Yes that is the clutch cover, but do the checks first. You should have opened the motor and cleaned it out, you would then have known if it was faulty or not. Before stripping the mechanism inside the clutch cover, check if you can change gear with the emergency lever. It is stiff, which is why I suggest doing it when you have the motor off, you are not then having to spin the reduction gears and motor as well as change gear. You have to rock the machine backwards and forwards for the dogs to drop into mesh. If you can get all the gears by hand/foot you don't have a selector problem but an electrical one.

 

Ok have removed the motor, it will change into 1st with the emergency lever but no further, the amount of play in the lever is the same when it doesn't change as when it changes into first, it is not "stiff", oh and I was rocking the wheel to help it mesh, so I suppose the clutch cover will have to come off, in your experience what should I be looking for?

 

There are several different faults. The shaft that the angle sensor fits on has a couple of levers on it, the one for the clutch is usually OK but the one behind it, that moves a pawl round, can crack and spring apart giving less movement, or completely break off, but then you don't get any gears at all. The pawl can crack or break, this can be bad to see, and you may only find a crack, with it in your hand. The star wheel that the pawl turns round is held by a small bolt and this can come loose. I always use thread locker when re-fitting this bolt. I haven't had this fault, but the wheel that springs into the star wheel, to keep the shift drum in the right position can come loose, and not sit in the star wheel properly. To get at some of these bits, the clutches have to come off, though most can be got at by removing one of the oil pipes.

 

Can not get my honda foreman automatic shifter to work took the shifter motor apart cleaned it still not working the two parts in the case are they suppose to come out of the case.

 

"the two parts in the case" What two parts, and what case?

 

What kind of voltage should be on orange wire and green/blue wire at shifter motor?

 

I've been reading through this and other forums for days now, and have yet to find the same issue that I have with my friend's 2003 Honda 450 ES.

Since you're a former mechanic, perhaps you have the insight I need. Let me start with, it's a working ATV at a horse ranch in the hi-desert of california. This ATV has been used and abused, but true to Honda form, it keeps running in spite of the neglect. In the past year I have replaced the carburetor, the angle sensor, the electric starter, the air filter, and the battery.

Everything prior to my working on this ATV has been original. sadly, some tweekers who were performing community service at the rescue got their hands on it, so the ignition switch is completely gone. It doesn't start with an ignition and a key, it starts with a cheesy on/off switch, and a separate push button to crank the electric starter.

Last week i replaced the carburetor, and as usual, took my celebratory test ride for 15-20 minutes, and it ran just fine. The woman who owns the horse rescue moved the ATV, but when she went to move it again, it wouldn't start at all. When I got there a couple days later, I checked the oil, which was low, and discovered the battery was dead because she accidentally left the switch on. (i hate that there isn't an actual ignition and key, but they're a nonprofit rescue and don't have the money for a new ignition or a dash).

So I charged the battery, added oil, and yay, i was able to shift into neutral and start the ATV, HOWEVER, once the engine was running, the ES wouldn't work. no sound from it, and no shifting. I am going to take the battery to o'reilys to have them test it, and make sure that it doesn't have any bad cells in it, because I'm thinking that there's just not enough juice to shift with the engine running.

I've also removed and checked all the fuses, and they are all fine. Based on the fact that the ES will shift without the engine running, but will NOT shift WITH the engine running, is there anything you could think of that I missed, other than the ES motor may just be bad?

I have no idea how many hours or miles are on it, except that it was bought brand new and has only had the one owner. The dash is shot with the exception of the neutral, oil, and 4x4 lights. nothing else shows on the dash display, so all my troubleshooting has been without the help of the computer.

I'm wondering if resetting the computer would do any good?

any advice would be very much appreciated!!

 

boy, what i wouldn't give to be able to have the luxury of reading CODES on the dash!

 

"boy, what i wouldn't give to be able to have the luxury of reading CODES on the dash!"

Most times the codes don't tell you what is wrong anyway, but they do give you a start at fault finding. Because the alternator is working with engine running you should get more power when running than with the battery alone. First thing to check, is it charging properly? Voltmeter across battery, with engine running, should give voltages between 12.7v and 14.5v and change with revs, usually max voltage is just above idle.

PS. Just checked Babbitts and a new key switch with keys is $32.89 hardly a bank breaker, not too easy to fit though, did a 350 yesterday, difficult to get the wires round the clip on the headstock.

 

I don't have personal experience with them, but I was considering them when I was looking