2005 Rancher 400 es to manual conversion?

[TexasYall 1]

Brand new member and I need advice/help with a nightmare I have on my hands. 
This Rancher is a recent purchase that I thought was a good deal. Not so sure now. 
The chronic issues with the es that I’ve read about seem to be different scenarios based on the codes. This one is throwing a 12 code. I’ve done most of the popular attempts to fix including connector cleaning and re-greasing, ecm included, testing continuity, new shift motor, angel sensor(loading spring during install),etc. I’m about to spit the bit on the whole ! thing but  have read of an FM gearshift spindle and foot shifter conversion to take the es to fm. Anyone have info and part numbers?  It’s only got 387 miles, plastics condition is good and the motor hums, for $2k…good/bad?

Any help is appreciated!

[Fishfiles 20,147]

Welcome to atvhonda , @jeepwm69 can tell you  about that swop  as I believe he done it , I just hailed him for you ---  going foot shift is the right  way to go , by swopping shift shafts --------   just throwing this  out there , do you know about the ES bypass harness for about $100 and 15 minutes to install  ----  $2,000 for an ES that don't shift , Hmmmm , if it makes you happy 

[shadetree 5,973]

welcome. my first concern is..how did you come up with a 2005 trx400es ?, honda did not make this model in 2005 !. as for can you convert an es to manual shift ?..sure..but by the time you '' half way '' do it ?, you would have been better off buying a manual shift from the start.

[TexasYall 1]

1 hour ago, Fishfiles said:

Welcome to atvhonda , @jeepwm69 can tell you  about that swop  as I believe he done it , I just hailed him for you ---  going foot shift is the right  way to go , by swopping shift shafts --------   just throwing this  out there , do you know about the ES bypass harness for about $100 and 15 minutes to install  ----  $2,000 for an ES that don't shift , Hmmmm , if it makes you happy 

From the basics of what I read prior to buying it, the fixes sounded fairly simple.  I’m getting a hard lesson in Honda es. I own 2- 1999 Trx250 that run great and are easy to repair and maintain. I’ve talked to the guy who makes the es shift kits. They don’t make one for the Rancher 400.  I tried to pay him to make one but he hasn’t been able to. 

[TexasYall 1]

42 minutes ago, shadetree said:

welcome. my first concern is..how did you come up with a 2005 trx400es ?, honda did not make this model in 2005 !. as for can you convert an es to manual shift ?..sure..but by the time you '' half way '' do it ?, you would have been better off buying a manual shift from the start.

Sorry, mistyped or something. TRX400FGA GPS

I’ve already bought it, what do you suggest?

[Fishfiles 20,147]

When a mess up a few letters can make , I think that the FGA GPS is a Hondamatic , had a buddy had one !!!    Best fix for that is a $.99 for sale sign 

[TexasYall 1]

1 hour ago, Fishfiles said:

When a mess up a few letters can make , I think that the FGA GPS is a Hondamatic , had a buddy had one !!!    Best fix for that is a $.99 for sale sign 

 

1 hour ago, Fishfiles said:

When a mess up a few letters can make , I think that the FGA GPS is a Hondamatic , had a buddy had one !!!    Best fix for that is a $.99 for sale sign 

It does. Thanks Captain Optimism. 

[Fishfiles 20,147]

Do you under stand the differences between a ES , a Foot Shift and a Hondamatic  ------  I seen  code 12 as being  limp mode , did you check the voltage at the battery with the engine running , should be 14.5 and not going over that 

[TexasYall 1]

Yes sir, I’m getting 14.7 volts. 
Apparently, I don’t. Please enlighten me. Is a conversion to manual possible with the Hondamatic?  

[Fishfiles 20,147]

As far as I know , no , you can't convert a Hondamatic /automatic into a  foot shift atv -----  you can't even rebuild a Hondamatic , Honda doesn't sell parts for them ,  if it is anything wrong with the Hondamatic it's self , the only way to repair is to replace the whole unit , the Hondamatic cost about $1,800, plus tax and then labor added on top ----- hopefully your problem is something else 

[Fishfiles 20,147]

7 hours ago, TexasYall said:

Yes sir, I’m getting 14.7 volts. 
Apparently, I don’t. Please enlighten me. Is a conversion to manual possible with the Hondamatic?  

 

The reason I asked about the voltage ,  is that too much voltage from a bad regulator is a known problem with the 400 AT that causes the CDI/Hondamatic control modular to trigger limp mode code number 12  

 

I really don't know much about the Hondamatic , other than to stay away from them  ,  @jeepwm69 

 

So the person that sold this ATV to you played it off as a ES -------    

[jeepwm69 7,750]

 As stated above, the 400 rancher is a Hondamatic and uses a swash plate to shift. It does not have gears like a regular transmission and this cannot be converted to manual shift.

 

That said, unless you’ve got a snorkel, with those few miles on it, you should be able to fix it. I sincerely doubt the Hondamatic has gone out that quickly.

 

Lots of electrical on those machines, and what you have as an electrical problem.

 

 You can download the factory service manual at the top of the page, and both retro and melatv are good with electrical stuff.

 

I’m not a big fan of the 400 ranchers, but they are OK for cruising if you keep stock tires on them. They do not like bigger tires, and if you were working them you need to use ES and not auto mode or you will burn up your clutches. Auto mode is good for cruising /light duty only

[Fishfiles 20,147]

Jeep , Your not lying about the 400 AT GPS being heavy on the electrical side , look how many plugs are on it's  harness 

 

[jeepwm69 7,750]

My great uncle has one, and so does my neighbor.  They are in stock form and only used to putter around, spray yards etc.  They hold up fine to "old man" use, but they aren't worth a darn as a mud bike.

 

I thought about trying to buy my uncles for my wife, but she's hard on equipment so I went with the Rancher AT instead.  She doesn't like the way it shifts, so now she's taken my Rubicon.

[ATC4ever 1,090]

I had an 06 & a buddy had an 05, his 05 had a no shifting issue, & after doing some researching i started unplugging & plugging in connectors to check them, till finally one on the front under the 'hood' made the ESP come on-on the dash (key was on while doing it). Not always going to be that easy, but that was the only problem either one of us had with them. Jeep is right about the tires, tho we both did go up one inch in size & it wasnt too bad.

[Arlo 0]

On 8/14/2021 at 12:21 PM, TexasYall said:

Brand new member and I need advice/help with a nightmare I have on my hands. 
This Rancher is a recent purchase that I thought was a good deal. Not so sure now. 
The chronic issues with the es that I’ve read about seem to be different scenarios based on the codes. This one is throwing a 12 code. I’ve done most of the popular attempts to fix including connector cleaning and re-greasing, ecm included, testing continuity, new shift motor, angel sensor(loading spring during install),etc. I’m about to spit the bit on the whole ! thing but  have read of an FM gearshift spindle and foot shifter conversion to take the es to fm. Anyone have info and part numbers?  It’s only got 387 miles, plastics condition is good and the motor hums, for $2k…good/bad?

Any help is appreciated!

Did you try doing the initial setting procedure in the service manual?