ATV Question

[diverdown]

I have a 1987 Suzuki LT-F230 Quadrunner that I didnt pay much for but dont want to put much into either.I picked up a new battery for it today, hooked it up and .......nothing. I can pull start it with or without the battery hooked up but I get nothing when i hook up the battery. Battery is fully charged and it doesnt turn the lights on or anything. Buddy said it may be the selinoid but Im retarded when it comes to this mechanical stuff.

How hard is this to change out? If this is the issue...

 Im not mechanically inclined at all so any help that you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

[Fisherman 1]

Follow the positive wire from the battery to the solenoid, it may be a little square box or slightly rounded, 2 big wires and usually 2 smaller ones.   Somewhere in there are fuses too, if the lights don't come on with a new battery, then I doubt it is the solenoid.
To check the solenoid, short out the 2 large wires and then turn the key/start button.  Some times there's so much corrosion on wire terminals that not enough power gets anywhere.  Also check the grounds to frame/engine.

[teamlund]

is there any corrosion on the wire leads? Weird that the battery wont power anything...

[GrizlyGarou]

I'd bet there's a blown fuse. Follow the red wire from the battery, it'll either be one of the flat ones like in a car, or maybe a plastic round thing with wire coming out both ends.

Do the lights work if the engines running?

[teamlund]

I'd bet there's a blown fuse. Follow the red wire from the battery, it'll either be one of the flat ones like in a car, or maybe a plastic round thing with wire coming out both ends.

Do the lights work if the engines running?

I cant image that 1 fuse would take out the whole rig?....DO they put a master fuse on the power (+) lead? I would think that its run into a block where everything splits from there....

[GrizlyGarou]

I cant image that 1 fuse would take out the whole rig?....DO they put a master fuse on the power (+) lead? I would think that its run into a block where everything splits from there....

Mines got a buss fuse right near the battery, then a couple more after that for the lights and starter where those wires split off.

Electrical problems can be really easy to fix, or be a total nightmare. Follow the positive and negative leads to find all the fuses, and check the ground on the negative too. A multimeter (if you have a buddy that has one it's free to borrow probly!) can take a lot of the guess work out and help you nail down the problem a lot faster, too.

[diverdown]

Do the lights work if the engines running?

Yeah the headlight works while its running.

Im taking it over to my brothers this weekend so he can take a look at it.

Like i said earlier, I can pull start it with or without the battery hooked up. But I got no power at all once the battery is hooked up.