Chasing Electrical Gremlins

[cyprusriverrun]

The first real day of riding since the winter the dumb thing has problems.

My brother was riding it and stalled it and it hasn't started on its own since then. It started easy before he stalled. We weren't mud bugging or anything either so I don't think water caused it. The neutral light would be on but not very strong and it would shut of when I hit the start button then slowly turn back on but not full strength. The head light doesn't turn on either.

I have tried everything I can think of and it still doesn't work. If I push start it it runs but there is no juice. I checked the fuse, changed the cdi box, unplugged and replugged all the connections, wiggled lots of wires and there is no difference. I put the trickler on the battery and it said it was charged. When I tried to jump it from another fourwheeler it made the other fourwheeler cut out when I hit the start button.

I don't know what it would be unless there are some bare wires rubbing in the wiring harness and shorting it out.

[on the rocks]

battery could be junk after sitting all winter.

[cyprusriverrun]

I rode it enough this winter that it stayed good I think. Would the charger say it was charged if it was bad? I guess I could hook up a different battery and try that.

[Stickman400]

Yea, it would. I had a junk battery on my 400 a while back and hooked a battery tender up to it and it said it was fully charged in like 2 minutes. I thought that was weird so I took it off and tried starting it and it cranked over once and started clicking from not having enough juice.

It sounds to me like you have a wire rubbed raw somewhere.

[CJM]

Jump it with a car and see what happens.

But if you push started it and it runs fine, the battery is junk.

[2001400exrida]

take it to the battery store and they can test it and tell you it's bad. It sounds like it's a bad battery, if you can't get it to hold a charge it's toast. Also, jumping atv batteries with car is something that should be done as a last resort, you can potentially fry an electrical system by doing this.

[CJM]

You cant fry jack jumping the battery from a car b/c of the 15a fuse. Once oyu do something wrong that fuse blows nothing electrical works as it cuts all the power.

[cyprusriverrun]

Thanks guys. I will switch the battery from the other 400 and see how that works.

[2001400exrida]

You cant fry jack jumping the battery from a car b/c of the 15a fuse. Once oyu do something wrong that fuse blows nothing electrical works as it cuts all the power.

You can fry the starter relay, i've seen it happen. A battery charger or battery tender is the best idea and like i said, jumping from a car should be last resort. It works. Also, it's best to leave the car off and not running while you're doing this.

[cyprusriverrun]

A different battery did the trick. Thanks for the help people.