Help my 300ex will not start

[GOO 34]

Ok, i have a 97 honda 300ex. i was unloading it off a trailer this weekend and used the kill switch to shut the quad off. Up to this point it starts fine. so I put the kill witch back to the on setting puch the red button. Nothing no cranking nothing. Do you think the light, start kill switch has gone bad or what? please help. thank you .

[300ex73]

Well, first off, did you check the fuse? If the fuse is blown that could definitely cause some problems. If the fuse is ok, then check to make sure that you've not killed the battery by causing a short when you used the killswitch. If the battery checks out and the fuse is good, then I'd try disconnecting the factory run/stop switch. If still nothing, leave the run/stop switch disconnected and try a makeshift starter button. If after all of the above, the starter still does not crank, then I'd say that you need a new starter solenoid. However, my bet would prolly be on the fuse.

Good luck.

[GOO 34]

the only fuse i seen was under the set on the left side. I did check it and it was fine. is there any other fuses i did not see?

[ZeroLogic]

no there is only one fuse

check and see if all of your wire are hooked up right up to the kill swicth i put a different kill swich and the wire came off of it and i had zero power

[GOO 34]

ok at lunch today. i messed around with the quad again. ok I can turn the key to on and the headlight comes on. as well as the neutral light. still nothing when you puch the start button. I tried moving the off switch back and forth. nothing. I then toke a screw driver to the starter solenoid and it trys to turn the bike over but acts like it does not have the power to. Before i could just hit the button one time and the quad would start right up. now nothing. help please.

[8my_Cash]

jump up and down on the quad while pressing the starter button. if you hear a crackling noise you might have a bad ground. go back to the battery and try tighting the battery cables you might have just loosened it while unloading.


the jumping up and down thing makes the wires move to see if its your wires that may have came loose

[300ex73]

If it's trying to crank when you jump the starter solenoid but not when you press the button, and it's barely cranking over, I'd say your battery is prolly toast. It won't take much power to make the lights come on, they don't draw nearly as much current as the starter. You may try jump starting the quad from a car(make sure the car is running before you try to start the quad though). If you do intend to try this, make sure that you connect the jumper cables in the correct order to prevent and damage to the electrical system.

You may already know how to properly connect jumper cables, but here's the correct order just in case.

First, connect the negative cable to a solid ground on the vehicle being used to jump start.
Second, connect the negative cable to a soild ground on the quad.
Third, connect the positive cable to the vehicle used to jump start.
Finally, connect the positive cable to the quad.

Removing the cables is done in reverse order of how they were connected.

[bwamos]

Battery may be gone.

But another common problem when the starter button wont work on the 300ex is the bolt on your clutch lever starting to back out. For some reason the clutch saftey switch doesn't work when it does (if your in gear). Neutral shouldn't care unless that switch is worn out, too.

[GOO 34]

well i guess i am going to get a new battery this weekend and go from there. if i took the on/off switch off will the start button still work. how would i over ride the hat switch. can i just cut the two wires going to that switch.

[GOO 34]

so i got a new battery last night put it on the quad. The light is brighter, but still no start. Nothing. when you push the start button the light dems down a little but no crank at all. I did try to put a screw driver on the starter solenoid. it will crank like that but will not turn over. what else could this be. i would like to try and fix this myself rather then take it to a honda dealer. please help.

did you charge the battery? it may be possible that the battery more charge than the old one, but not enough to turn it over...

[hardkoratvmxr]

it is probably a ground

[Built_300EX]

Ok, when I was hit in the rear end by my cousin Billy on his Foreman, my quad done what yours is doing. When he hit me it caused alot of things to go wrong with the electrical system. I could push the start button, no ticking noise from the battery begin dead (the clicking), lights got dem, and no cranking over.

We took the starter bracket and such off of the handle bars and pulled it apart without ripping and wires. We messed around with those buttons, even had a screw driver on the cylinoid with a rubber handle and cranked it. If it's that, just try drying it out really well and mess with it somemore. If still nothing just buy a new one. I've went through one of those on my quad and now my second one is starting to go bad. Honda shop have left us a backup starter like on the 250X kickstart. Same motor, just bigger stroke...hell even the same piston...

[Built_300EX]

Originally posted by Built_300EX
Ok, when I was hit in the rear end by my cousin Billy on his Foreman, my quad done what yours is doing. When he hit me it caused alot of things to go wrong with the electrical system. I could push the start button, no ticking noise from the battery begin dead (the clicking), lights got dem, and no cranking over.

We took the starter bracket and such off of the handle bars and pulled it apart without ripping and wires. We messed around with those buttons, even had a screw driver on the cylinoid with a rubber handle and cranked it. If it's that, just try drying it out really well and mess with it somemore. If still nothing just buy a new one. I've went through one of those on my quad and now my second one is starting to go bad. Honda shop have left us a backup starter like on the 250X kickstart. Same motor, just bigger stroke...hell even the same piston...

Ok, after reading this post. I found I made absolutely no sense whatsoever. I ment to say "Honda should have left us a..."
Also, with the
"We took the starter bracket and such off of the handle bars and pulled it apart without ripping and wires. We messed around with those buttons, even had a screw driver on the cylinoid with a rubber handle and cranked it. If it's that, just try drying it out really well and mess with it somemore.[/B] I ment to say more or less this: Take off the starter button with a four way, dry that out near the starter button itself. push on it and mess with it some. There you go, sorry about that post I haven't had much sleep.

[GOO 34]

Ok, I have charged the battrey, i have checked the ground, I have takes the start/kill/light piece off and checked it . Still nothing. You think i should replace the starter or what? if i had someone that could help me i would try and push start it just to see if i can get it running again. this really sucks

[bwamos]

Did you check to make sure the switch on the clutch lever is working correctly? If it is not working right it won't ley tou start. You'll see the wires going into the lever.

After that make sure your reverse light turns on and off when taking it in and out of reverse.. if that's stuck on it won't start either.

Always check the cheapest things first.

Get a service manual.. it has a good wiring diagram in it. Should help you find the problem.

Make sure to clean ALL of the grounds and connectors, and use dielectric grease. You may just have an oxidized connector somewhere.

[Trevor]

I would get someonet to tow you and see if you could bump start it first before i got a new starter!

[Built_300EX]

I have a brand new 300EX 2004 starter. I thought that was what went wrong in my quad, but when the carb I had on it was WAY to big it killed out a bearing behind the magneta. I thought it was the starter though so I got another one and then found out it wasn't it =P Yes, I will sell this. Contact me man.