# Bombardier (Can-Am) Traxter 650 Starting Problems.



## hitechman

I have a 2005 Traxter 650, and for the first time ever, I am having starting problems, and was wondering where to start trouble shooting.

Lights work (on key switch), battery is fully charged and functional, battery terminals are clean and corrosion free, and winch attached to key switch works. All other electrical works just fine.

Machine has set for about 3 months on a trickle battery charger. Went out to start it 4 days ago and all I get when I push the start button is a CLICK. Multiple pushes of the start switch (sometimes as many as 20 and as few as 2) will eventually get the starter to engage.

Yesterday it started on the first push of the start button, but today it took 3-5 pushes of the start switch to engage the starter. This happened with 6 starts today.

The starter appears to work fine when it works. I am assuming the CLICK I hear is the solenoid, and it appears the juice never makes it to the starter....starter does not whine or make any noise at all. When it does start the starter appears to function properly.

Is it possible the solenoid is bad and not making the electrical contact......I'm not sure this machine has a separate solenoid? Could it be a bad, loose, or corroded connection at the solenoid or starter? Is there a separate solenoid or is it a part of the starter?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Steve


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## phantom cls

hitechman said:


> I have a 2005 Traxter 650, and for the first time ever, I am having starting problems, and was wondering where to start trouble shooting.
> 
> Lights work (on key switch), battery is fully charged and functional, battery terminals are clean and corrosion free, and winch attached to key switch works. All other electrical works just fine.
> 
> Machine has set for about 3 months on a trickle battery charger. Went out to start it 4 days ago and all I get when I push the start button is a CLICK. Multiple pushes of the start switch (sometimes as many as 20 and as few as 2) will eventually get the starter to engage.
> 
> Yesterday it started on the first push of the start button, but today it took 3-5 pushes of the start switch to engage the starter. This happened with 6 starts today.
> 
> The starter appears to work fine when it works. I am assuming the CLICK I hear is the solenoid, and it appears the juice never makes it to the starter....starter does not whine or make any noise at all. When it does start the starter appears to function properly.
> 
> Is it possible the solenoid is bad and not making the electrical contact......I'm not sure this machine has a separate solenoid? Could it be a bad, loose, or corroded connection at the solenoid or starter? Is there a separate solenoid or is it a part of the starter?
> 
> Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
> 
> Steve


i have a 650 can am outlander, never had your problem. problem i've had was, push the start button and nothing at all. that ended up being a fuse near the battery.1 i would check battery cables, starter and solenoid cables, clean bright and tight! 2 take your starter push button apart and check for rust and use a electronic spray cleaner to clean it up. 3 i would take the battery in an have it tested. if its the factory battery, your due for a new one. sounds like a weak connection some where!


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## hawgeye

Make sure you clean all your battery connections first, sometimes you can get a little bit of corrosion on the terminals. If that don't help it's the solenoid. replace it. You can use a cheap lawnmower solenoid in a pinch to get by.


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## hitechman

phantom cls said:


> i have a 650 can am outlander, never had your problem. problem i've had was, push the start button and nothing at all. that ended up being a fuse near the battery.1 i would check battery cables, starter and solenoid cables, clean bright and tight! 2 take your starter push button apart and check for rust and use a electronic spray cleaner to clean it up. 3 i would take the battery in an have it tested. if its the factory battery, your due for a new one. sounds like a weak connection some where!


Thank you (a lot) for the input. 

It is not the push button start. I've had that apart and no corrosion. Battery was tested and is 90+%. Not a fuse because it does get current at least to the solenoid. I will start with the connections (cables) to the starter and solenoid and make sure they are tight and not corroded. I have no idea where they are or how to get to them though. Hoping it's just a loose or corroded connection on the starter/solenoid.

I doubt there is any problem with the negative ground because all of the other electronics work perfectly.

Thanks again.

Steve


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## FREEPOP

Nothing electronic draws anywhere near as much amperage as a starter.

I'd look at the solenoid.


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## hitechman

hawgeye said:


> Make sure you clean all your battery connections first, sometimes you can get a little bit of corrosion on the terminals. If that don't help it's the solenoid. replace it. You can use a cheap lawnmower solenoid in a pinch to get by.


