retro

Starter removal: Once you get the starter out let is know so we can advise how to test it, or repair it if necessary.

Yeah it sounds like it. Make sure that all parts on your 350 are genuine Honda parts because aftermarket parts (china) do not work.

Great! If you are careful you can take the switch apart without damaging it by bending the tabs open on the can. Then you can see what is worn or broken and possibly fix it yourself, perhaps by shimming up the end play. Sometimes it's a long shot, but sometimes ya win.

Make sure when you install a neutral/reverse switch that the drive pin is oriented properly. The drive pin fits into a slot in the back of the shift drum, the pin is shorter on one side than the other, so be careful that you don't turn the switch shaft 180 degrees from where it needs to be when you bolt the alternator cover back on. You'll need to use some sealer around the sub-harness grommet to prevent an oil leak. Let us know how it goes....

You're looking for part #11 (35759-HM7-700) on this fiche: https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/honda/atv/1996/trx400fw-a-fourtrax-forman/crankcase-cover-rr The cover is #3 (11351-HM7-000) on that fiche, it interchanges with the Foreman 450S as well as the Foreman 400. Those part numbers should help ya find a used switch on eBay with a bit of work. Or you can bite on the one linked above and take a chance that the switch is still good.

I scrounged around and found one on eBay, included with an alternator cover: 1998 HONDA FOREMAN 450 INNER STATOR CASE COVER METAL 11351-HM7-000 You may find another one that is cheaper by searching for the cover (part number or model) like I did. I was not able to find a switch selling separately.... they are not listed, but you may find one by messaging sellers that offer the cover.

It is possible that the connecting rod is bent and/or the piston is broken since the motor was running when it sunk. My thinking is that it's possible that a bent connecting rod could be the reason why your motor will not run when shifted into gear -- since with a bent rod the piston does not reach the top of the cylinder. So the compression pressure can be much less than normal if the rod is bent. Weak compression pressure results in decreased power.... your motor stalls when it encounters a load so a bent rod could explain why. I am not saying that your motor has a bent rod, just saying that it is possible that it does, and if it does have a bent rod you could expect it to barely run, if at all, depending on the severity. If the rod is bent the cases will need to be split and the crankshaft/rod assembly will need to be replaced. The only way to learn if it is bent is to take the cylinder off and inspect the rod and piston. As others have advised, the motor should be disassembled for cleaning anyway.

Nope, that only tells you that the reverse portion of the Neutral switch is working. You'll need to verify that the Light Green wire coming from the Neutral/reverse switch is providing a ground ONLY while the transmission is in neutral. If no ground the starter will not work. Let us know what you find.

Welcome to the forum! As shadetree said, you'll be sorry if you buy that china switch assembly. Aftermarket parts do not work on Hondas. The part number you're looking for is 35200-HN7-003. You can buy new or used but it's got to be a genuine Honda switch assembly.

Was the motor running when it sunk in the river? If so the motor may have been seriously damaged; such as a bent connecting rod and/or a broken piston skirt or broken piston ring land. So if the motor was running when it sunk you'll need to take the motor apart. You have replaced a lot of parts. Are all of the parts you replaced genuine Honda parts? If any of the parts are aftermarket parts then you'll need to put your genuine Honda parts back on it. Cheap china aftermarket parts do not work on a Honda. As mentioned by others, you'll need to open every electrical connector on the Rubicon and clean & dielectric grease the wire terminals and seals inside the connectors. Also remove and clean the ground wire connections where they bolt to the frame. Please let us know if the motor was running when it sunk. And if there are any aftermarket parts on your Rubi. ¿Estaba el motor en marcha cuando se hundió en el río? De ser así, es posible que el motor haya sufrido daños graves; como una biela doblada y/o un faldón de pistón roto o una base de anillo de pistón rota. Entonces, si el motor estaba funcionando cuando se hundió, necesitarás desmontarlo. Has reemplazado muchas piezas. ¿Todas las piezas que reemplazó son piezas originales de Honda? Si alguna de las piezas es de posventa, deberá volver a colocarle las piezas originales de Honda. Las piezas de repuesto baratas de China no funcionan en un Honda. Como mencionaron otros, deberá abrir todos los conectores eléctricos del Rubicon y limpiar y engrasar con dieléctrico los terminales de los cables y los sellos dentro de los conectores. También retire y limpie las conexiones del cable de tierra donde se atornillan al marco. Háganos saber si el motor estaba funcionando cuando se hundió. Y si hay piezas de recambio en tu Rubi.

Hey let's celebrate!!!! Awesome work! Don't forget to measure the charging voltage going into the battery while revving the motor up, just to make sure that your used Regulator/Rectifier is a good one..... Man we needed this one bad! Thanks for putting up with my lengthy posts, you're awesome! We like to see pics by the way..... :)

Yeah we didn't have voltage production coming from the CDI to energize the primary winding of the ignition coil. Everything else in the ignition checked out good. So far I don't see anything that we may have missed except for the diode that you found bad. Never doubt that I may have screwed up somewhere though. Lets see what a replacement diode does for the issue. I seriously want to pay for that CDI though. If you'll PM me your cost along with your mailing address I'll be tickled to send you a money order. Or I can Paypal ya if you have Paypal.

Oh man, I'm sorry! Let me know how much you paid for that used CDI please, I want to reimburse to you your cost. My diagnosis was wrong. It sucks, but it happens sometimes. The diode should conduct current in one direction of flow but not the other, so you are right that it has failed apparently. It is there to prevent flyback voltage from the solenoid windings from reaching the CDI and the shift ECM when the starter button is released. It should not affect the ignition simply by being bad, but replace it just in case I am wrong again. :)

While you are prepping the motor and frame grounds and harness connectors, when you come to the 2p connector for the Neutral/Reverse light switch, verify continuity to ground on the Light Green/ Red stripe wire inside the connector on the switch side while the transmission is in Neutral. Also verify continuity to ground on the Grey wire inside the connector on the switch side while the transmission is in Reverse.

