Strange YFZ problem today

[cliq20]

Yesterday I started my YFZ after it sat for 2 weeks due to the birth of my daughter. I let it run for 5 minutes then stand for 5 minutes to check the oil. I was planning on riding it today. I checked the oil and it was in perfect operating range. I then started it back up and rode it around the yard then to my trailer. I loaded it up in neutral and tied it down.

I went to ride it today - went to my usual spot about 5 miles away. Took it off the trailer and tried to start it. Just a loud click from the starter relay. I thought maybe it was the battery even though I have a 400ex battery and it started fine the day before. The taillight was even very bright. I loaded back up and took it home to charge the battery. I charged it for about 2 hours and came back out to find that it still clicked. Then for some reason I put it into gear and pulled the clutch in to see if rolling it or moving the gears a little would help. To my suprise it was VERY difficult to push around. It was easier to push in the higher gears. I then got it to turn over but it was very labored and slow and would wear the battery out quickly. Almost as if the clutch was out of it or the compression was out of control. It moves very easily in neutral but not in gear with the clutch engaged. I even tried to adjust the clutch on the handlebars with no luck. The only unusual thing that happened was that I let it sit on the trailer in about a tenth of an inch of rain this morning. But washing it would make it wetter anyway.

I'm going to call the dealer tomorrow but I thought you guys might have some answers. Thankfully it's under warranty still but I have a race this weekend too. I've never had to take any quad of mine to the dealer yet. I wish I could figure this one out. Any ideas?

I thought I would drain the oil and see if it does any different w/o oil but I don't know what else to try. You're also supposed to start it and let it run a little before you change the oil which I can't do either.
Please help.

[Bill Fuller]

Hmmm sorry I haven't heard of that problem.Did you say it would start in neutral?I would take to the dealer myself,sorry I couldn't help.

[cliq20]

no start in neutral either. one day start one day locked up? nothing but loading it onto trailer in between. i'm just confused.

[SandDuner]

um.... my moms raptor she was riding just died and we found out we had a loose connection in the battery. But Im not really sure:( sorry.

[dhines]

I would defnintely guess it to be something electrical. Being hard to push while in gear with the clutch pulled in could be a worn clutch or (more likely) that your plates are stuck together a little.

If it won't start when it's in neutral, I'd look at the battery again - or some other electrical component.

[cliq20]

you may be right. i jumped the positive on the battery to the starter and it didn't move. then i took off the starter clutch and all the gears inside moved freely including the starter. i also tested the battery and it came back 12.75 volts and the wire to the top of the starter came back 12.25 so it's getting power. i'm thinking starter. the clutch thing just worried me. we'll find out today i guess. just hope he can get it fixed by this weekend! thanks for the help y'all.

[660bigdaddy]

it shouldn't push easy in gear with the clutch pulled it when it is cold. once it's warmed up you can push it.

[Pappy]

run a check of every wire on that quad. ive had several people complain of no starts and when they took the time to check they found a loose connection.

the last person had the same symptoms has you have explained so maybe its an easy fix;)

[jlhughes750]

there a lil black wire coming off the ground wire on the battery. make sure that its plugged in at the connection!!;)

that causes all kindsa problems not grounding!!

there a lil black wire coming off the ground wire on the battery. make sure that its plugged in at the connection!! that causes all kindsa problems not grounding!!


YES IT DOES!!!!!!!!!! also check to make sure you have not got a lot of dirt or water in you starter button housing. that is a yamaha problem!

[cliq20]

i didn't get a chance to check all the wires. i'm sure it's electrical.

i think the clutch thing is probably normal from what everyone says.

i guess i'm not sure what little black wire you're talking about. can that stuff just work lose riding it from my garage to my trailer 100 feet away? i would hope not. the same as the starter shouldn't go out in the same distance. right?

i guess if the dealer can't find it i have a problem.

surely they won't balk at the 400ex thumb throttle and battery for warranty purposes or blame the problem on that.

that wouldn't possibly cause the problem would it? i've ran it that way for the past 2 months.

it just seems like the starter should turn over with 12 volts sent to it. right?

guess i'll find out by this weekend but not soon enough to race it sunday. guess i'm racing sport/utility class with the prairie.

[cliq20]

well dealer says i blew the starter out. he was kidding but had to order one. should be in by the end of the week. i guess we'll 100% know that was the problem when i bring it home. i went to a pretty wet area that has water and mud that almost instantly rusts metal. i wonder if some of that had gotten in the starter case and caused it to go bad. oh well, could have been a freak thing too.

just thought you all would like to know.

thanks for all your help and suggestions.

[BlackYFZ450LES]

i had the same problem with my YFZ, one day it wouldnt start and seemed like the battery was really weak, i had to pop start it for like 5 days in a row to ride, and i would try it every day, still it would barely turn over and then click, the only thing i could find that caused it was riding in extremely hard rain for like an hour, if i remember the next time i started it after getting it totally soaked is when the problem started

after pop starting it the first few days i didnt ride too far because i didnt want to stall 5 miles in the woods and not be able to pop start it, well the 4th day i got bored and thats exactly what happened, i had to push it, but i kept riding and it eventually dried out i guess and it works fine again.

im wondering if it was in the starter button or somewhere else?

also
"surely they won't balk at the 400ex thumb throttle and battery for warranty purposes or blame the problem on that."

im wondering did that void the warranty? id like to get a smoother thumb throttle

[cliq20]

Originally posted by BlackYFZ450LES
i had the same problem with my YFZ, one day it wouldnt start and seemed like the battery was really weak, i had to pop start it for like 5 days in a row to ride, and i would try it every day, still it would barely turn over and then click, the only thing i could find that caused it was riding in extremely hard rain for like an hour, if i remember the next time i started it after getting it totally soaked is when the problem started

after pop starting it the first few days i didnt ride too far because i didnt want to stall 5 miles in the woods and not be able to pop start it, well the 4th day i got bored and thats exactly what happened, i had to push it, but i kept riding and it eventually dried out i guess and it works fine again.

im wondering if it was in the starter button or somewhere else?

also
"surely they won't balk at the 400ex thumb throttle and battery for warranty purposes or blame the problem on that."

im wondering did that void the warranty? id like to get a smoother thumb throttle

never said a word about the battery or throttle.

i think it was just the actual starter. maybe the contacts in there got wet or corroded. one day it worked and the next it didn't it was wierd. maybe i turned the contacts in the starter to the exact right spot to make it go bad. probably just a freak thing.

[BlackYFZ450LES]

yeah mine works fine now and has ever since, other than those 5 days the bike works perfectly and i couldnt ask for a more perfect quad, im glad i didnt have to replace the starter

[yfz4life50]

Mine did something similar to the click when you tried to start it i dont know aobut the clutch and everything but one of the wires was shortin its self out on the frame it was right under the right headlight right by the starter . . . try a new fuse. . .