Want to start my 400 on fire.

[onlyme]

AND Burn this thing down! How come every time i try to ride it (2-3 times a month) The battery is dead or else it just will not fire. I have to put in a new spark plug every time i want to ride it. no joke. It will either run for about 3 seconds or else not even fire. I tried today in 18* weather but just froze my *** off! Am i missing some maintenence issue or what. It is a 02 400 with no mods(except for the anti theft by not starting all the time mod) and i use premium fuel. 93 I also change the oil every 6 months or 15 hours. help!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just bought it last june. :grr:

[Doibugu2]

sometimes you will get a bad battery. I know Pappy (who is an interstate battery dealer) said they will just go bad. Take it in and get it checked out.

About the spark plug, how does your quad run when it is running? Are you replacing the spark plug with the NGK?

[onlyme]

It runs the same way it did the day i picked it up. I use the factory spark plug. I figured out yesterday if i start it with out the air filter in it starts before the battery dies. I want to ride right now.:mad:

where are you storing it at? if your leaving it outside in the cold weather this will kill it....bring it into the garage or somewhere warm if you dont want to have these kind of problems...me & my friend keep are in are warmer basements while my other friend leaves his in the barn..he always has a really hard time starting his & is always changing the plugs & stuff & I am still on my same plug from when I got mine almost a year ago. ;)

[Aceman]

You battery doesn't have much of a chance in 18* degree weather. Cold weather lowers how many cold cranking amps your battery will put out. So either store your quad in a warm place or put a charger on it.

[300expower]

you could just take the battery in the house, but dont put it on the floor on the basement cause it will kill her (dont ask me why, i know it's true)

put it in your wardrobe if your upstairs, no problem if she is clean, i dont think it should leak.

[michigan rider]

give it to me before you burn it:(

[F-16Guy]

Cold air is very dense, so your already lean stock jetting is even more lean. Replace your stock pilot jet (meters fuel from idle to about 1/8 throttle) with a 42, and your main jet with a 150. Have your battery charged and load tested (it must be fully charged before you attempt to test it), this will determine whether it's any good. Replace it if necessary. Your bike should start in the cold much easier, and run better overall. Check the slack in your throttle cable. If the thumb lever has excessive play, use the adjuster under the rubber cover to remove most of the play (leave a small amount). If you haven't done so since new, have your valve lash checked, and adjusted if necessary. Everything but the battery can be done with basic hand tools and a little mechanical knowlege. Check the Tech Articles section for instructions on valve lash adjustment and jetting. With a little care and the correct set up, the 400ex will start right up and run perfect for years.:cool:

[onlyme]

It is stored in a heated garage. Thanks btw for the informational replys. It never ran on the first start from day one. :rolleyes: I will try the battery tester and stuff, but who knows. The only thing I do remember is the first day I got it I put a little too much k/n filter oil on the filter but ended up getting rid of that crappy k/n back to stock. any other ideas?;)

[markk]

Actully the higher octane fuel you use, i think the harded it is to ignight, i think the 93 your using is just burmning a little pcleaner and it helps keep spark nock down, i dont exactly know but from all the auto classes iv been threw that is what they have told us!
good luck

hey did u check your gas? and a good way to see if your drawing power from a short in the power system is to take and unhook your battery, then get a test light, hook the ground side of the test light up to the frame somewhere, then touch the hot side of the battery if it lights up u have a problem, make sure your key is turned off!




Originally posted by onlyme
AND Burn this thing down! How come every time i try to ride it (2-3 times a month) The battery is dead or else it just will not fire. I have to put in a new spark plug every time i want to ride it. no joke. It will either run for about 3 seconds or else not even fire. I tried today in 18* weather but just froze my *** off! Am i missing some maintenence issue or what. It is a 02 400 with no mods(except for the anti theft by not starting all the time mod) and i use premium fuel. 93 I also change the oil every 6 months or 15 hours. help!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just bought it last june. :grr:

[4TraxRider]

That could be your problem right there. If you got a bunch of filter oil in you card, it's not letting enough gas get through, or enough air, and is fouling plugs. That is very likely if you know you put to much on. And second, DON'T joke about setting quads on fire. I always joked about stuff like that and a few months ago at the track my quad caught on fire and was compltetely destroyed.:(

[markk]

Originally posted by 300expower
you could just take the battery in the house, but dont put it on the floor on the basement cause it will kill her (dont ask me why, i know it's true)

put it in your wardrobe if your upstairs, no problem if she is clean, i dont think it should leak.

i have heard that for years and years my self about batterys but that is one of the biggest BullSh*ts in the automotive feild, except for mabey a kanuder valve or blinker fluid!