Sounds good!

The Green/white wire in the CDI connector should be grounded, not hot. After reading about your 400 Foreman I assume that the starter does not work? Likely no spark as well? Anything else? Does your Foreman have any parts on it that are not genuine Honda parts? Have you or anyone else replaced any electrical parts? Do you have a multimeter? If so what is the brand and model of your meter? First thing you'll need to do is follow the black, negative battery cable to where it bolts to the motor where the starter is, you'll see two grounds there.... take them off and shine up the cable eyelets and the location where they bolt down with sandpaper or a stiff wire brush. Then remove and shine up the black ground cable (and the location where it bolts down to the frame) that connects the motor to the frame. Then remove and shine up the wiring harness grounds that are bolted down on the left side of the fuel tank area (the area where there are several connectors secured to the frame). You'll have to remove the plastics to work on it. You'll need a tube of dielectric grease. Open every harness connector pair on the Foreman, inspect the terminals for moisture & corrosion, spray them out with electrical contact cleaner, dielectric grease them liberally to coat the terminals inside with grease and grease the waterproof seals and female connector sealing areas as well, before snapping each one of them back together. Let us know when you're finished prepping the electrical and we'll help ya troubleshoot any issues you still may have. Welcome to the forums!

Good work! Thanks for letting us know how you fixed it! Hey, why don't you drop a photo of your Foreman in our 2000th member ATV contest for a chance to win some cash!

I didn't mean to discourage him from trying.... Honestly, I'd be right there beside him if I could... we'd be bouncing ideas off each other if I had the chance. I'm certain that he'll win too, if he wants to! Never, ever give up, even if it's seemingly impossible. Ya don't learn anything by walking away and it's not trashed until ya give up on it. Even if it's trashed it's probably still useful for parts, or for making something good happen in the future.... I'm just reminded of my bullheaded mistakes more often than my successes nowadays. For instance, my left thumb is so destroyed now that if I grip a beer in my left hand my thumb bends completely backwards and I scream in pain like a girl. I'm in pain for weeks sometimes with that permanently sprained thumb. It hurts right now in fact, I bumped it backwards last week while I was cleaning my chimney. I couldn't even shift my Rancher with my left hand by pushing the ES buttons after that little bump! I'm just saying it can be smart to stop trying when it becomes dangerous. But I know he probably won't.... he didn't become an over-achiever by giving up on dollar parts.

Maybe try grease then like you said. Just don't get yourself hurt rigging up something more dangerous, it provides no value to the welfare of your family.... I get your determination to save the shaft, the challenge and all... ya might learn something ya never seen before. Sometimes the best option is turn our backs and walk away though, once the risks for injury ramp up. I didn't learn that lesson until I was over 60 and every moving part on my body was completely shot. :)

Yeah, those splined shafts are made from soft, untempered low carbon steel. Even if you get it apart it's likely not gonna be usable again.

Yup, the corp. church of the jews and freemasons. Nothing scary about them, they're rapidly approaching extinction.

If your Rancher starts right up after you plug in a new CDI, let it idle while you measure the DC volts charging voltage across the battery terminals with your multimeter. Make sure that the charge voltage is normal and never exceeds 15.5 volts while you rev the motor up. If it does shut the motor off immediately and replace the Regulator/Rectifier. The CDI and/or the ES shift ECM can go up in smoke if the battery voltage ever exceeds 16 volts. Thanks for putting up with all of my long posts.... have fun! :)

By the way the carb heater does not have to be plugged in. It is there to help prevent icing in the carb and to warm the fuel up slightly (for a smoother idle) in severely cold temps. It's optional....

If you remove the air filter box you can see two wires coming from the bottom of the carb float bowl. That short sub-harness is suppose to be plugged into a connector which should be clipped to the frame, as shown in the drawing above. You might have to look for that connector if someone removed it from the frame clip before you got the Rancher. Yeah, all of the evidence you've gathered (wiring, CDI connector and power supply are good, pulse generator is good, grounds are good) points to a bad CDI (No primary voltage). You can buy new OEM or used OEM.... the CDI part number for your Rancher is 30400-HN5-305. Here is a used one at Powersportsnation for $59.99 (plus tax) shipped. Warranty is 30 days and they stand behind their parts. https://www.powersportsnation.com/honda-rancher-350-fm-04-cdi-ecu-ecm-box-30400-hn5-305-43243.html RockymountainATV is a good source for New OEM, their price for the 30400-HN5-305 CDI is $212.63 (plus tax) shipped. Start here to browse to the Wiring Harness section for your Rancher where you'll find your part number (#2 on the parts fiche). https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/oem-parts/Honda Let us know how it goes. FYI, We're having a 2000th registered member ATV contest.... drop a photo of your Rancher into the thread (linked from the banner at the top of the forum) along with a list of mods/accessories for a chance to win some cash!

That unplugged connector looks like the carburetor heater connector? I can't tell the location where you took that photo but if it is located to the right of the carb area then it is the carb heater plug. It plugs into a connector that clips to the frame on the right side where a few other connectors clip to the frame. The same place on the frame where the (clean & shiny now) main negative ground cable is bolted down. The two-wheel drive, manual shift (TM models) Ranchers have an Air temp sensor connector located at the right/front area not far from the CDI. So it would not be used on your Rancher.... But I don't think that's the one in your photo, your plug is a male half...