Honda TRX400FW Starting issue baffling me.

[Beaverplt]

I bought a 2001 Foreman 400 a few years ago. Up until this past December I've had absolutely no issues with it. One fine day I went to plow my driveway. It started right up as usual, I drove it out of the garage, went about 30 feet and it died. When trying to restart it, it would barely turn over. Thinking I might have a battery issue, I put the charger on the battery only to find it was fully charged. The next few tries to start it gave me the same result of barely turning over. In doing some research, I started wondering if I had a faulty rectifier. But if so, wouldn't the engine turn over fine but have no spark?
I decided to try starting it again. It started right up. I took the opportunity to see if the battery was being charged. I was getting between 13 and 14 volts depending on revs. I think that eliminates the stator as an issue. When it was barely turning over, it would end up just clicking as though the solenoid was bad. I replaced the solenoid and still had the problem. The day before new years eve, I got hurt at work and had to sideline this project. I started looking at it again yesterday. Now I am getting absolutely nothing when I try to start it. The battery is fully charged as it was on a trickle charger. I decided to try to jump start it and it fired right up. When I removed the jumper cables, I noticed the neutral light got dim and was flickering. I checked the voltage on the battery while it was still running and got a reading of less than 7 volts. When I shut off the engine, I got a reading of 10 volts. I don't know what could have changed in the past 4 months, but it appears to me there is a short somewhere, possibly the starter? Rather than buying parts blindly, I'm hoping anyone smarter than me could help me.
Thanks

 

[Supraman0614]

I'll guess that you either have a bad battery, or a bad starter. Try testing your battery with a load tester. The battery on most ATVs is not only for the starter, but also helps run the ignition. That might help to explain why it seemed to start fine when jumped, but started to lose voltage when you removed the jumper cables. Once you rule that out, the starter is the next stop. When you hit the start button, if the solenoid clicks, but the starter doesn't spin, try lightly tapping the side of the starter with a small hammer while holding the start button (emphasis on "lightly" and "small"). That will sometimes help move a sticky starter that is on it's way out. If it still doesn't spin, try crossing the solenoid terminals with a screwdriver. If the starter is bad, nothing will happen. If the starter turns normally, the solenoid is bad.

If you determine the starter is bad, there are many aftermarket brush kits for ~$30 (Dennis Kirk, Rockymountain ATV, etc.). They are pretty easy to change.

 

[jaxs]

There's a number of things that can cause what you are experiencing and it's best taking a systematic approach, testing things in sequence.
#1 Is battery and theres several way of testing and I'm not sure if your attempt gave a good picture of battery health. Place both probes of volt meter on POSTS to get a reading,not on cables,starter lug or metal part on tractor,center of posts. If you get 12+ volts,remove BOTH cables from posts,clean both posts,connect charger to posts while you clean cable clamps,neg cable end and mating surface on metal. Clean postive cable end to silinoid post. When reading at posts reach 12.5 or greater,reassemble and try starting tractor. Without doing that at the onset,you can chase your tail testing components when the problem is simply poor contact between cables,posts and/or engine block. If that checks out,then you can test components,starting with cables themselves. That's right,cables can coroad inside insulation to the point they carry little or no current. Needless to say,if battery can't be charged to and hold 12.5 or greater,you need a new battery.

 

[Number15]

2001, original battery? If so I would start there. Some batteries will appear to test good voltage wise, but won't have the "juice" to supply adequate current.

 

[dirttoys]

Cables, battery, in that order. Weak indicator light likely eliminates the starter.

New battery and new or verified cables, and problem remains, work on the charging system.

Best,

ed

 

[Beaverplt]

Thanks for all the replies. The battery was replaced just before winter. That being said, I will still start there. and work through things. I did try to cross the solenoid. Absolutely nothing happened, not even a click. I'll post my battery check etc when I get it done.

 

[5030]

I'd be brightening all the various terminals and contacts first and applying di-electric grease to all of them.

 

[plastikosmd]

Sounds like grounding issue I had

 

[jaxs]

That being said, I will still start there. and work through things. I did try to cross the solenoid. Absolutely nothing happened,

That tells us no current is reaching solenoid which can onlt be 3 things,totally dead battery,broken cable or a dirty connection.

 

[5030]

That tells us no current is reaching solenoid which can onlt be 3 things,totally dead battery,broken cable or a dirty connection.

Prime reason, corroded connections.