need help with 400ex- wont start

[my250ex]

ok i charged the battery all night and i disconnected it this morning since it said it was done. I go to start it and the same thing happens as yesterday when i was riding it. Nothing. I had to jump start it all day. When i hit the start button, it wont crank, turn over or do anything. It wont even make a sound. The battery is completely charged, the lights go on, i dont know whats wrong. The engine runs like a champ. I think that there is a wire disconnected somewhere but i cant figure it out. I am leaving to go riding soon so if anybody is online please post so i can get this thing to work before i leave

[my250ex]

come on i need help here

[jeremy_283]

my quad did the same... but i was at my friends at the house and i dont think his charger was working right cuz when i got it home and put it on my charger it worked fine..... try starting it while the charger is in start mode or while its still connected to the battery...........also check the fuses there in a little enclosed box to the bottom left of the battery on the sub frame

[Jimford]

what about your fuses? I know I blew a fuse when I was riding at night and my bike was dead. All the electrical connections are pretty much easy to get at. Just follow the wires from your battery. If your lights go on when you turn your key at least you know your getting juice!

[sarah_mx07]

check your spark plug..

[GPracer2500]

Spark plug has nothing to do with not cranking over.

[300exHONDARIDER]

I think your battery has died. It needs to be load tested, and then youll know for sure if its good or not.
All auto parts stores will do a free load test...like napa or autozone.

[perley03]

sounds like a bad starter solonoid
take a screwdriver and cross the two leads on the solonoid and if it turns over then its a bad solonoid

[abuckley1290]

check your neutral wire, same thing happened to me, i believe its down by the left foot peg

[Jimford]

Yeah the neutral wire is a pain in the but. Its is right by your foot on the left side. Mine used to always come off until I just bolted it on!

[hondamanex400]

if the battery was good, the cylinoid would make a clicking noise when the start button is pushed. but if the battery is dead, then of course it wont make any noise.


Mine used to always come off until I just bolted it on!

question, how did you bolt it on?

[my250ex]

Originally posted by abuckley1290
check your neutral wire, same thing happened to me, i believe its down by the left foot peg

the neutral light works fine. it lights up when i put it in neutral.

[my250ex]

Originally posted by perley03
sounds like a bad starter solonoid
take a screwdriver and cross the two leads on the solonoid and if it turns over then its a bad solonoid

i have no idea what that means, explain please

[my250ex]

i still dont get how if the battery is dead, how can the lights and neutral light work perfectly fine?

[perley03]

look near the battery. there is a round box with two large red wires coming out. they are held in place by two nuts. if you take a screwdriver and touch both bolts with the screwdriver so the electricity can flow from one bolt to the other, which sends electricity from the battery to the starter. if you do this with the key on and the engine turns over, then you need to replace the starter solonoid.

[my250ex]

where is it in relation to the battery? under, to the left, to the right?

[perley03]

follow the postive (red) wire coming off the battery and it will lead you to the solonoid. you will see two red rubber caps over the bolts on the solonoid. make sure you have a plastic handled screwdriver or you will get shocked. trust me its not fun

[my250ex]

i just tried it and it started. where can i get a new solonoid. thanks so much for your help

[my250ex]

where can i get a new one? how do i install the new one

[perley03]

local honda dealer, online somewheres
i have never had to replace a solonoid so i cant tell you how much it is....cant be too much more than $50

[perley03]

should be two screws holding the mount on. take the two nuts off the main leads (the big red wires) first, then unplug the two small wires that come off the solonoid (which come from the starter button, it sends signal to the solonoid to send electricity to the starter), then remove the two screws that hold it to the frame. then just reverse this steps and you should be good to go. post a reply when your done and let me know if you need any more help.

[perley03]

just looked at my dealer catalog....for a 99-2004 400ex solenoid is $33.95
just go to your local honda dealer and tell them you need a new starter solenoid for your 400ex they should have at least one in stock.