Won't start

[blitzo]

I have a 99 400 ex. I went to start it today and nothing happened. I rode fine the last time a rode it about a week ago. Before I tried to start it my brother said he washed it. So I was guessing he might have got something wet he shouldn't have. I can start it by pushing it and also by jumping the battery with my truck. The lights do not work at all even once the engine is running. When I do get the bike started and hit the startor I can hear it click, when you shut the bike off it won't do anything. I tested the battery and when it is hooked up I get a battery fault error. When I disconnect everything the battery checks out fine. I have also made sure I have a good ground and have went over the wires looking for a short. I also checked the fuse. I am not sure what the problem is but I am guessing I have a short somewhere. Can any one provide me with some more info?

[shok47]

what do you mean battery fault error? It should show numbers at the least I think

Get the clymers manual and check the wires too the regulator. If you dont have it, its a good investment.

[blitzo]

The tester I have only has a few lights on it that blink or stay solid.

[shok47]

You need one that shows numbers. Walmart has analog ones for $10 or you can get a digital one for about double. The lights wont tell you much. You want to know how much voltage is actually on the battery.

[the Z Man]

Bad ground or blown fuse

[puTTs]

Try unplugging the battery and hooking your truck battery to the leads on the quad so the quads battery is not hooked up at all. Then start it and see if the lights are working keeping your truck hooked up. My girlfriends 250ex did the same thing. Her battery was bad, not just dead but bad. Volt meter showed 0 volts. None of her lights would work and it wouldn't idle there was to much of a load trying to charge the battery. Put a new battery in and everything works great. My battery charger wouldn't even charge the battery, it was if something inside the battery broke the connection.

[blitzo]

Thanks for the help. I went through everything with a multimeter. I was only randomly getting current out of the battery and getting weak currents through everything else. I cleaned all the contacts. I then replaced the battery. So it started working except for the lights. I took a multimeter to those and it tested fine. I am guessing the bulbs are blown, something must have happened to the battery and shorted them out.

[storms400ex]

sounds like a voltage regulator, they blow bulbs most of the time when those start going out

[puTTs]

With a working battery and the bike running you should see 14.2 volts across the battery give or take .1 volts. If it's higher, your voltage regulator isn't working properly. Lower, something in the charging system isn't working right. You can set your meter to continuity(spelling?) to check bulbs. If both lights are out I would think maybe your switch on the handbars isn't working. Not sure if these bikes have relays for the lights but that could be another possibility.

[the Z Man]

I have bulbs if you need them..