Newbie Q - Lights out, nobody home on 300ex

[quadzillabill]

Just picked up an '04 TRX300EX today in exchange for some work I'd done. Stock setup in good shape and well taken care of from the looks of it. It was outdoors for the last week, so had some snow on it, but its mostly dry now and sitting in my heated garage.

Appeared the battery was dead, so I threw it on my battery tender at noon and just went out to check a bit ago and there is ZERO juice when I turn on the ignition. Checked fuses and wiggled some connectors, but still get nothing electrical when the ignition switched. I've been all over it looking for a kill/shutoff switch, but can't find anything.

Little help? I need some ideas. Is there a shutoff switch somewhere that I've overlooked? Also, is there an online version of the manual that I can download anywhere on the site (or elsewhere)?

Thanks, Q

[honda300EXtreme]

check your kill switch on the started switch cluster and if not id clean your battery terminals its definatly something electrical so just keep lookin

sorry i cant help more

[Xater]

do the lights work? is it just not turing over? does your baterey charger show that it is holding a charge??

[quadzillabill]

Originally posted by Xater
do the lights work? is it just not turing over? does your baterey charger show that it is holding a charge??

Zero juice getting through, not a light to be found anywhere. You'd think it didn't *have* a battery. ;-) Makes me think its a switch or fuse or loose/bad wire somewhere.

[Sjorge450R]

try jump starting it from your car. Just start your car, and then hook the wires up hit the starter button, as soon as it starts disconnect the jumper cables. If it doesnt start that way, something else is wrong. I would also recommend dumping al lthat gas outa nd getting some fresh stuff.

Steve

[quadzillabill]

Absolutely no power with jumper cables, either. Looks like I start tracing wiring tomorrow.

BTW, while not related I did drain the old gas, pull and inspect the plug and clean up the air filter. It all looked fine.

[honda250xrider]

i would try and pop start it roll it down a little incline and put the sucker in 2nd if it doesn't start then i would def. say it is wiring, I would dif. check the connection on the battery had a friends quad do the same thing you are saying just had to wiggle the wires a little.

[Sjorge450R]

^^^^^ these are not his problems. It didnt start with the cables so something is unplug somewhere. Check all the wires and connectiosn on the left side and make sure they are all plugged in. There arent to many. Then tehre are the nuetral and reverse wires that go into the right side of th emotor, make sure that they are plugged in. they have a cover on them. Also, look for a loose ground. Theres usually one under the coil.

[honda300EXtreme]

also try wiggling the positive wire on the starter relay

[quadzillabill]

We're getting closer. The battery is fully charged, lots of power there. Fuses and wires/connections look good. Ground is solid.

Here's a potential problem: The factory Honda key was lost and a new key was made from the key code before I got it. I can't say for sure that it ever worked - I just don't know. That key physically turns the key switch, but is it possible that it isn't turning some part of the cylinder that ties to the ignition system itself?

The whole think acts like the key isn't on, so this would make sense - except I doubt that the key switch is sophisticated enough to turn without activating the ignition. Any insight on that issue?

[Trevor]

Make sure all your fuses are ok and you should be able to pop your ignition of and just put the wires together and hot wire it to see if it is your ignition. I am not sure about this though but I would try it

[bwamos]

Originally posted by quadzillabill
We're getting closer. The battery is fully charged, lots of power there. Fuses and wires/connections look good. Ground is solid.

Here's a potential problem: The factory Honda key was lost and a new key was made from the key code before I got it. I can't say for sure that it ever worked - I just don't know. That key physically turns the key switch, but is it possible that it isn't turning some part of the cylinder that ties to the ignition system itself?

The whole think acts like the key isn't on, so this would make sense - except I doubt that the key switch is sophisticated enough to turn without activating the ignition. Any insight on that issue?

Just disconnnect the 2 wires attached to the key switch and connect them to each other. Then try again. That will tell you if it's the switch or not. The key switch is just a simple on/off switch.. not like a lot of other key switches.

So no lights still?

Make sure you're battery's ground cable is making good contact to the frame.

If it was just not turning over and had lights.. I'd tell you to push the reverse handle on the left side of the motor down. ;)

[quadzillabill]

Originally posted by bwamos
Just disconnnect the 2 wires attached to the key switch and connect them to each other. Then try again. That will tell you if it's the switch or not. The key switch is just a simple on/off switch.. not like a lot of other key switches.



Bingo!

Well, almost. I popped the ignition switch and wasn't all that surprised to see that it has the wiring molded into it. I started messing around with the wiring under the plastic handlebar shield and found the connectors for it. Hmm, they seem to be connected well - but I take them apart and put them back together a couple of times anyway. The 2nd time I did that I looked up to see LIGHT!

I little late to be starting it up and playing with it tonight, so I put the battery tender on it so it'll have a nice full charge tomorrow when I see if she'll fire up without a new plug or starter fluid. ;)

Thanks for all the help so far!

[Trevor]

Good to hear you getting somewhere. That was likely your problem. Clean those connections up and your good to go. Let us know if that was it.

[bwamos]

Good to hear.. probably just needs some good old contact cleaner. ;)

[Moto250X_Rider]

hotwire it......bypass the key...that will tell u if that is it...but if the key is turning to the on....than the key is working....but u never know

[quadzillabill]

Originally posted by Trevor
Good to hear you getting somewhere. That was likely your problem. Clean those connections up and your good to go. Let us know if that was it.

Having power makes all the difference. ;)

Cleaned up the plug, added fresh gas and got out some starter fluid. Took a few tries since the battery was still now holding a charge well, but once I got it going and warmed up she ran like a top Wednesday night.

I put the battery conditioner on a 'cleanup' mode all day yesterday and when I returned it started immediately with the choke applied and ran perfect after the normal warmup. I will say its dang cold in a fleece jack riding that thing down my road in 4th gear in 15* temperatures.

Now for an oil change, cable and chain lube. The weekend project will be to hit it with a mother's polishing ball to get the thing gleaming - all from the safety of the heated garage.

Thanks for all help!:D

[honda300EXtreme]

im glad to hear its running, now the fun begins

;)

[Ruby Soho]

glad to hear your running good. when i got my 400ex we put new connections on the battery, and forgot to scrape away the paint and stuff off the frame where we connected it. no electricity worked, unless we roll started it. but after we scraped the paint she was good to go, and still is:)

[SamC]

try getting a new battery.