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400 electrical problem???
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Posted by: hosted

Today I was riding out in the snow and I just shut it off to come inside for a few minutes. When I came back out it wouldn't do anything. Just like if you would try and start it with the key off. I checked my kill switch and played around with some wires, and still nothing at all. Where would be a good place to start looking for problems with this?

Posted by: 44oEX

check your fuses that is probably it.

Posted by: southex

I just got through this problem with my 400.
Start with the fuse.
Mine was just a loose ground wire, chances are it is one of those two

Posted by: hosted

There was a bad ground, so I fixed that, but then it still won't start. If I take a screwdriver and bridge the two terminals together on the starter thing it will fire right up. As for the fuses, I am very confused. I just got it about a month ago, so I know nothing of what was done before on the electrical system. The wire with the fuse on it is cut on one side, and looks like it has been cut for a while. I don't know where it is supposed to be hooked up, or where to go from here.

Posted by: Bob-Hobo

Im thinkin the "starter thingy" you speak of is the sylenoid. If it starts when u bridge the 2 together then the sylenoid is bad.

Posted by: hosted

I figured it was the solenoid. I have been watching ebay for a new one.

Posted by: Rip_Tear

Electrical problems suck! Just make sure you know what it is before you buy a part, because they aren't cheap....

Posted by: JOEX

quote:
Originally posted by Rip_Tear
Electrical problems suck! Just make sure you know what it is before you buy a part, because they aren't cheap....

And not returnable...

Posted by: BSTURDIVANT

If it's a red wire, that's your problem -should go from hot terminal thru fuse box and plug into red wire above battery.

Posted by: billbanshee

having the same problem myself never any probs ran when i parked it i figured it was prolly the battery so i replaced it still nothing put a new fuse in too my neutral light wont even come on guess ill try to bridge the solonoid

Posted by: billbanshee

help help i wana ride

Posted by: hosted

did you try bridging those terminals together? i haven't had a chance to put a new solenoid in mine cause i'm at college. hopefully will get it running right again in a few weeks

Posted by: billbanshee

yes i did that and it does crank over then even with the key off

Posted by: billbanshee

hosted did your neutral light come on when you turn the key on?do you know if there is anymore foses to check other than the one by the battery?

Posted by: hosted

When I got mine, he raced MX and took all that stuff up front off so I don't have a Neutral light. I think that is the only fuse. Heck, one side of the wire that has my fuse on it isn't even connected to anything

Posted by: billbanshee

just went out to check some more stuff i jumpered the solonoid and it fired right up but the lights dont work i guess i need a solonoid

Posted by: billbanshee

yes? no?

Posted by: hosted

Yeah, I would bet that you need a new one. I don't have lights on it right now, so I am not for sure about them.

Posted by: mikeman828

I had a similar problem on my 300ex.... I shut it off after riding for a few and it wouldn't start. I looked everything over, using a Clymer manual I went through the whole electrical system as best I could. Ended up bringing it to a dealer and it turned out to be a bad ground connection. All they did was scrape a little rust off from under the ground wire and re-attach it.

So, definitely check your ground

The other suggestion I have is pull in the clutch and try to start it... that will tell you if the neutral switch is junk. If the neutral light isn't even coming on, that would be my bet, you got a bad neutral switch.

hope this helps...

Posted by: onefiftyone2003

dude...are you sure the battery isn't dead...you say you were riding in the snow?
this could also be the problem..

Posted by: hosted

I took it out and it read full on the tester, but I put it on a charger for half an hour or so and same thing. If the battery was dead, why would it start when the terminals are bridged together? I did clean clean up anything that might have been affecting the ground too. I am going to take a solenoid off a buddy's and try it before I buy a new one too.

Posted by: billbanshee

yea im gonna try a buddies solonoid too before i buy one cause my dumb *** already bought a new battery for no reason