03 400ex, electric start dont work

[Tims660rap]

i just bought an 03 400ex off my buddy quite a few mods 11:1 piston,nation stg 2 cam, houser +2 a arms, lonestar +1 swinger,lonestar +1 stem, +2 axle,works shocks all arround with rezzis..beadlock rims..much more.

i bought it for $1200 knowing the electric start dont work. when you push the button nothing happens, and the batterys definately good cause i tried my streetbike battery and same thing. the bike will pop start very easily..electric just dont work. he told me its a bad starter solenoid but how can i be sure? dont feel like ordering one, waiting a week, and it not being the problem. i tried jumping the solenoid with a screwdriver while pushing the button, nothing. dont even get a click when i push the button... most likely the solenoid??

thanks guys

[BlasterEaten250]

does anything work? lights? neutral light?

[Tims660rap]

all the lights are ripped out, have ahood on frontand no taillight, same goes with neutral light.

[BlasterEaten250]

Start with the easy stuff. Check your fuse and make sure it's not blown

[Tims660rap]

its not already checked lol

[bigbad400]

ground wire or a fuse. bad connection, you should go over the whole bike with dielectric grease and put a squirt in all the connection points, just good waterproofer and no questions about bad connections. id wire wheel your battery terminals and your wire ends, ground connection and finally check your neutral safety switch. it could be messed up saying its in gear.


good luck buddy electrical diagnosis sucks!!!


it could also be the botton itself. take that apart and blow it out with compressed air and check all the connections in there too.

[Tims660rap]

How can I kno its connections and not the stater solenoid? Anyway to test these solenoids?

[bigbad400]

process of elimination. the solenoid is prolly the least likely of the problems. it more likely to be a bad connection, bad ground bad fuse or something of the sort. i dont know how to test the solenoid. but there prolly is a way.

[Tims660rap]

Is it really that unlikely solenoids not junk? What about neutral switch where/how do I check

[bigbad400]

its not imposable but not likely, the neutral switch connects under the motor next to the front sprocket, two wires, bypass them at the clutch lever. try to start, if it was that it will fire right up. if its not it wont do anything.


the solenoid is not likely bc of the fuse that is there, if its the fuse its under the seat next to the battery in a little box with wires into both sides.

[Tims660rap]

ok its not the start button, tested it. i re-connected battery terminals and ground... now when i cross the solenoid terminals the motor turns, it didnt before. im 99% sure this problems the solenoid, correct me if im wrong, my fuse is good.

[bigbad400]

i guess if theres nothing else thats prolly the culprit, or just a cracked wire somewhere. more likely the solenoid in that case. but now at least you didnt buy a solenoid for a bad switch or something. i always check so i dont waste money on something i didnt need. my "local" honda shop is 45 min away at least. i work for a can am dealership:huh yeah and i ride a honda:macho but its expensive to just get to the honda dealership.