Please Help me troubleshoot
Here's the story along with what I've done so far to try and fix the issue:
My wife's 400ex is "cutting out" at half to full throttle. It only does this when the motor is under a load and it seems to get worse if I richen the main jet. Right now I have a 140 in it, which is DEFINITELY lean for the application (440 stroker motor), but I don't think that carburation is the key since it began cutting out when I had a 39mm FCR carb on it. My first attempt to fix was to put the stock carb back on. This did not fix the problem.
So I am thinking that the issue is electrical. I followed my service manual and I have effectively troubleshot the entire "ignition" section. .. but not at high rpm under a load. .. I had a friend's 400 in the garage for some time (same year . .. '99). . and I swapped out the spark plug (with new), CDI, coil, AC regulator, and stator (including the pulse generator). To make sure it wasn't my killswitch grounding out, disconnected the ground from it.
In an attempt to make sure it wasn't a valvetrain issue, I pulled the valve cover off and inspected the cam timing. It was as dead on as possible (seems like the 400exs are always somewhere in between where you can adjust by the teeth) Anyway, I put it back together and set the valves. ... still coughs, hesitates and cuts out at mid to high rpm under a load. .
If I persist and keep trying to make it operate in that range, it will die out and need to sit for 10-20 mins before it runs again.
I can ride it for hours if I never punch the gas and it won't have an issue.
-Just hoping someone on here can give me some insight beyond what I've tried to do. My next step is going to be replacing the wiring harness alltogether. . . thoughts??. ..
BTW, please don't mention taking it to a dealer as I'd sooner part the quad out than let any dealer within a 50 mile radius touch it.
Thanks!!!
'86 trx250R
'89 trx250R
'99 trx440ex
'87 trx350x - parting out