Gio 110cc Mini Hummer - Battery LAUNCH

[TurboT]

Hi Guys,

My wife has our kids and her nephews up at the mountain property this week doing some relaxing and quad riding.

My nephew, who is 5, has a Gio 110cc Mini Hummer style QUAD. The batterys in these are placed at the back of the unit, tucked inside, I guess a little over and in above the rear wheel. (Different from the mini beast and 50cc I have which has the battery under the seat)

Apparently, as he was riding with some speed over some bumps, the battery bounced out of it's hole and launched off the unit, taking the connectors and hardware with it. Little guy didn't even notice and the thing kept running until he shut it off some 10 minutes later. Wouldn't re-start of course so the battery hunt was on. Found it in the weeds.

The original battery was junk so they had replaced it with another, so not sure if it was a perfect size for the spot. (Not my unit so I haven't really inspected it much) Kind of an odd story!

I thought I'd share for those who have a Mini Hummer they may want to look at a contraption to hold the battery down to avoid this happening to them. I laughed a little but it's not lost on me that this could be a wee dangerous. When I arrive up there in a couple days I'm sure I will be tasked with fixing this problem so it doesn't happen again. Bungie cords here I come.

[Weldangrind]

My daughter's first 50cc quad (not a Gio) had the same issue. The battery was held in by a typical battery bungee, but it stretched. I tossed it out and secured the battery with large zip-ties.

[TurboT]

Crazy really. This one didn't come with anything to hold it in at all so at least whoever made your first one had some clue it could happen.

Being away from this I am rolling my eyes. My wife is up there with her sisters, none of whom are mechanical, and this little Hummer is being a real lemon. They took it into the atv store there and the guy in all his wisdom soldered the cables to the battery. Wouldn't be my choice of fix, and offered no solution to the flying out issues, so they went and bought bungies and wrapped them around it.

I guess they took it back and the little guy rode it around for 30 minutes and it died, and now it won't start again. Hard to diagnose it over the phone but it sounds like a spark issue. Perhaps the plug fouled or there is something else going on.. he is up there now excited to ride and nobody capable to fix it until thursday when I go up. Bummer for him really.

[Weldangrind]

There are a few possibilities. His quad might have come with a tether, and maybe it's not closing the circuit (I'd lose it). He might also have a goofy kill switch like our Gio Beast and our Gio Monster; it's a re-labeled street bike turn signal switch, and you slide it left or right to kill the quad (call your wife and tell her about that; it might solve the problem). You must then press the switch in to reset it, just as you would cancel signal lights on a street bike (took us awhile to figure that one out).

If it has the original spark plug, swap it for an NGK C7HSA.

[TurboT]

Which kill switch are you meaning? Trying to visualize.

There is a switch on the handle bar you need to push down or up. (DOwn on, up off) and then the start button on the opposite handlebar. Is this what you are meaning?

I did ask her to check the safety tether on the back to ensure it was on correctly which she tells me she did a bunch of times...and she did turn the switch on and off a few times. Is there a reset I might be missing?

[TurboT]

I had a look at the gio beast pics on the gio site, it has a different engine run switch on the 110cc. As I said its a switch, either up or down. I did mention to my wife this just now, and she told me she's flipped it on and off a few times, turned the key on and off and still no happyness.

I'm expecting it's more than likely the plug, as I'm sure they didn't change out to an NGK yet.

Or it's possible they flooded it trying to start it hot with the choke on, and now can't get it going again.

Could be all sorts of things! .. feel for me dealing with complaining women over the phone.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by TurboT

Which kill switch are you meaning? Trying to visualize.

There is a switch on the handle bar you need to push down or up. (DOwn on, up off) and then the start button on the opposite handlebar. Is this what you are meaning?

I did ask her to check the safety tether on the back to ensure it was on correctly which she tells me she did a bunch of times...and she did turn the switch on and off a few times. Is there a reset I might be missing?

The quad in question doesn't necessarily have the same setup as our larger machines. Ours is just like a turn signal switch, and it's mounted on the left handlebar. If the 110 only has a toggle, it's a non-issue.

[TurboT]

Mate I appreciate you trying to help.

You did make me check to see if she tried turning that on and off and any input I can give her to stop the phone calls is welcome!

I expect that anyone with some mechanical knowledge would get this going again pretty quickly. It's just 5 hours away from me at the moment.

[Weldangrind]

When you go up on Thursday, bring the new plug along. It's a safe bet. A two-pack at Crappy Tire is cheap.

[TurboT]

Yes and since I have two myself will eventually need them for sure.

[lonfu]

Hi there, I have found that the chinese switches and plugs are some what undependble. I've personally had to repair about a dozen different plugs on my 3 chinese atv's. Wire pull out of the slip connector in the plastic plug. Hard to see too!!!! I've had 2 out of three ignition switches fail. So word here is this, check your plugs and switches before you get crazy on the mechanics. In fact I have had only one small waterpump leak, main seal, on all three! So take an ohm meter!!!!!! good luck!!! :idea:

[TurboT]

Hi lonfu,

Funny I was coming on here to report the problem and it sounds like you are bang on.

The old spark plug was pretty dark, but the new one made no difference to the running. Ground it on a bolt and had no spark from new or old plug.

After some checking wiring connections, the white connector plug for the cdi had a wire half out of the connector. My problem is I can't get the thing to stay in there. I fix it, it runs a while then eventually works itself loose and dies. I am going to hit up the napa store to see if I can re-wire the plug so hopefully they stay in there.

Any tips you may have that have worked for you would be very welcome!

[lonfu]

The most time consuming way is to pull the pin out of the plug. You will need a small needle or ouch pin, you run it along the connector from the front, non wire side of the connector and slide the solderless connector out of the plug. These connectors have a little barb that keeps them in the white plug. The needle or pin will depress the barb and let the connector come out. Then you have 2 choices, one, try to open up the crimp with the needle and recrimp the wire. Not an easy thing to do!!! Very small work!!
or
you can get out the soldering iron and see if you can tag the wire on to the crimped end. Not the side mind you, the end. You still have to pull the solderless connector out of the plug.

Last resort, you replace the factory plug with standard solderless connectors available at the autoparts store. You will need varity of connectors especially if it is the cdi box, they aways have wierd sizes. Be sure to buy a good crimper, not the kind that has squashes the connector kind of flat. Harbor frieght and home depot sell a decent crimper, it makes a deep bathtub shape crimp. Home depot is the most expensive but a better quality. I have one from both. I usually solder, lasts longer. Some times you have to choose which method to use according to your abilty to access the wire.

hope this helps......

[lonfu]

Forgot to mention, black plug means running rich, too much gas. Not enough air, check the air filter and mixture screw.

[Weldangrind]

TurboT, I agree with lonfu on soldering wherever possible. Even the best crimps can rattle loose, but a good solder joint typically lasts very well. Also, a little heat shrink tubing over the solder joints is always better than tape.

It's a good idea to create a strain relief after repairs. See if you can add zip ties to the wires leading to the connectors, so that the connections don't have any stress.