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400 ex has no electric power with key on???

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Old Feb 10, 2008 | 05:58 PM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

Ok so I have owned a 04 400 for two days now! Hit a water hole with it today and dont know if I stalled it or the water stalled it.... but with the key on there is no power...no lights...nothing...i can start it by catching it in gear and then the lights will work but they are slowing dimming out as if there is a drain somewhere on the battery....is there anything common i should look for? By the end of the day riding all the lights were off while it was running even the neutral light. I"m totally new to quads but not to being a mechanic thanks in advance! Also just noticed the key does not want to turn to the on or off position now!!! Could they be connected i never had a problem with them before.
 
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Old Feb 10, 2008 | 07:04 PM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

does it have a fuse if so check to see if its blown and put in a new one That could be ur problem i had to do that to several warriors i owned
 
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Old Feb 10, 2008 | 08:55 PM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

sounds like you have grounded it out, Im with yamaharap check fer fuses... maybe switch bad now, but that is a very RARE thing... I would say there is water
in between 2 pins on one of those elec. connectors. Boot may have tears in it... head light slightly turning on because of the Stator (altenator) it may be getting bad
now and doesnt have good enuff connectiion between stator and flywheel...LH Side of bike...maybe try that?!.
 
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Old Feb 10, 2008 | 10:46 PM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

I was also thinking it could have grounded out I will have to check tomorrow. What to u guys think about the key not turning in the ignition?? The key will come ou and I can put it back in but doesn't want to turn.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 12:22 AM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

Try squirting wd40 in the key slot, and work the key easily back and forth, til it loosens up.
Try hot wireing the key (bypassing the switch), and see if things change.
 
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 04:04 AM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

yea i will try that with the wd40.....that happened at the same time that I lost all my electric power. I checked the fuse as soon as it happend and it was fine....I ran it for about 3 hours after i caught it in gear and it ran fine....but by the time i was done riding the headlights wouldnt come on and the neutral light barely came on. Could this all be ignition switch related? When it happened i couldnt turn the lights on the neutral light nothing and I also could not turn the key from "on" to "off"
 
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 05:17 AM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

The WD40 is a good first step, how deep was the waterhole ?

If the WD40 doesn't fix the problem check your battery termal's as well , if this doesn't do the job you need to start checking all the electrical connector's and dry them out ; and use some CRC Di - Electric grease in the electrical connector's !

Then if you have a heated garage or out building with heat get it inside and give it time to dry up , if you have water in the key switch it could've frozen ; but it's in the electrical so heat it up use the WD40 and i would go over all the connector's and battery termal's with the DI - Elecrtic Grease !......
 
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 02:30 PM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

If the ignition switch has a lot of corrosion in it, and it sounds like it does, then that could cause some very high resistance connections, inside the switch, which would lead to lights dimming before going out. Bypasing the switch, which is easy, would confirm a bad switch. But just to be sure, if you suspect a bad battery, have it load tested too.
 
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 09:59 AM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

OK I'm going to start troubleshooting it today as I cleaned out a spot in my shed for it and i will put some heat on and warm her up! BTW, here is a what might seem like a stupid question but can i jump the batter off a car battery? charge it on a car charger? Sorry but I have only owned it for 4 days lol.

Thanks!
 
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 11:17 AM
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Default 400 ex has no electric power with key on???

ok i check some things....i jumpered the starter solenoid/switch i guess you call it and the starter spun. (jumpered the part right next to the battery with the positive battery cable going to it.) I was able to free up the ignition switch with some penetrating oil. It was only about 15 degrees out when i was quading so i guess as soon as i hit the puddle water froze in or on everything. But i still get no lights at all no neutral light or headlights....So could my ignition switch be bad? Or do you think water froze to ice on some connnections somewhere? I followed the wires from the ignition (key) switch and everything appears to be connnected fine. With the key in the on position i tryed to wiggle all the wires and see if i could get any headlights and possibly reveal a bad connection but nothing!
 
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