My 400 HO has always started and ran great. It sat for a week in the garage and when i turned the key my display was dead (as in no lights or anything). Pull started it and it will idle for a short bit but the display flashes and flickers and eventually the motor starts skipping and quits. When it is running i can't give it gas or it starts to skip and sputter. checked battery (good/full charge) played with wires and any connections but am not finding anything. replaced sparkplug and the gas in the tank is fresh so i am thinking it is most deffinitly electrical. Has anyone ever delt with or seen this? Possiblly some sort of ignition or switch that goes bad or a wire somewhere that pinches causing the system to short out?

 

Check all your wires,and connections for sure, first thing.

 

I have been over just about everything. Ever heard of the ignition switch, or the digitil/computer display, or the coil or something like that having a common problem/defect?

 

I know when the ECM act up that all sorts of strange things will happen eclectically. The sputtering sounds like the rev limiter,but that would not effect the dash display.

 

check battery voltage with your key on.Really sounds like a battery problem your machine has DC ignition and wont run right if your battery isnt good.had one in shop today same thing check battery 11.89 volts turn key on voltage droped to 1.20 volts changed battery and problem was gone.

 

I agree.

 

if these bikes don't have the good 12 volts it would act as you described. so like mentioned above it souns like a lack of voltage for sure. imo

 

Mine is doing the same thing as his. Shouldn't these be able to run without the battery using their own charging system. I hooked up a jump starter to mine and it ran fine then when I switched the jump starter off it shut down leading me to believe the alternator or magneto is bad. I am no mechanic but basic troubleshooting tells me the charging system on my 4 wheeler is bad. Also is there an easy way to get the battery in and out. Any help on these topics would be greatly appreciated. Also the plug in the front compartments fuse was blown.

 

I have been through other forums on this site and have read about checking ground connections. Would I just trace the ground wire from battery.

 

The battery is a pain in the *** to get to...I went and bought a battery tender for it because there is a quick plug already installed and comes out the storage box by the coolant(I use the battery tender on all my batteries. Can't beat them)...My battery has died a few times(After a winter sit) once I used the battery tender and the other I just pull started it and the quad runs fine everything works perfectly just by the alternator...