Electrical Issue '04 400EX

[thebrahamkid]

:confused: :confused: ok so i just bought a 2004 400ex a few days ago, seems to be having some electrical issues. When youturn the key on the green neutral light does not come on and the electric start does not work. There is power from the battery to the starter relay, but no power beyond that. I just bought a new relay hopong that was the problem, but still nothing. Any suggestions??

[RaginRedneck]

Kind of a stupid question, but, are you sure you are in neutral?

Even if, try starting it with the clutch pulled in.

Did the guy fire it up for you before you bought it? If so, did he do anything weird to fire it off?

[thebrahamkid]

yeah its in neutral. checked that :) nah it started right up when he sold it, nothing fishy

[rideracelivemx7]

if you pull in the clutch does it start? if so then check the wire below your shifter. thats the neutral sensor, its a green wire and they pop off real easy. let me know on the clutch lever first

[RaginRedneck]

Did you try starting it with the clutch pulled in? Could be a neutral safety switch issue....I think they have them.

Have you tried to compression start it?

[thebrahamkid]

what does the neutral sensor do? if its bad how easy is it to replace ect. ill try it tomarow after work, thanks for the tips guys, ill let ya know :)

thanks!
Ryan

[rideracelivemx7]

well I thinkl iot screws in the sidew. but usually its really simple. all it is is a cheap sensor with a ball on the other end that sits in a groove or not on the shift drum. but I havebnt gotten to take a look at the 400s tranny yet

[04TRX400EX]

10 bucks says its the main fuse, located just in front of the battery. There should be a spare sitting right next to it. I had the same issue awhile back. It usually has something to do with the headlight wiring causing the fuse to blow which will then not allow the quad to do much of anything, such as start.

[rideracelivemx7]

yeah that very well may be it, he has failed to tell us if it starts with the button with the lever pulled in, if it does then its not the fuse.

[thebrahamkid]

OK so i just went and checked to see if i pulled in the clutch lever and pushed the button, if it would start. Still nothing. I then checked the fuse near the battery (15A). Fuse was fine. Next option i guess will be this thing by the shifter? A green wire? What do i check? I pull the wire off then there is a nut behind it, do i take off the nut? take off the whole side cover? can it be fixed? or must it be replaced? ahh sorry all the questions. never delt with electric before :P thanks guys!

[04TRX400EX]

What did you do to determine if the fuse was OK - pull it out and replace with a new one?

It could be the perch wires that run into the stock parking brake & clutch perch. You have to make sure each of these is "plugged in" to complete the circuit. But that really only affects starting in neutral and you said that it won't start in gear either, so I don't know :confused:

[QuadManiac]

Headlights work or not? Briefly short across the large lugs on the starter relay (solenoid) with a big screwdriver. Starter crank?

[thebrahamkid]

I had pulled out the fuse and looked at it, it looked ok, ill grab a new one, i tried the screwdriver method also on the starter relay (solinoid) and nothing happened with that either. I also replaced that too. Battery has juice. Im gonna try that saftey thing by the shifter next. Other than that... im lost.:ermm: :huh

[thebrahamkid]

headlights do not work either. no juice to anything what so ever

[Koos47]

It sounds like there is something wrong with your main power or ground if you aren't getting anything by jumping the starter solenoid. One side of the solenoid should have constant battery power... I would check your main power and ground wires and battery terminals to make sure they are tight and clean of corrosion.

[QuadManiac]

If shorting across the solenoid's large contacts does nothing, it has nothing to do with the rest of the electrical system, no switches, fuses or anything. You may have more than one issue, but this is the most important. If you can't make the starter crank this way, nothing else will EVER work.

It's simply one of a couple of things -

Battery's dead (don't assume it's okay just cuz u charged it. Even NEW batteries can be DOA.)

Battery cables loose or damaged (make sure the lugs are truly connected to copper wire at both ends. Sometimes the copper wire will fatigue and break INSIDE of the outer insulation, leaving no indication that the wire is not continuous) Clean and tighten the joints at the battery, the solenoid and the block/frame.

Unless your starter is ALSO bad, with a good battery, and good working cables, shorting across the solenoid WILL make the starter crank over (make sure ur in neutral) even if ALL the other electronics was missing or dead.

Until you get this fixed, nothing else will work.


The next two won't keep other things from working (lights, etc.) so are not as likely in your case. BUT if you have several overlapping problems, they should be checked.

Starter cable from solenoid to starter loose or bad (see above about lugs)

Starter bad

[RaginRedneck]

Originally posted by QuadManiac
If shorting across the solenoid's large contacts does nothing, it has nothing to do with the rest of the electrical system, no switches, fuses or anything. You may have more than one issue, but this is the most important. If you can't make the starter crank this way, nothing else will EVER work.

It's simply one of a couple of things -

Battery's dead (don't assume it's okay just cuz u charged it. Even NEW batteries can be DOA.)

Battery cables loose or damaged (make sure the lugs are truly connected to copper wire at both ends. Sometimes the copper wire will fatigue and break INSIDE of the outer insulation, leaving no indication that the wire is not continuous) Clean and tighten the joints at the battery, the solenoid and the block/frame.

Unless your starter is ALSO bad, with a good battery, and good working cables, shorting across the solenoid WILL make the starter crank over (make sure ur in neutral) even if ALL the other electronics was missing or dead.

Until you get this fixed, nothing else will work.


The next two won't keep other things from working (lights, etc.) so are not as likely in your case. BUT if you have several overlapping problems, they should be checked.

Starter cable from solenoid to starter loose or bad (see above about lugs)

Starter bad

X2, well said QuadManiac.

Get a voltmeter/ohmmeter and start checking wires. Start with the battery posts, then the power wire that runs to the starter, etc. Check all of your grounds, make sure the main ground wire is running to either the engine block or the frame.