We got a good snow and I went to start my 400ex this morning. Well my starter won't engage. I hit the starter botton over and over finally it caught and started. It works fine since it warmed up. It only does it were it is cold.

 

ok, so you mean the starter wouldnt turn? or the starter turns but doesnt engage the fly wheel? please explain, need more info.

 

The starter won't engage the fly wheel. You can hear the starter turning.

 

could be 1 of 2 things. i have seen the bendix on the starter gum up and stick in cold weather. try cleaning it and use like a lithium grease thats not as thick on it. or you could possibly have a bad starter drive, which it a very inexpensive part to replace. when you push the start button and it just spins, when you let off and the stater slows down, does it seem like it catches all of a sudden when its almost stopped or does it just slow down completely to a stop?
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It will catch all of a sudden but I only have this problem when it is really cold.

 

if it grabs all of a sudden jast as the starter slows to a stop, that is a sign of a bad starter drive. i'm not sure of the price, but its alot cheaper to replace the drive than the whole starter.

 

you guys aren't looken at all the mods this guy has done on his 400, the cam has no dempressor on it so that's one hit against it. 2 Is that there is no starter bendix in any Honda fourwheelers. 3 Is the weight of oil is has in the crank case, I would bet he has 20/50 or 10/40. 4 How good is the battery in it, maybe strong enough to spin the starter untill it gets warmed up. 5 He could have a worn or bad starter clutch (bendix if you want to call it). And those are expense to replace many different pieces and all shuold be replaced at once.