Howdy all,
I've got a Honda that's giving me a serious headache and I need a hand in a bad way. This bike was taken to a shop for a starter rebuild/replacement and hasn't run since. I took it to another shop after beating the first guy about the head a neck and he couldn't get it to run either. I don't know if the first guy sold parts off of it or what!!!
Here's the scoop:
The guy BUTCHERED the wiring harness...therefore...I have replaced every electrical item on the bike. New harness, key switch (first guy lost the keys), new solenoid, new run switch, well the long and short of it is...the only thing that hasn't been replaced is the rectifier and the stator...new CDI, new alarm box etc...etc...etc...I STILL CANNOT GET THIS THING TO FIRE...I would junk it but it's just too good to do that to and has carried my lard butt too many miles to do that. If ANYONE can tell me how to check the stator, CDI, alarm box etc. to see if they're good I would be forever indebted...any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated...about to pull out what hair I have left.
Thanks for all your help in advance.
-David.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

Because you're asking how to check your electrical parts, I'm guessing you don't have spark. And I'm not sure what your refering to when you say alarm box. There is no good test for the CDI box, if everything else tests good you can then suspect its the problem. Your going to need an ohm meter to check your pickup (trigger or source) coil and ignition coil. I can get you exact specs Monday night if someone else doesn't before then.

 

A few quick things to check :
Check if the ground wire is bolted to one of the rear starter mounting bolts.
Make sure the neutral light system is working
Make sure the handle bar risers are securely bolted to the steering column and not rusted. The Fourtrax will not start if these 2 nuts are corroded or loose.
Below the handlebars, left of the steering column when setting on the unit, just ahead of the fuel tank under the upper front fender, there is a plastic box. There are 2 bolts side by side, one holds the box to the frame and the other holds the box's cover closed. It is tough to get this bolt out because of room, open the box and make sure all the wires are connected.
To check the stator, there are 3 yellow wires coming out of the case on the left rear side and 2 other wires. The 3 yellow wires are your stator wires and the uther 2 are pulser wires for the ignition. To check the stator, unplug the three yellow wires. Check the male end of the connector that has the three female wire ends in it. with an ohm meter, test between all three yellow wires for continuity ( 6 tests ) there should be continuity. Then check from each yellow wire at the connector to engine ground. There should be no continuity to ground. The pulser is not part of the stator ( replaceable seperate ) follow the other wires coming out of the engine where the stator wires come out of. Locate the connector for these 2 wires and disconnect it. Check for continuity from the blue wire with yellow stripe, to engine ground. There should be like 2 to 2.6 ohms continuity. I don't have a manual in front of me so I am shooting from the hip on that spec, but it is close. If there is no continuity, the blue/yellow wire is broken, has become disconnected from the pulser, or the pulser is bad. The side cover must be removed to check the connector to the pulser. I have seen where a shifter return spring breaks, the broken part of the spring works its way up and knocks off the connector from the pulser. To remove the side cover, drain engine oil, remove skid plate, shifter, left foot rest, driveshaft cover from left engine cover to get at 2 snap rings that will release the short driveshaft slide collers, remove the short shaft, unbolt the left side cover, remove cover while holding shifter shaft in, not allowing it to pull out. Swing the side cover to the side being carefull not to damage the wires coming out of it and inspect the pulser wires or replace pulser if it fails a resistance test at its terminal inside the cover. If these check out ok, there could still be a problem there, but we'll get back to that after a few more checks...
Locate the rectifier/regulator and follow the wires into the battery box. Check the connectors there for corrosion. Battery acid, as well as mice get in there and cause problems. The bigger red wire with a white stripe will generally be the connection that is bad if this is the case. Eather corroded off from battery acid or chewed off by mice.
If these connectors are good. go back to the 3 yellow wires in the connector I told you to check coming off the engine. Honda does not show this test but I will turn you on to it and explain why. You will need a short piece of wire with a male spade on one end and a female spade on the other end. Strip a section in the middle so you can test with an ohm meter from that point. Disconnect the connector for the stator wires and install the jumper wire across the perspective terminals from the male connector plug to the female connector plug. With your ohm meter, touch the red lead to the stripped section of wire you made up and the black lead to engine ground. Check for continuity. there should be none. Do the same for the other 2 yellow wires within the connectors. If you found one that has continuity to ground, replace the rectifier/regulator. I will explain why. The earlier TRX300 has an AC system in it and a DC system. The AC system charges, of coarse but is turned into DC at the rectifier to maintain the battery for starting, lights, etc... The ignition system Is AC. One of the yellow stator wires is branched off to power up the CDI. Here is the butt kicker... If you found one of the yellow wires shorted to ground while doing the single wire jumper test, That wire can be traced to the rectifier. The wire next to it going into the rectifier is a green wire ( ground ). That is where these rectifiers will go out, inside and short out the ignition system. The rectifier is junk and needs to be replaced.
If none of the tests above lead to a resolution, feel free to e-mail me, and I wil assist you farther.
Sorry for the long post, but it may save you some head aches

