Electronics Gurus: Tether Short

[tomMTX]

I'm basically electronically dumb, so I'm looking for a little insight from the Electronics Gurus out there. I put a Gunnar Tether on my 08 Nytro MTX and recently it got stuck permantely on. Then later the next ride, ECU got angry blew up a error code 81 (handwarmer short) then my sled sputtered out. Turn the key and all electronics go dead. I had just replaced the relay so I figured that wasn't the issue. After some troubleshooting I determined it was the tether. I connected the stock wires to close the circut and she fired right up, so I rode the rest of the day.

Today when I pulled the tether wire out, it smelled really burnt, and on further inspection, it's pinched and all sorts of melted. Whatever this big black thing is, it's toast. Anyone know what this might be? It's got no markings to speak off. Hate to buy a whole nother tether just to replace some $2 electronic part.

Thanks for any insight. For this weekend I guess I'll wire the stock kill switch back..

Thanks!

 

[arteeex]

This was a Normally Closed tether, right?

I can't see why it would have needed a ground terminal. It looks like it shorted, probably when you pulled the tether.

If you think it's toast, cut the black thingy off and check the continuity thru the red and black wires going to the switch. You should see continuity when the tether is in place and none when its removed. If this is true, wire it back in. If not, you'll need a new one. Arctic Cat sells a normally closed tether for about $25 that will work.

 

[obile]

replace the tether! those gunnars are junk.had one on my apex and it did the same thing.guy on sw posted the same problem. the n/o and n/c tethers are the same switch with the closed one having that solid state glob wired in to make the n/o into a n/c get a pingel or a n/c cat tether and be done with it.

 

[tomMTX]

Thanks for the info. Another thread over on that other site confirmed that this tether is going into the trash can.

Guess they melt pretty easy. Lesson learned. For this weekend I wired back up the stock kill switch. Guess I'll go buy the AC one or something.

 

[arteeex]

You can keep the stock kill switch operational with a tether.

Cut one wire going to the kill switch and then connect one tether wire to each side of the wire you just cut. This will let you kill the engine with either the kill switch or tether.

 

[thinksnow]

Crap, I was dealing with the exact same problem. Mine worked fine for 20 miles and then my sled sputtered and shut down. I restarted and then the tether didn't work. I also had the strong burnt smell from the little black thing.

I was just out in the garage wiring up another one and thought I should make sure I am not doing something wrong. I guess the Gunnar is junk. I guess I will try another type and return this new one.

Lance