UPDATE:
After 30 minutes of going over it. I pulled 4 black wires out of the board one at a time of course Two on the top left, both did nothing, then Two bigger ones on the top right, lower one was CDI kill top one did not fix dieing going in gear. Pulled apart override switch and everything looked good. Any other ideas?
Pulled bulb for 4x4, looked black and burnt out but fillamant looked still good, I put a test light on the terminals and they did not show any current. Is it going to show with a test light?
Looked in the owners manual wire diagram and it shows overide switch wires colors to be purple, grey white and green.

 

Check inside the throttle assembly itself for any corrosion on the etc switch and also do you have about 1/8" slack at the thumb throttle.(could be part of the problem?) If the bulb looks burn't,replace it! Bulb and switch tied into gear box switch electrical!!. If shift lever doesn't make good contact with gear position switch inside the shift box, then no power sent to awd switch and bulb! It all ties together! I told you it was a funky set up on the 94-98 models! The purple,white,grey and green are the colors of the switch wires in the shift box! OPT

 

I will check the throttle box next. The thumb lever has at least 1/8 of play before it even starts to move the cable.
I just realized I said this was the sportsman. But it does not say sportsman anywhere on it. And the owners manual says 400L.
I am going to pick the bulb up tomorrow for the 4x4.

What a funky setup, but I will get it squared away.

 

You probably have the 400L 4x4,basically the same guts as the first year Sportsman,just a little different package (mainly decals!) If you have too much play the etc contacts will close and kill the machine also! You can tell when you pop the throttle cap. When throttle is adjusted right, the contacts should NOT touch with hands off the throttle! OPT

 

I think we are on to something. Pulled the cap to the throttle box, looks like the contact could be touching against the box housing.

 

Also I played with the adjustment to try to get the contacts away alittle more

 

Also on this older type throttle you may have to adjust the cable a little tighter to where there may be sometimes NO slack on thumb lever to make it idle right. The newer throttles are more sensitive on the etc switch adjustment and have to have a minimum of 1/16"-1/8" slack. OPT

 

Ok so last night I played with the throttle adjustment so I thought it was better, it was late and the family was asleep so this morning before work a was excited to fire it up and see if it worked. NO nothing changed, So I started trouble shooting.
With the cover off the throttle box and hand off gas the little blue box with the white button switch touches metal tab. Dies going in gear.

With hand holding little blue box with white button switch away from metal tab, dies going in gear.

With switch touching tab, hand off gas, one of the black wires going to over ride disconected, dies going in gear.

With switch not touching tab, hand off gas, Both black wires disconected going to and from over ride, dies going in gear.

Standing there cussing it, it dies going in gear. Dies if I talk nice to it too!!

Both local dealers do not keep the 4x4 bulb in stock, I am going to order it tomorrow when I am in town.

 

Sounds like you got a mess! The bulb shouldn't have anything to do with it dying,only in completing the awd circuit! Sounds like you've got a short in the wiring somewhere or the previous owner may have some wires on the circuit board in the wrong place? OPT

 

yeah it is time to get a manual! Or do you know of anywhere on the web to see the circuit board layout.

I know the bulb does not have anything to do with the dying problem.

Thanks for all your help so far. I think your right its got to be a short, wow what a mess if wires they have jambed in behind that cover!