----- Gimpster -----

 

I should have a chance tomorrow to get with the program to check this thing out per your suggestions...Can't thank you enough...anything at all will be helpful...at least get me going in a decent direction.
Much appreciated...let me know if you need any help with cattle...or feed...or hogs...that's about all I know...

 

Gimpster...
I've done every test you've suggested...here's the report:
1. Ground wire is bolted at back of starter...Check
2. Neutral light switch is working...the neutral light does come on when in neutral is there something else I need to check for?
3. Risers are securly attached.
4. All connectors are connected in the black box.
5. Continuity between all yellow wires...2.36 ohms on all.
6. The other conncection for the pulser has three wires...I believe you mentioned two but I did find a blue with yellow stripe wire and it had 321.4 ohms of impedence when checked against the ground. (I went back and checked and it does in fact have 320+ ohms...thought I may have had my meter set wrong but didn't).
7. All connectors at the battery box are in good order.
8. Did the test with the jumper wire and none had continuity to ground...

Ready for more Sir...lead on.
I do sincerely appreciate the help...I'm thoroughly stumped...not hard to do but I sure am!!!
Thanks
-David.
If you'd like to email a reply please do so to muaggie@yahoo.com
I can't seem to locate your email address or I would've emailed you there...
Thanks again.

 

Wow, the majority of those I have troubleshot have been in the areas I described.
My e-mail is gimpster@gcentral.com
Drop me an e-mail, I'll help you farther
I'm in the middle of a fiberglass repair in the shop right now, just came in for some fresh air.
I will reply as soon as I get an e-mail from you
thanks

----- Gimp -----

 

I am having a similar problem with my trx 300 engine. I got mine to spark repeatedly then if i turn off the key and try again it wont spark. i got a new cdi and pulse generator and reflector still nothing.

 

I still can't figure mine out...it won't run...the only thing I've not replaced is the stator, CDI, and the other "alarm" box or safety box beside the CDI box...oh...the rectifier hasn't been replaced either...I'd sure like to have some help with this thing if anyone has ANY TYPE of clue...

 

if im not mistakin there is a fuse right there by the battery it may be blown and i have seen a wire not sure of color think red that has a lack bulge in it, im told there i a fuse inside that bulge it may be bad?

 

Well i got mine to run but now when ever i go to start it it will run perfectly. then after i turn it off and try to restart it it doesn't get any spark what so ever. this is with the aftermarket performance cdi box but my stock one gets no spark ever. could this be my coil? I had 2 massive backfires through the carb with the new cdi. thanks


If you had butchered wires maybe you should get a new wiring harness off eBay. I found on mine i had one ground out of position on the key ignition and it wouldn't spark. Did you check to see if you has a spark by removing the plug putting it in the coil then grounding it?