Need help ASAP!!!

[panteramatt]

I recently installed an aluminum airbox in my 400ex and it holds the battery inside. Well now it wont start! It has a new battery thats charged up. The lights are bright but when I push ther button, the starter coil just clicks and sometimes the lights dim and then a few seconds later they get bright again.

[throwinitup]

double check all your connections at your solenoid, and you can even take a screwdriver or somethin metal and arc the two terminals....i did that once and mine started workin fine again..you may have to replace your solenoid though.

[panteramatt]

Any other ideas and how can I check the starter relay switch?

[AtvMxRider]

It's not grounded. Check for a good ground

[the Z Man]

I had the same problem, you need to scrape your frame underneath the rear of your airbox to the metal and put the ground in between the airbox and frame and getter real tight,,, Z.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by the Z Man
I had the same problem, you need to scrape your frame underneath the rear of your airbox to the metal and put the ground in between the airbox and frame and getter real tight,,, Z.

[wilkin250r]

It's entirely possible to have a bad ground, and still test good with a multi-meter.

A good ground will have a very low resistance, like 10 milliohm (10 thousands of an ohm), or 0.010 ohms. When you have a current through a resistance, you have a voltage drop equal to the current multiplied by the resistance.

Now, let's assume you have a BAD ground, like 0.5 ohms. This still isn't a whole lot (as far as resistance goes), it won't affect your lights, but it WILL affect your starter. Here's why.

Your headlights only pull about 4 amps. The voltage drop across 0.5 ohms is 4*0.5=2 volts. You started with 12V from the battery, now you have 10 actually getting to your lights. This is still plenty bright.

However, your starter pulls about 12 amps. The voltage drop across 0.5 ohms is 12*0.5=6volts. This only leaves 6 volts for your starter, which isn't near enough to start your quad.


This is an over simplification, but you get the idea. If your lights are bright, it may indicate your battery is in good condition, but it doesn't mean your entire electrical system is good. You need to make sure you have good connections.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by wilkin250r
It's entirely possible to have a bad ground, and still test good with a multi-meter.

A good ground will have a very low resistance, like 10 milliohm (10 thousands of an ohm), or 0.010 ohms. When you have a current through a resistance, you have a voltage drop equal to the current multiplied by the resistance.

Now, let's assume you have a BAD ground, like 0.5 ohms. This still isn't a whole lot (as far as resistance goes), it won't affect your lights, but it WILL affect your starter. Here's why.

Your headlights only pull about 4 amps. The voltage drop across 0.5 ohms is 4*0.5=2 volts. You started with 12V from the battery, now you have 10 actually getting to your lights. This is still plenty bright.

However, your starter pulls about 12 amps. The voltage drop across 0.5 ohms is 12*0.5=6volts. This only leaves 6 volts for your starter, which isn't near enough to start your quad.


This is an over simplification, but you get the idea. If your lights are bright, it may indicate your battery is in good condition, but it doesn't mean your entire electrical system is good. You need to make sure you have good connections.

:ermm:

[panteramatt]

Great info but I just went over ALL of my connections and its still doing th esame thing! Its killing me. I hooked the switch directly to the battery and still got current but it just clicks when the starter is pushed and the lights dim and stay that way and then pop back to bright after a few seconds.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by panteramatt
Great info but I just went over ALL of my connections and its still doing th esame thing! Its killing me. I hooked the switch directly to the battery and still got current but it just clicks when the starter is pushed and the lights dim and stay that way and then pop back to bright after a few seconds.


Do you have the negative cable grounded to the frame? You have to grind the paint down to bare metal before it will get a good contact

[panteramatt]

I have the negative grounded to the bolt in th eback of the frame where it holds th eairbox down. I grinded it down to bare metal so I really dont think its that.

[honduh440]

might want to check and see if the red wire comming from the fuse box is connected also make sure u didnt pop a fuse in the process of switching all that


if you checked every connectiong to 100% im guessing that when you switched everything to the airbox you put a wire back in the wrong spot if worse comes to worse go to your local dealer and take a couple pictures of a 400ex and make sure you have everything back right

[panteramatt]

Everything is on right, I have a manual just to make sure. Fuses are good. I do notice that with my lights on high beam, when I push th estarter button, the switch just clicks and the lights stay dim for a few seconds.Sometimes if I wiggle the power wire, they will get bright again but it still wont start just clicks and th esame thing all over again.

[honduh440]

man that sucks i hate being in that situation

did you ever try the screw driver trick?

i guess if i was you i would start replacing wires

[panteramatt]

Yea tell me about it. I think it might be my positive cable but Im loading it up right now to go play in the snow.Its gonna suck having to be pull started all day! I should just kick my girl off of MY Z400 but oh well!

[the Z Man]

I think you should check your ground cable, it is possible that the wires are seperating at the cable end, check both ends for looseness, if one end is really loose, cut it off and try bare wire to the frame, if it is the battery side flip the cable around....
just a thought.. Z # 6

[panteramatt]

Can I check the ground and positive cables with an ohm meter?

[Plante400]

Check all grounds

Make sure you have a good connection on positive side of battery

And a little piece inside my starter what broken

First jsut cehck to see if coil is grounded
Most likely your problem