Hi all, I'm new to the site and I sure hope someone can help me out?
05 sportsman 400 and my AWD is not working? speedo is fine and it seems to be getting power to the hilliard, I put my multi meter on the wire to the hilliard and it is not holding 12 volts continuosely, after i turn on the switch i can watch the voltage drop to nothing? I also did a OHMS test on the wires going into the hilliard and they are reading about 28 Ohms? I have changed the fluid in the hilliard back in the winter and i noticed some Ice in it? I sure hope the cage isnt cracked! I would like to diagnose this prob before i tear the whole front end outta my wheeler! Any ideas??
Thanx's

 

Welcome to the forum! You might check the gear case wiring at the connector and also follow the wiring up into the harness and the awd switch wiring also for any shorts.If voltage is dropping could be external wiring problem or coil inside gear case could be the problem,especially since awd doesn't work.If you do tear into the gear case inspect roll cage and if it was mine, I would change the plastic one out for aluminum since you are already there! Plus ice isn't nice in the gear case! OPT

 

Thanks! I unhooked the wire connection and checked it on the harness rite out of the switch not hooked to the hilliard and the voltage was dropping so maybe a bad switch I'll have to dig a little deeper! also is there a place on line for me to get the aluminum case instaed of the dealership?? and ya i figured once i saw the ice it wasnt gonna be good! Thanks again!

 

Just reading the scuttlebutt from the other members, some have used John Deere cages and from other sources,I was at a dealership and didn't use anything but OEM! Others will give you their recommendations. OPT

 

so I tested the harness from the switch and it is holding a steady 9 volts the manual says should be between 11 and 12 volts this thing is drivin me nutz! it only reads when i ground the meter to the frame and hot lead to the grey wire? i would think the brown/white wire should be a ground in the harness since there is only two wires going to the hilliard? but it isnt grounding at all maybe thats all the prob is?

 

The atv is frame grounded! Set your meter to ohms,check the gray wire at the gear case connector and the brown/white to ground (ground to gear case OR good frame ground). The brown/white wire should ZERO out (positive ground) Gray wire should not!. If fluctuates on brown/white wire,could have a ground problem in the gear case magnetic coil. If shows ok,could be the switch or problem in harness going to the switch? OPT

 

Thanks alot I'll check it tonight

 

Brown/white not grounding at all coming out of the wheeler to the harness so i spliced in a new ground to the frame lastnight so ill puter all back together tonight and see if that was the prob?? Again thanks for all your help!

 

well my jumper ground wasnt the fix so I'm thinkin i gotta tear it all back apart and break down the hilliard to see if the cage is bad?

 

I'm thinking either the cage or a short in the coil itself. If its just the coil,I would still replace the cage!! OPT