starter clicking

[QuadTrix6]

Hey i rode one day with my lights on in the snow and i was lugging around and not goin to fast and idleing a lot. Well the lights killed the battery or so i think. I noticed the nuetral light was real dim. so i shut the quad and went to start it again and It would crank extremely slow and then just go zzzzzzz. I figured i would pop start it to charge up the battery and it would be fine. I popped it let it warm up then rode while accelerating up to third gear and then stopping then doing it again a couple of times. rode for like 15 - 20 minutes. Wanted to see if i got any charge out of it and i went to start it and the same thing. it just cranks extremely slow and then goes zzzzzzzzzz like a grinding noise. What is wrong? The battery, starter, connections, or does it take longer to get a charge. One time the battery died cuz i didnt ride in a couple weeks and when i pop started it it charged it up in like 2 seconds... Thanks

[Pappy]

the temperature and amount of discharge the battery is in can play alot into why it wont fully charge once you pop start it. the charging system charges at to high of a rate on a discharged battery and heats the top of the plates and doesnt fully charge the battery. i recommend fully charging the battery and then having it tested. letting your charging system charge a bad or deeply discharged battery leads to premature charging system failure.

[QuadTrix6]

what shoudl i use to charge i heard regular chargers will fry the battery even on 2amp trickle charge...is this true ? thanks

[Pappy]

they will fry them if they are allowed to overcharge the battery

i think its like 2 amps for 1 hour at activation (when its new)

the 400ex battery is i believe a 9 amp hour battery...so if its fully discharged it needs 9 amps. 2 amps of charge x 4 hours would get you close and wont fry the battery. i prefer to use the self maintaining chargers for bike/quad batteries....but ya gotta go with what ya got:)

after charge time is complete...allow the battery to sit for 12 hours and check with a multimeter. it should read between 12.55 and 13.4 volts. if its below 12.55 place back on charge for a period of time based on the actual state of charge which is converted from the volts reading:confused2

if the batter shows 11.2 to 9.8 volts after the intial charge...chit can the mofo cuz its toast:p

[QuadTrix6]

i will give it a shot tomm, but if the batterys toast i wanna gewt one of the street bike batteries with more cranking amps, i remeber hearing that you can get it ? and just wondering how much they are

thanks for the help..again :)

[nastynotchback1]

or a quicker way to do it is charge it and load test it.

[Pappy]

Originally posted by nastynotchback1
or a quicker way to do it is charge it and load test it.

you wont get a real good reading on a standard variable load tester...you run the risk of torching a terminal end. we use midtronics testers so no fear:macho most testers parrot clamps are too big to clamp on the terminals and they wont allow a setting of 1/2 the cca rating...which would be roughly 27 cca's.

i just got the higher cca units in...part # YT12A-BS they sell for $68 shipped. if you have trouble finding it loaclly let me know. one is reserved for 4punks...if he ever comes home from pushing snow:blah

[Ralph]

i use a surecharge battery maintainer, its like a trickle charge except it wont overcharge, or damage the battery in any way. it was like 20 bux too...

[QuadTrix6]

pappy is that the one that they use in the huyabusu street bikes ?

[Pappy]

no, this is the one that actually fits the stock battery tray and has about 35% more capacity...which is alot for a small battery. we have been using them on the cannondales and they work great, and they are a b!tch to start and flat trash batteries.

the bike battery that some were using is actually a bit lower in cca ...but not much. i just didnt like the idea of having to mod the battery holddown.

465stroker....oynot400 and a few others with high compression motors swear by this battery.....i geuss thats a pretty good group to give a recommendation:p

Check all your connectors...mines done that before with a fully charged battery and it was loose wire..

[QuadTrix6]

i was thinking its not a loose connection cuz the lights worked just dimmer, same as the nuetral light. if it was a loose connection wouldnt the lights not work?

[Pappy]

electrical stuff is a nightmare...it can do all kids of stuff....they could work..then not...they could flicker...etc

check the 2 small fuses near the battery and starter relay....check all connections including teh one on teh starter.

[QuadTrix6]

well im gonna go through all posibilities today thanks for the help guys :D

[UglyMotha™]

heh i had to replace my 2002 battery 6 months after i bought it cause it wouldn't hold a charge

[QuadTrix6]

ok guys i wiggled all wires, checked the fuses they were fine and it still didnt work. pop started it again and rode but still the clicking. When i checked the wires i noticed the little round thing connected to the red wire was out of the holder and that is whats making the noise. maybe i damaged that:confused: so after that i went to charge the battery put it on the charger and this is what the guage says. is this good or bad lol

[R-Crazy]

my dads is doin the same. I put in the batt from my 300 and it was fine. just a dead batt. charge it up accrding to specs and you should be ok.

dave