[F-16Guy]

Originally posted by onlyme
It never ran on the first start from day one.
Change the pilot jet. My carb is jetted and my bike starts right up even with the choke removed. My girlfriend's '04, on the other hand, has not been jetted yet, and I'll be damned if I can keep that thing running for the first five minutes (choke or no choke)!

[2001400ex]

If it's cold out that's why, get a size 42 Pilot jet, and get a new spark plug and it should go, if it still won't start turn your air-fuel screw to 2 turns out from 0.

[Moded86R]

I have an 02 400ex.My buddy also has an 02.


My bike and his bike are completly different.His will start right up and idle.(you have to have it on full choke and pump the throttle 3 times)Mine on the other hand requires constant attention and sometimes even riding it slow for a few minutes to let it get warm.


I was told to go to a 40 pilot.But should I go to a 42?



Thanks.

[2001400ex]

Go with at least the 40 and the 42, the 42 works for me though.

[Nausty]

yup ours are really cold blooded too. We got a 42 pilot on my 400ex but we got a exhaust. Either one would be fine imo. 40 or 42. Sorry to hear about your problems.

I also heard about setting your batteries on concrete. It was explained to me once but I don't remember when or why.:confused:

[markk]

Originally posted by Nausty
yup ours are really cold blooded too. We got a 42 pilot on my 400ex but we got a exhaust. Either one would be fine imo. 40 or 42. Sorry to hear about your problems.

I also heard about setting your batteries on concrete. It was explained to me once but I don't remember when or why.:confused:

people think that when u set a battery on the ground that the ground is working like a big magnet and ground on your battery and it pulls the positive charged (whatever) ions out of the battery and into the ground? (mabey/mabey not) but i have bought a new battery and set it on the ground for months for our old boat and nothing ever came of it/ i think its a old B.S. tale

think about it they put old cars had metel battery boxes, that would do they same thing wouldnt it seeing that your metel is grounded? just doesn't make sence to me
if anyone knows exactley y it is suposed to could u please pm me and tell me y?

[Meek]

It has to do with the ground being cold, which will cause to drain.

[quadrider400]

If you are going to put a charger on it make sure it is made for Motorcycle batteries. Don't use a car charger and just leave it on.... best to get a battery tender type charger... you can find them on E-Bay for 25-30 bucks......

Other than that I would go with the larger pilot jet and less choke when starting....

Luck......

[PHAT400]

Originally posted by markk
i have heard that for years and years my self about batterys but that is one of the biggest BullSh*ts in the automotive feild, except for mabey a kanuder valve or blinker fluid!

UMM that's a "venichi valve" the "kanuder" is a by-pass hose for the 4-way blinker's (aka emergency flashers). :rolleyes:

Now if you need any chrome muffler bearing's give me a call..

:macho

[ewalker302]

I was always told not to set a battery on concrete or it would drain/ruin it. I don't know if it's BS or not??

But I am pretty certain that the thing about the ground being cold?? is BS.

I do know that I have never actually had a battery go dead because of where it was sitting.

I think it's just an urban legend.

I can remember people being scared to run their bikes through the creek/mudholes, because they thought their head would crack.

:bandit:

[toby400ex]

if u do light it on fire take a pic or make a video and give it to me so i can sell it to bluetrash.com

[TCracin440ex]

never had any problem outta my 400ex in the winter time...last year i went outside in the bitter cold and rode my 400ex for hours and hours...only problem i ever had was running outta gas due to so much spinning.....i change my oil every 2 rides, i run 110 octane gas in my bike, clean the air filter every ride, change the oil filter every time i change the oil, and ive never had 1 minutes problem out of it...only time my battery went dead is when my friend left my key on for bout 3 hours...and i had to roll start it a few times untill it recharged itself..


my theory is....take care of your quad...and it will take care of you...my 400ex runs like a dream...

[chrisc]

In the old days when the plastic wasn't very good , it was would leak out due to the moisture in the concrete. todays plastics are much better and won't leak a charge off . but most people still put them on a board anyways. old habbits are hard to break!!!

[mustang]

Originally posted by 300expower
you could just take the battery in the house, but dont put it on the floor on the basement cause it will kill her (dont ask me why, i know it's true) Thats a crock and is not true.