China powersport problems
and how to fix 'em!

There are some common china powersport problems that show up in all types of powersports and all brands. After personally assembling hundreds, if not thousands, of china made powersports, I know that some of these are to be expected right out of the crate. Some, on the other hand, are known to develop. First, we will take a look at some of the problems you may face immediately after uncrating your ATV.

Maybe its an electrical problem!

For some reason or another, fuel filters on ATVs are sometimes a problem right away. Somehow they are either not assembled right to begin with, or they get cracked in shipping. My suggestion is to not add too much fuel at first. This way, if it is leaking, you can drain it and replace the filter. Most all fuel lines on these atvs are 3/16" and the filters can be purchased at your local auto parts store. In most cases, a lawn mower filter will even fit. Unfortunately the manufacturer usually will not cover a filter, but they only cost a couple of bucks.

It's not just china powersport problems, but all powersports will have this in common: Loose nuts and bolts. Be sure that you double check any important nuts and bolts and even use a thread lock such as lock tight. These things will be subject to bumps, vibration, and other things that can cause nuts and bolts to become loose.

One thing you might not be familiar with is the cotter key. Even if you have alot of experience with cotter keys, you may not be familiar with their location on an ATV. A cotter key a pin that goes through a hole in a bolt that keys the nut from backing off. They slide through the hole and then you bend the ends of it to hold it there. The problem is that sometimes they are missing. You should not only give the bike a good look over to make sure that all bolts with the hole in the end have a cotter key, but also make sure they are bent. If the cotter key is only pushed through and not bent, it can very easily fall out. These will usually be found in the steering and tire assembly. You can purchase packages of cotter keys at your local hardware store or at an auto parts store.

One china powersport problem that will include nearly all types of powersports is the alarm. Alarms can be great, but cause problems if misused or misunderstood.

For example, if you overuse the remote start, you can burn the starter. Some scooters have a remote start also. If you use it to start the scooter and don't properly shut it off, you can leave it with the battery still powering and drain the battery rather quickly.

Some alarms require the key to be in the ON position to be activatd. Bye-Bye battery. Some kids like to hear the alarm and activate it continuously. Can you say "How much for a new battery?" The alarm is the battery's worst enemy. Alarms and remote starts should be used sparingly.

Some ATVs have a lock feature on the remote stop. If the ATV is stopped with a lock button on the remote, you must hold the unlock button for a few seconds to unlock it so that it will start. Not all ATVs are like this, but if you have shut yours off with the remote and now it won't start, it needs to be unlocked.

Speaking of the battery, in my opinion, this is the cheapest feature in china made powersports. The battery is a 12 volt motorcycle battery. In my experience, if you get 6 months to a year out of one, that's great! This problem is mostly found in ATVs, and not so much in scooters, dirt bikes, and motorcycles.

The battery, which is most likely also not covered under warranty, can be purchased online or at an autoparts store. Even Wal-Mart has a very good Everstart battery that will fit most ATVs. They are all 12 volt, so just get the right physical size and you're set.

Many china powersports come with a small trickle charger. You can recharge your battery with one of these usually within an hour.

Okay, on to other common china powersport problems. You should know that these problems will be found on ANY brand, Japanese or China made. However, the purpose of our website is to help you with your china made powersport problems. Just don't think that Japan made stuff is trouble free. There is no such thing.

Become familiar with the fuel and vacuum lines. These play a key role in how your powersport runs or even whether it starts at all. Even a small kink in a fuel line or vacuum line can shut down the bike or put a damper on its performance. Check out this video to see the lines in detail.

Many china powersports have an in-line fuse that can stop the unit from starting if it is blown or out of place. The fuse is usually a 25 amp fuse. It is usually located on the positive(red) battery cable. Check this fuse if you try to start the unit and it does nothing. Make sure it is not broken and that it fits snugly in its holder.

The nuts that mount the exuast pipr onto the engine is another common problem area. These nuts tend to vibrate loose. If they come off, it will create a space between the exhaust and the engine block. That space will allow the gasket to burn up and make the unit very loud. This also presents a risk of damaging your valves.

Check the nuts periodically for tightness and

watch this video for a close-up look at the nuts.

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