JRB

I have a ( looks new) carb. If u want $50.00. My problem  was wire. Don't need.?

Personally,  I would do a couple rebuild.  I only did rist pin up. Running prefix.  Mine had Low mileage.  + A complete wire harness  exchange.  ( hacked) . 1998 450es  now runs like New! 

Mi 98 450es are 12. Love these. Aggressive 

All my work was done with the engine in. I would pull the tank then you can remove the top end. See why yours locked up. If you need to remove the F cover, get a cherry picker to lift the front up.

Cam tensioner failed. So to replace, the whole topend has to come off. So new oil pump (good luck finding one) cam tensioner,chain,guides, ristpin,piston,rings,cylinder. Did a leak test on valves.  All good. New carb (didn't need). All OEM parts. Carolina cycle was the cheapest. + a New complete wire harness. P.O. had hacked most of it. 

Running like a top! Start's on command. 

Check out Carolina Cycle, I too came across a 98 450es with a lot of new parts (externally) at a good price. but the motor was extremely loud! (internally). ran strong, not smoking. undergoing a slow tear down, I discovered a bad cam chain tensioner, bad chain. So, to replace the tensioner & chain, (the top end has to come off). bike had only 2535 miles on it, why did it fail? suspect an oil pump failure. (Good luck finding one in the USA) I found two - one in TN, one in CA. or rebuild what you have. Long story short, why not go back to all stock OEM parts. Carolina Cycle was the cheapest OEM parts I could find (Partszilla was overpriced) in my opinion. So, I put a new cylinder, rings, piston & wrist pin in. All stock OEM parts! Bike runs Great, Starts on command. 450 is probably more power than I need, But why not! LOL     Good luck on your rebuild. 

Hi, the by-pass works well. But on mine (98) the gear read out dosen't display 2,3,or 4th. Easy to install. Go to Hondaesbypass.com. I believe.  

Thanks guy's, both are on there way. 

Hay Fishfiles, temp light does come on temporarily, ( I'm like a kid in a candy store - don't see the container just the candy) lol. I did what AKATV said. ground the blue wire above the RR tire, and the fan comes on. I checked the sub harness on the thermo sensor and it has continuity. I bet the sensor is bad. If I have to go thru all the trouble to remove it, ( drop the skid plate) I might as well replace it and the sub harness also, harness looks in bad shape. I installed the shift by-pass unit and it shifts with the buttons now. I believe the change switch is also bad. speedometer sensor assy. seems to be ok as it shows speed on the meter. Hopefully this is the last thing the bike needs to work as originally designed. living here in Michigan i'm also on the hunt for a snowplow. Additional comments welcome.   Thanks for all your guys's Help!!!

Thanks AKATV, I have a manual. I put 12vdc to the fan and it works. high temp light only came on once - when I first put oil / oil pump in.( that was with the old wire harness.) I haven't seen the light since. should the light come on every time when the key is turned on? What are your concerns about the by-pass system? ( that hasn't come yet). I can't get back to the bike till this weekend. then I will start checking for what you referred to. I don't like the looks of the wires going to the reverse switch ether. I will be able to see more once I get it back up in the air. Thanks for your input, get back with you then.   

Gentleman I got an update!  Installed a new wire harness (pain in the __)  we now have a quad that will rev up!!!!. I still have issues, lol  Fan doesn't come on, reverse light flickers, unless it's in reverse. then its bright. neutral light is always on. gear indicator only reads  R, N, 1, and 5. es system not working . waiting on my by-pass unit to come. But hay its Useable. P.S. motor runs Great! - no clanging and banging. Thanks for all your help! Much Appreciated. 

No I'm going back to the es. Like it was.

Thanks. I can see right now y my fan doesn't work. The green wire to the carb heater is burnt. Noticed that when I replaced the carb. 

Hay Fishfiles, Jeepwm69 - the reverse light is always on. I couldn't see what the meter said until Akatv fixed me up. Now the meter shows what gear i'm in. neutral light works now ( Akatv fixed that). but even with the reverse light always on, the bike ran great ( - the terrible engine noise) . I just got a message that the new wire harness will be here sat. let me hit you guys up when I get that done. we can go from there if you will. Thanks!

Thanks Fish for the look. Yes I did a comparison test (cold) b4 rebuild and after. The same 118psi. Did a valve leak test while off. Ok! Poor fuel in each inlet/outlet from the valves. Let it sit. All 👌

Hi Fish, new o-ring. I looked over the boot and didn't see anything bad. Yes OEM carb. I also believe the first one might be also. I didn't check #. This all started when I removed a wench setup, that was badly installed in my opinion.  I did notice that their is only one ground cable on the battery  - to block to frame. Parts list shows two cables ???

Well Fella's the new carb didn't work, same problem. PO must have been a butcher, the wire harness is a mess. new harness is on it's way. like I said b4, the issue was there b4 rebuild. I know the timing is right. checked and rechecked b4 putting the front cover on. I guess i'll start from fresh and install the new harness and go from there. check back with ya later. Thanks Goober, Jeep, Fish, Wilson.  Down Time Sucks!

jeepwm69 Thanks. This is something that just started. I've owned this bike for 3yrs now. The neutral light never worked until AKATV did his magic on the meter. as Fish and Wilson point to is a carb problem. makes sense to me. I'll know when the new carb gets here. ES system is one on my list to fix. 

Here you go goober. I ordered a new oem carb.

angle sensor connector is held on by a zip tie. idk ware your going fish, what could the es system have to do with the rpm problem?

idk about a by-pass. i can see someone tried to inspect the wire harness at the angle sensor. 

Fishflies - Yes both lights are on. when i got it, only the reverse light was lit. I sent the meter to AKATV and he fixed it.  the neutral light was bad. Engine starts and runs fine. PO added a foot shift. i've had the bike for 3yrs. vary limited use because of the engine work needed. 

Thanks i will go after the carb issue. this acts a little like a polaris i had , it had a reverse safety that limited the rpm's. reason i mention it is the meter has both reverse and neutral lights lit. es system doesn't work . YET. 

Fishflies: one moment it will rev, not for long. then the next time I start it it will not rev. just sputters, pings, knocks. I tried to get that cover off the carb, but one screw won't turn. (of course) the carb looks new. the plug wire is buggered up from the PO cut and spliced a new end on it. beginning of the story. (1) quad has a wench cobbled in it, (that was drawing power of the battery) . So I unhooked it, in the process I sparked the starter relay. (2) went to do a compression test an discovered the plug wire loose (just sitting on the plug)  plug was in only finger tight. (3) then it started to run poorly and got worse till it won't rev up without sputtering, knocking. (4) rebuilt the top end, piston, cylinder, rings. also replaced the cam chain (Bad). cam tensioner (Bad). oil pump (Failing). chain guides, exhaust gaskets. motor starts and run great at an idle. Ideas  ????