98 450 Foreman Electric Shift problem.

[honda_fan06 3]

98 450 Foreman ES. 
Back story, just bought it and it was sitting in the weather for 5+ years. Got it running and previous owner said electric shift didn’t work.

purchased new angle sensor. Put it on and got the dreaded R light and N light on. 
done all testing per the repair manual/service manual. 
got to the testing picture I added below and made a mistake so started over just to be safe. Plugged everything back up and now the R and N light are off with the reading of N, 1, and 5. So just unplugging some things and plugged them back in the lights went off but the ES still doesn’t work. 
during this testing when I got the lights on I unplugged the relay and the lights went off and the N light came on. Plugged the fuse back in the lights came back on. 
I wasn’t able to test the actual switch on the handle bar yet( ran out of time of day). But is it possible that the handle bar switch is bad since it sat in the weather? 
During diagnosing everything and I did find a cut wire on the gear position switch plus water in the plug. Cleaned and repaired the wire.

All relays are good and all fuses are good.
I’m stumped.  

[Fishfiles 20,147]

Hi , did you see and read this thread by @retro , it may solve your problem : 

 

 

 

 

[AKATV 842]

-If you found water in one plug I would check the rest and clean/dry them out

The speedometer plugs (big grey one under front fender) are notorious for corroding / burning pins once water gets in the and corrodes and mineralizes

Either someone was in deep water or overzealous with the pressure washer if you had obvious water in the gear switch plug

I would check your gear switch for proper outputs as per the service manual if you have not done that already

The relay you mentioned is also notorious for corrosion issues

Keep us updated on what you find and we can get you sorted out

Edited May 27, 2023 by AKATV

[honda_fan06 3]

12 hours ago, AKATV said:

-If you found water in one plug I would check the rest and clean/dry them out

The speedometer plugs (big grey one under front fender) are notorious for corroding / burning pins once water gets in the and corrodes and mineralizes

Either someone was in deep water or overzealous with the pressure washer if you had obvious water in the gear switch plug

I would check your gear switch for proper outputs as per the service manual if you have not done that already

The relay you mentioned is also notorious for corrosion issues

Keep us updated on what you find and we can get you sorted out

I did check the gear switch for proper output and everything was in spec according to the repair manual. The relay was corroded but I swapped it with another known working relay and the same thing happens. 
now the lights are off but the electric shift still doesn’t work properly. I was working on it now in the brakes and flushing replacing the front and rear diff. That should be done today and I’m going back after the ES. 
min order to get to the shift switch plug, I’ve read from the manual, you have to remove the gas tank or prop it up to access the plugs. 
Also, when using dielectric grease do you use it sparingly or do you use a lot inside the plug? 

[AKATV 842]

As far as dielectric grease, I know the manual states to pack the plugs, I would just go easy with it, not like packing a wheel bearing

I usually just put a little silicone lubricant around the rubber seal to help keep water out, and I use contact cleaner to clean the plug pins

Then I try not to use my four wheeler like a submarine in the water or go crazy with the pressure washer,, lol 

that’s just my personal preference 

 

 On the ES troubleshooting-

If you follow the ES troubleshooting flow chart in the factory manual what point do you get to when you find a failure?

Also, did you replace with an OEM Honda angle sensor or did you buy a China part off eBay?

 

When you said you had N, 1st and 5th above, did you mean N, 1st, 5th and and Rev?

If so, that’s a common indication that you have a problem with the angle sensor because neutral, first, reverse and 5th signal, is provided by the gear position switch. 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear signal is created by the angle position sensor/ECU and will only display when engine is running-not while stopped

 

Let us know what you find out

AKATV

Edited May 28, 2023 by AKATV

[honda_fan06 3]

8 hours ago, AKATV said:

As far as dielectric grease, I know the manual states to pack the plugs, I would just go easy with it, not like packing a wheel bearing

I usually just put a little silicone lubricant around the rubber seal to help keep water out, and I use contact cleaner to clean the plug pins

Then I try not to use my four wheeler like a submarine in the water or go crazy with the pressure washer,, lol 

that’s just my personal preference 

 

 On the ES troubleshooting-

If you follow the ES troubleshooting flow chart in the factory manual what point do you get to when you find a failure?

Also, did you replace with an OEM Honda angle sensor or did you buy a China part off eBay?

 

When you said you had N, 1st and 5th above, did you mean N, 1st, 5th and and Rev?

If so, that’s a common indication that you have a problem with the angle sensor because neutral, first, reverse and 5th signal, is provided by the gear position switch. 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear signal is created by the angle position sensor/ECU and will only display when engine is running-not while stopped

 

Let us know what you find out

AKATV

Yes I meant R, 1, 2, and 5th. I believe I have a bad connection somewhere. The lights, reverse and Neutral will sometime flicker or be really dim. And I have done every test on the manual except for testing the actual buttons on the handle bars. I haven’t removed the gas tank yet to get to that plug but I’m thinking that’s where the problem is. All other continuity or voltage tests on all sensors are within range and when hooking 12v up to the ES motor I can hear it run. 
I replaced the sensor with one from Amazon so yea that could also be the problem. 

[AKATV 842]

That Amazon sensor could be part of your problem but I’m really thinking if you have dimming of your LED lights that sounds like a power issue and it’s very very common for the pins in the gray plug for the speedometer to get corroded or burnt and cause issues that you’re having

I would at least get that gray plug apart and take a look. That doesn’t cost anything other than a little bit of time and twistin your mouth at the right angle when you get all contorted up under that fender to get it apart ..lol it’s a pain in the rear

just use a little WD-40 and some patience and you’ll get it apart. 

Or if you’ve already got the front fender off, it’s really easy

[honda_fan06 3]

14 minutes ago, AKATV said:

That Amazon sensor could be part of your problem but I’m really thinking if you have dimming of your LED lights that sounds like a power issue and it’s very very common for the pins in the gray plug for the speedometer to get corroded or burnt and cause issues that you’re having

I would at least get that gray plug apart and take a look. That doesn’t cost anything other than a little bit of time and twistin your mouth at the right angle when you get all contorted up under that fender to get it apart ..lol it’s a pain in the rear

just use a little WD-40 and some patience and you’ll get it apart. 

Or if you’ve already got the front fender off, it’s really easy

Would it not be easier to remove the gas tank to get too? 

[AKATV 842]

It’ll make it a lot easier that’s for sure. I just wasn’t sure in what state of disassembly you were or were not in

let me know what you find when you get it

apart

The only thing that’s going to cause those LEDs to dim like that is corrosion at one of your connections along the way, which could either be the gray plug or you might have issues with your gear position switch, but you said that already checked out

Sounds like bad/dirtyground or something going on at that connector

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by AKATV

[honda_fan06 3]

42 minutes ago, AKATV said:

It’ll make it a lot easier that’s for sure. I just wasn’t sure in what state of disassembly you were or were not in

let me know what you find when you get it

apart

The only thing that’s going to cause those LEDs to dim like that is corrosion at one of your connections along the way, which could either be the gray plug or you might have issues with your gear position switch, but you said that already checked out

Sounds like bad/dirtyground or something going on at that connector

 

Oh it’s completely together but isn’t nothing but taking some bolts out to get to the parts I need. I will try to tackle it Wednesday or Thursday when I’m off! 

[honda_fan06 3]

I haven’t neglected this post, just been ! at work here recently. When I get back to it I’ll update.