Yorrick5
02-08-2005, 04:34 PM
Hey guys, I feel like a complete noob for posting this, but I'm at my wit's end and am not ready to turn to the dealer just yet.
I have an '04 400ex that doesn't have more than 10 hours on it (I bought it and promptly got sent out of state for work). My problem started shortly before I left and continues now that I've returned 6 months later.
I cannot get the thing to start. I'm getting good spark and the plug is wet, so I'm assuming the fuel is getting where it's supposed to go. I can feel the choke tugging at the throttle when it's closed, so I'm guessing that my air is OK. I drained what fuel was in the tank when I got back and replaced it with fresh. The battery is on a tender, and it's fully charged. And yes, the tank switch is on and stop switch is off :) .
It cranks just fine, and every now and then it'll catch, but won't start. Most of the time, regardless of what I'm doing (opening throttle,closing choke,closing throttle, opening choke, vice versa, ad nauseum) it just cranks with no indication that it even wants to try to fire.
The part that's bugging me is once in a great while, I'll go out there and it'll start up as soon as I hit the switch. I'll tool around on it, park it, come back the next day and nothing. Same situation. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for when it'll start and when it won't.
Tell me there's something I'm missing. I'm guessing you guys know the idiosynchrasies of a 400ex better than I do. I've owned a few ATVs in my life, but never had any problems with them (and didn't mod them) so I'm not technically proficient with them yet, though this Honda is making sure I become so. I was a tank/wheel mechanic in the army for 8 years, so I'm not afraid to get dirty if need be.
Thanks for any help you guys might gimme.
**edit**
Forgot to mention that it's garage stored and maintained at a fairly constant 70 degrees.
Also, I just hit it with a blast of starting fluid (my last resort), and it was completely ignored. Sigh.
I have an '04 400ex that doesn't have more than 10 hours on it (I bought it and promptly got sent out of state for work). My problem started shortly before I left and continues now that I've returned 6 months later.
I cannot get the thing to start. I'm getting good spark and the plug is wet, so I'm assuming the fuel is getting where it's supposed to go. I can feel the choke tugging at the throttle when it's closed, so I'm guessing that my air is OK. I drained what fuel was in the tank when I got back and replaced it with fresh. The battery is on a tender, and it's fully charged. And yes, the tank switch is on and stop switch is off :) .
It cranks just fine, and every now and then it'll catch, but won't start. Most of the time, regardless of what I'm doing (opening throttle,closing choke,closing throttle, opening choke, vice versa, ad nauseum) it just cranks with no indication that it even wants to try to fire.
The part that's bugging me is once in a great while, I'll go out there and it'll start up as soon as I hit the switch. I'll tool around on it, park it, come back the next day and nothing. Same situation. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for when it'll start and when it won't.
Tell me there's something I'm missing. I'm guessing you guys know the idiosynchrasies of a 400ex better than I do. I've owned a few ATVs in my life, but never had any problems with them (and didn't mod them) so I'm not technically proficient with them yet, though this Honda is making sure I become so. I was a tank/wheel mechanic in the army for 8 years, so I'm not afraid to get dirty if need be.
Thanks for any help you guys might gimme.
**edit**
Forgot to mention that it's garage stored and maintained at a fairly constant 70 degrees.
Also, I just hit it with a blast of starting fluid (my last resort), and it was completely ignored. Sigh.