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View Full Version : New to Triking



skavaen
11-02-2011, 08:57 AM
Hello there people

My name is Adam. I live in Northern Ontario and I am new to triking. 2 years ago I bought a Honda Big Red 200ES to basically work on and restore. When I got it, it barely ran. Now I have it so that everything pretty much works except for one component...the electric start.

Ok a little backstory on me. I am not a mechanic, I can follow directions but I suck at naming parts. I am a computer programmer and systems analyst by trade but I figured that something like this would be a good project to help me learn and understand the basics of a combustion engine and well carbs as well. Ok let me get on to the problem at hand now.

Ok this is a weird one and I can't figure it out. Basically the trike will start on 1 or 2 pulls of the rip cord as long as teh battery is not in. If I install the battery the electric start will spin the starter motor and gas will spray and everything wants to go but there is no or very weak spark. The battery is brand new and fully charged. I pulled the plug out did the whole touch it to the engine and giver a pull with the battery disconnected and there is strong spark. You hook the battery back up and give the rip cord a pull and there is either weak or no spark. My only conclusion is that the battery is making some other circuit on the trike active and all current is going through that pathway rather then making it to the coil. I checked all my fuses and they looked good but I went ahead and replaced them all. I cleaned the grounds and battery leads and no change. I can drive the trike right now by removing the battery and just using the rip cord however the headlight gets really dim at night. I questioned if there were some relays somewhere that I am missing.

If anyone can offer any advice on this it would definately be greatly apreciated as I am scratching the skin off my skull over this.