 leads coming off starter.

 

[retro]

Your drawing looked a bit incomplete... check out the sticky link I posted for a simplified drawing... see if your cable hookups match or not?

 

[leatherneck77]

I did look at the sticky note and that starter has 2 leads. Mine has 1.

 

[retro]

BTW, there is only one cable connection on your starter and that is a red (positive (+)) cable that comes from the solenoid. The black Battery (negative (-)) cable is ground, which bolts down to the motor cases, which is usually attached to one of the starter mounting bolts. See the drawing...

 

[retro]

Correct, your starter provides only one cable connection. That Red cable comes from one of the large posts on the solenoid. The Battery negative cable bolts down to motor ground, usually with one of the starter mounting bolts.

The short Red battery cable goes to the other large solenoid post. When the solenoid engages battery current is supplied to the starter motor by connecting those two Red cables together, internally. The solenoid acts as a Heavy Duty switch, in other words.

 

[leatherneck77]

Starter cable is going to red and yellow side of solenoid, ground from the case is going to battery, positive wire is going to black wire side of solenoid to battery.

 

[leatherneck77]

The starter gets grounded to the case.

 

[retro]

In your photos above, you've got the two battery cables hooked up backwards. Swap those two cables... and you'll be flushed with joy.

The short cable going to the solenoid post goes to the Positive battery terminal. That positive battery terminal is labeled with a "+". Every Battery is labeled that way.

The other longer cable connecting to the solenoid post goes to the terminal on the starter motor. There should be a small round rubber boot on that cable end. See your manual.

The Negative battery terminal is labeled with a "-". Every Battery is labeled that way. Negative = Ground.

The other end of that negative cable should be bolted down to the motor cases, which is usually (but not always, see your manual!) one of the starter mounting bolts.

Let us know how it goes.