Odd Electrical Problem - Engine Only Starts with warmers/killswitch disconnected

[nickhesson]

Been trying for while now to get my sled to start since replacing the oil tank and was having no luck. However, I have found that by disconnecting the handwarmers/killswitch cable, the engine starts on one quick pull. idle's great. But this is making no sense to me...

So, in order to start the engine, I must disconnect the connectors for the killswitch and handwarmers... engine starts and runs great! Now here is the weird part.... If I plug the connectors back in while its running, all of a sudden the killswitch will actually work like it suppose to. However Once I shut it off, I cannot start the engine again until I disconnect the cables.

That being said, I figure okay, lets try starting it with it connected but remove the kill switch cable connection to the actual button itself. It was very corroded underneath however, even after removing this, it still did not solve the problem, the engine will still only start if the cable is disconnected.

So if it's not my killswitch thats the problem, could it possible be something to do with the hand warmers? And riddle me this... why does the killswitch work when I plug it back in after the machine is started. If there was a problem, wouldnt it not work at all when reconnected?


I am so confused here. Is there perhaps a damaged cable somewhere else? If so, why would disconnecting the upper portion, the killswitch/handwarmer connection, allow it to start?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Polarblu]

you have a short in you either your killswitch or hand warmer circuit. It works after its started because then you are making enough power to make spark also. When starting your power is going to ground somewear. Very small filiments in hand warmers areprobly the cause

 

[nickhesson]

interesting. i just had the hand warmers replaced last season... looks like this one will be covered by the dealership then

 

[Summiteer]

On my 06 rev there was a soldered connection for the handwarmers from factory in the main wire harness off the handlebars that was poorly insulated (looked like they wrapped it with surgical tape) the connection had actually broke causing my handwarmer to fail. You may have this same sort of connection but instead of breaking it has worn through insulation on other wires.

 

[nickhesson]

any tips on taking apart the harness to check the wires. I would like to remove the killswitch cable entirely to ensure its not that, thus narrowing it down to the handwarmers...


It only works with the harness disconnected. I took apart the killswitch and tried manually closing and opening a connection, but no matter the case, the harness still has to be disconnected to START the engine. Once its running I can plug it back in and all works... until i shut it off, repeat disconnect.

Im afraid to pull apart my handwarmers/grip as i JUST had the dealership install new ones last season

 

[nickhesson]

UPDATE!!! I disconnected the cables at the top of the handlebar, and cleaned them out. reconnected, and all is wel now.

now to replace that relay and see if my Electric start works again...