Thank you for the advice. Battery terminals are all shined up and protected with dielectric grease...did that first. I'll check the connections on the solenoid and starter as soon as I figure out where they are and how to get to them.

I can hear the solenoid activate (click) when I push the start button, and it will eventually (or has so far) catch and start after numerous tries, so I'm guessing the starter is OK. My first though was a defective solenoid, but I'm not really a mechanically inclined person, although I have a fair good theoretical understanding of electrical circuits. Now all I have to do is figure out where those are located.

I appreciate the advice.

Steve


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## FREEPOP

A solenoid does the switching of high current because, your start button or key (in the case of a car) can't handle that much current and it'd be really tough to replace. Solenoids are usually put in accessible locations. Have someone click the button while you look and-or feel for the clicking component. It will have a heavy guage wire going to it from the positive side of the battery.


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## phantom cls

http://www.can-amforum.com/forums/brp-traxter-quest/46954-free-traxter-service-manual.html steve, this service manual may help ya and its free. if not, you can try and post your problem on can-amforum. just find the traxters threads, hth


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## phantom cls

also steve, if you need a extra hand, i'm only 25 mins from your house.


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## hitechman

phantom cls said:


> http://www.can-amforum.com/forums/brp-traxter-quest/46954-free-traxter-service-manual.html steve, this service manual may help ya and its free. if not, you can try and post your problem on can-amforum. just find the traxters threads, hth


Thanks for the link, but it's dead. Did post on the Can-Am forum before I did here.....no responses so far.

I do agree that this ATV is truly over-engineered.

Steve


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## phantom cls

http://brpmanuals.com/canam-atv-manual.htm steve, these are 9.50 to download to your pc. think i paid around 20.00 for my 650 outty download.


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## Waif

On a different atv ..I get a click/ clunk from the selonoid a couple or more times after it has been sitting.
Similar to the 6 volt tractor ,both units need a perfect, and proper size ground.
On my atv , there is little to ground it to and other owners have added additional ,or greater grounds on theirs.
I still just click it repeatedly.


Don' t know if your selonoid grounds itself like ye olde ones...If so the clean and tight rule again as mentioned.
Battery should have / hold at full charge ,more than 12 volts too.


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## hawgeye

hitechman said:


> Thank you for the advice. Battery terminals are all shined up and protected with dielectric grease...did that first. I'll check the connections on the solenoid and starter as soon as I figure out where they are and how to get to them.
> 
> I can hear the solenoid activate (click) when I push the start button, and it will eventually (or has so far) catch and start after numerous tries, so I'm guessing the starter is OK. My first though was a defective solenoid, but I'm not really a mechanically inclined person, although I have a fair good theoretical understanding of electrical circuits. Now all I have to do is figure out where those are located.
> 
> I appreciate the advice.
> 
> Steve


The solenoid is not on the starter, it is on the frame. You can access it from under the back fender. It's pretty easy to get to. I don't remember what side. 99% chance it's the solenoid. I used a cheap $10 lawnmower solenoid on mine untill the factory one came in because it was a 2 week wait.


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## hitechman

Well, it turns out that it was the starter relay......jumped the terminals on it (solenoid) and the starter engaged. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Steve


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## GrizzlyHunter

2005...how old is your battery?


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## GrizzlyHunter

2005...how old is your battery?


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## hitechman

GrizzlyHunter said:


> 2005...how old is your battery?


2 years olds, but kept on a trickle charger constantly. It was the solenoid internals sticking/not completing the circuit. Works just fine now sice I replaced it.

Steve


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## GrizzlyHunter

hitechman said:


> 2 years olds, but kept on a trickle charger constantly. It was the solenoid internals sticking/not completing the circuit. Works just fine now sice I replaced it.
> 
> Steve


Cool, glad you got it fixed. If it still had the original battery (11 years old) I would bet money it was the problem, even if it tested okay.


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## hitechman

GrizzlyHunter said:


> Cool, glad you got it fixed. If it still had the original battery (11 years old) I would bet money it was the problem, even if it tested okay.


Agree. Batteries in it used to last 2-3 years when not kept on charger. Now, while being trickle charged when not in use, the last 5+ years.

Steve


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## hawgeye

I switched to AGM when they came out. I never use trickle chargers on anything. My Can Am has been in their 6 years and going strong.


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