New very old Tao Tao 125cc

swerly01 · 06-05-2017, 04:17 PM

I got a taotao 125cc atv in trade for computer work. He said it had sat out for 5 years and his son drove it for about 5 hours and it would't start anymore so it remained parked.

So... I got it, replaced the carb and air filter, flushed the gas tank, changed oil, replaced the CDI, ignition coil and starter solenoid. I put a brand new battery in it and got it charged.
Here is a video of it running...

It started immediately first try. We drove it around the yard, used it for about a week. I put my son on it and was teaching him how to drive it.... he drove around the tree about 3 or 4 times and it died.(i think he hit the kill switch) and i didn't notice... and started trying to get it to start.... but it kept trying to start, but never did.... then i noticed the kill switch, and turned the kill switch to run and tried again.... and it didn't make a difference... so i assumed the battery was dead from trying...
I took it back in the shop charged the battery...
And nothing...still...
The break light comes on when you press it to start and when you press the start switch it seems to just dim a bit. No clicking, no sounds at all.
I tried jumping the starter with the brake depressed and it doesn't do anything...
What can I try next? not sure what to do voltage tests on? or what ?
Any help would be great!?

JohnWayne007 · 06-05-2017, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swerly01

I got a taotao 125cc atv in trade for computer work. He said it had sat out for 5 years and his son drove it for about 5 hours and it would't start anymore so it remained parked.

So... I got it, replaced the carb and air filter, flushed the gas tank, changed oil, replaced the CDI, ignition coil and starter solenoid. I put a brand new battery in it and got it charged.
Here is a video of it running...

It started immediately first try. We drove it around the yard, used it for about a week. I put my son on it and was teaching him how to drive it.... he drove around the tree about 3 or 4 times and it died.(i think he hit the kill switch) and i didn't notice... and started trying to get it to start.... but it kept trying to start, but never did.... then i noticed the kill switch, and turned the kill switch to run and tried again.... and it didn't make a difference... so i assumed the battery was dead from trying...
I took it back in the shop charged the battery...
And nothing...still...
The break light comes on when you press it to start and when you press the start switch it seems to just dim a bit. No clicking, no sounds at all.
I tried jumping the starter with the brake depressed and it doesn't do anything...
What can I try next? not sure what to do voltage tests on? or what ?
Any help would be great!?

Take a screw driver, try jumping the Solenoid, if it starts cranking try another CDI or even the old one. Also make sure there is spark all together. Its far from rare for a new CDI to be crappy right out of the box. Had the same thing happen with my 150cc. Tried a donor CDI and fired right up, CDI wouldent produce spark causing a no fire.

Weldangrind · 06-06-2017, 01:31 PM

Welcome! Thanks for joining us.

X2 on making sure there is spark, but I think you're saying it won't even turn over at this point. I had a quad with similar symptoms, and I chased my tail for quite a while on that one; I replaced every electrical component with no change. I even swapped out the ignition switch.

After considerable troubleshooting, I figured out that one wire had broken off of the terminal on the original ignition switch. I failed to notice that my replacement ignition switch had a different pinout. Once I removed the cover from the original switch and resoldered the wire, it fired right up.

FLASHLIGHTBOY · 06-08-2017, 12:43 PM

yes some ignition switches are wired different ,... you haver to check the colours and the power & ground to match them... but you can by pass the solenoid without the key and it will start & run... if all is well... a lot of time the battery is no good.. the charger will say it is 12volt ,, BUT NO AMPS.. when you boost the battery dis-connect the old one and try.. so you have to have it turn over.. and then spark.. then gas .. those are what to go.. step by step.. check the black & white tracer wire o the cdi.. for ground .. disconnect of so..

06-05-2017, 04:17 PM	#1
swerly01 Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 1	New very old Tao Tao 125cc I got a taotao 125cc atv in trade for computer work. He said it had sat out for 5 years and his son drove it for about 5 hours and it would't start anymore so it remained parked. So... I got it, replaced the carb and air filter, flushed the gas tank, changed oil, replaced the CDI, ignition coil and starter solenoid. I put a brand new battery in it and got it charged. Here is a video of it running... It started immediately first try. We drove it around the yard, used it for about a week. I put my son on it and was teaching him how to drive it.... he drove around the tree about 3 or 4 times and it died.(i think he hit the kill switch) and i didn't notice... and started trying to get it to start.... but it kept trying to start, but never did.... then i noticed the kill switch, and turned the kill switch to run and tried again.... and it didn't make a difference... so i assumed the battery was dead from trying... I took it back in the shop charged the battery... And nothing...still... The break light comes on when you press it to start and when you press the start switch it seems to just dim a bit. No clicking, no sounds at all. I tried jumping the starter with the brake depressed and it doesn't do anything... What can I try next? not sure what to do voltage tests on? or what ? Any help would be great!?
	1

06-06-2017, 01:31 PM	#3
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	Welcome! Thanks for joining us. X2 on making sure there is spark, but I think you're saying it won't even turn over at this point. I had a quad with similar symptoms, and I chased my tail for quite a while on that one; I replaced every electrical component with no change. I even swapped out the ignition switch. After considerable troubleshooting, I figured out that one wire had broken off of the terminal on the original ignition switch. I failed to notice that my replacement ignition switch had a different pinout. Once I removed the cover from the original switch and resoldered the wire, it fired right up. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
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06-08-2017, 12:43 PM	#4
FLASHLIGHTBOY Join Date: May 2009 Location: SASKATOON Posts: 1,161	ignition switch yes some ignition switches are wired different ,... you haver to check the colours and the power & ground to match them... but you can by pass the solenoid without the key and it will start & run... if all is well... a lot of time the battery is no good.. the charger will say it is 12volt ,, BUT NO AMPS.. when you boost the battery dis-connect the old one and try.. so you have to have it turn over.. and then spark.. then gas .. those are what to go.. step by step.. check the black & white tracer wire o the cdi.. for ground .. disconnect of so.. __________________ DEALER FOR ZSTAR & GIO PRODUCTS, TAOTAO ABIBABA ATV ETC
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