1996 Honda 400 TRX 4x4 No Spark

[KrisR 9]

Hello, I have a 1996 Honda Foreman 400 4x4. 12.6 volts to the following, New battery,  Power to starter solenoid, Power to the key. Power to the fan. 

 

I am getting a reverse light only when in reverse. No neutral light. 

 

On the CDI wiring I am getting 3.4-3.7 on the green and white wire. It should be at 12.6. I think I have a problem at the neutral safety switch. But could also be a ground.

 

On the handlebar kill switch, whether in run or off I am getting the same. 3.4-3.7. 

 

Any thoughts?

Edited October 31, 2023 by KrisR
update

[retro 4,048]

56 minutes ago, KrisR said:

On the CDI wiring I am getting 3.4-3.7 on the green and white wire.

 

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!

[KrisR 9]

The starter works when I jump it on the solenoid. The push button does not work for starter. I have a few multimeters. Nothing fancy or specific to ATV or vehicles, just standard multi meters. I will do all of this and report back. 

 

Thank you.

Edited October 31, 2023 by KrisR

[retro 4,048]

Sounds good!

[retro 4,048]

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.

[KrisR 9]

OK, I have knocked out every connection with the above requirement. I have purchased a OEM CDI, I have purchased a OEM starter solenoid and replaced. I have purchase a OEM ignition switch, I have checked every fuse, cleaned all of the in and out puts. I have verified there is powere going to the ignition switch. The fan comes on when the key turned on. When I put the bike in reverse, the reverse light come on. That tells me that my neutral/reverse switch is working. I think I am down to testing the stator or the pulse generator. Thoughts?

[shadetree 5,884]

1 hour ago, KrisR said:

OK, I have knocked out every connection with the above requirement. I have purchased a OEM CDI, I have purchased a OEM starter solenoid and replaced. I have purchase a OEM ignition switch, I have checked every fuse, cleaned all of the in and out puts. I have verified there is powere going to the ignition switch. The fan comes on when the key turned on. When I put the bike in reverse, the reverse light come on. That tells me that my neutral/reverse switch is working. I think I am down to testing the stator or the pulse generator. Thoughts?

until you get the neutral light to light up on the dash ?, you will never get it to fire the spark plug !.

[retro 4,048]

6 hours ago, KrisR said:

When I put the bike in reverse, the reverse light come on. That tells me that my neutral/reverse switch is working.

 

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.

 

[KrisR 9]

Ok. I have no continuity on the green/red wire. I removed the entire outer protective black shrink wrap sheathing all the way down to the case and have no breaks that I can see. Here's my problem.  This switch is no longer made. Any thoughts  

Edited November 7, 2023 by KrisR

[shadetree 5,884]

1 hour ago, KrisR said:

Ok. I have no continuity on the green/red wire. I removed the entire outer protective black shrink wrap sheathing all the way down to the case and have no breaks that I can see. Here's my problem.  This switch is no longer made. Any thoughts  

do you have a 12vdc test light ?. if you do ?, one with a sharp point will work great for this test. ground test light to neg on battery, or engine somewhere to get a good ground, most have a clip that lets you clip it to somewhere. once grounded, turn key on, then carefully poke green wire with red stripe wire...when you do this, you should not only get the test light to light up, but the green light on dash as well. if and when this takes place, this tells me your gear position switch is bad. you may have to do the gray wire, red stripe wire same way ?, its been a min sense i worked on one..lol.

[retro 4,048]

2 hours ago, KrisR said:

Here's my problem.  This switch is no longer made. Any thoughts 

 

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.

[retro 4,048]

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.

[retro 4,048]

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....

 

[jcz 29]

I took the same switch out of mine this morning and spun the shaft around working it back and forth and reinstalled it. It is now working. I figured it was worth a shot. Only cost me a little time and effort.

[KrisR 9]

1 hour ago, retro said:

 

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.

I bought it. Thanks. I will also try to see if I can losen up the switch like JCZ states. I bought this unit after sitting 10 years. Just trying to get it going. 

[retro 4,048]

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.

[KrisR 9]

Well. I got the new switch in. As you can see i had a broken wire at the switch head. Swapped it out. Still no continuity on the green wire. No neutral light. I get the reverse light but no continuity on green wire. Thoughts now. I'll take it out tomorrow and check for breaks. 

[retro 4,048]

If you have soldering equipment you might be able to fix that broken off wire.

[shadetree 5,884]

17 hours ago, KrisR said:

Well. I got the new switch in. As you can see i had a broken wire at the switch head. Swapped it out. Still no continuity on the green wire. No neutral light. I get the reverse light but no continuity on green wire. Thoughts now. I'll take it out tomorrow and check for breaks. 

if you look at the top of that switch ^^ there is the letter N stamped on there. the long end of the small roll pin faces this letter N. ground the switch to the engine for a ground, make sure the roll pin's long end faces that letter N, you should get a neutral light on the dash when you turn the key on, that is..if your neutral light bulb is good on the dash ?. worst case, your shift drum on the end is snapped off, and not spinning the netrual switch when you shift t neutral. you can check this with a flat blade screw driver stabbed into the back end of the shift drum while you have the rear engine cover off. if you can spin that slot easily around ?, then yes...the end of the shift drum has snapped off. if this is the case ?, then this means you will have to split the engine in order to change out the shift drum.

[KrisR 9]

I officially have a green.  Neutral light. I put it all together.  No spark......

 

 

I'll start testing everything again. I replaced the CDI with a oem unit. I'm just frustrated.  

[shadetree 5,884]

51 minutes ago, KrisR said:

I officially have a green.  Neutral light. I put it all together.  No spark......

 

 

I'll start testing everything again. I replaced the CDI with a oem unit. I'm just frustrated.  

i hate to be that guy, but...is the kill switch in the center position?. ok, you got a neutral light, this leaves the c.d.i. , stator, pick up coil, reg/rec, ignition switch, or spark plug/spark plug coil ?. re-check all your fuses across the fuse with a 12vdc test light while key is on, you should have voltage on both sides of fuses when probing the fuse on both sides.

[KrisR 9]

She's alive again.  Thanks for everyone's help. 

[retro 4,048]

20 minutes ago, KrisR said:

She's alive again.  Thanks for everyone's help. 

 

Congrats! What was your final issue then?

[KrisR 9]

I took the brand new OEM CDI unit out and put my old one back in. And Sparky was on fire. 

[retro 4,048]

Hope you can get a refund for that turd!