Honda 400trx 96ish funny spark problem - Honda Foreman Forums : Rubicon, Rincon, Rancher and Recon Forum

rusty360 · 11-07-2011, 04:30 AM

Hi there.
Ive got a bit of a problem with a bike ive just brought.
Its a 96 400trx that just one day stopped the guy told me and he never got round to fixing it. He did try another cdi unit thou.

Anyway it seems to have no spark. I have a clymer manual so have done all of the tests in there and they all seem ok. thou it doesnt say how to check the regualtor its self?

Now this is were it gets a little strange. when you crank it over with the plug out but grounded to the engine. there is a tiny spark jumping the gap when you release the starter switch and its still winding down and then every now and then it will show up when cranking it over but not all the time. the spark is very weak thou. its got me a little puzzled.

Its seems that most problems ive found researching on the net with spark seem to be the regulator would this cause this? and can i run it what out the reg or is there a way to test it? I have a spare engine with a stator etc in it and it tests the same.

Any help would be awsome. cheers rusty from New Zealand

rich450es · 11-07-2011, 08:51 AM

welcome to the forum rusty !!!
have you tried cleaning the starter button yet (im thinking its dirty because it only gets spark when you let off the starter button)

**toodeep** · 11-07-2011, 09:51 AM

Welcome to the forum. There is no test for the regulator itself, you test everything up to it and if that checks good then you try a different one. Your right, that is a very common problem with them. If everything is checking good that would be the first thing I would try.

rusty360 · 11-07-2011, 06:18 PM

Thanks for the help guys, il check the starter switch. would a stuffed reg still give me some spark like ive got? other than checking the stator and the pluse generator for the correct ohums is there any others tested you can do on them?

As it usally cheaper to ship parts out from the us than buy in nz any recomendations on a mail order shop to get a new reg from? they are 225 nz over here. cheers rusty

rusty360 · 11-08-2011, 03:51 AM

Just a quick update, i thought i would check though and test everything again just to make sure all seemed ok. i rememberd when i was searching on the net i found a post on this forum with the same problem. he disconnected the stator ground wire and got spark. so i thought id try this. I got a much more consistant spark with it disconnected and the bike fired up yay. When i reconnected the stator ground it still ran. So now im not sure what fixed the problem?? but it is running at the moment thou for how long who knows.
Its always a problem when you are not sure what has fixed it!!!!

how do i test the reg when its running to seee if its chargeing?

Cheers rusty

rich450es · 11-08-2011, 08:15 AM

take a volt meter and touch the neg and pos of the battery with it running it should read between 12.9 to 14.2 volts. but make sure the battery is fully charged .

11-07-2011, 04:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
rusty360 Honda Rider Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 3	Honda 400trx 96ish funny spark problem Hi there. Ive got a bit of a problem with a bike ive just brought. Its a 96 400trx that just one day stopped the guy told me and he never got round to fixing it. He did try another cdi unit thou. Anyway it seems to have no spark. I have a clymer manual so have done all of the tests in there and they all seem ok. thou it doesnt say how to check the regualtor its self? Now this is were it gets a little strange. when you crank it over with the plug out but grounded to the engine. there is a tiny spark jumping the gap when you release the starter switch and its still winding down and then every now and then it will show up when cranking it over but not all the time. the spark is very weak thou. its got me a little puzzled. Its seems that most problems ive found researching on the net with spark seem to be the regulator would this cause this? and can i run it what out the reg or is there a way to test it? I have a spare engine with a stator etc in it and it tests the same. Any help would be awsome. cheers rusty from New Zealand

11-07-2011, 08:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
rich450es Honda Red Wing Rider Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: ludlow,mass Posts: 10,524	welcome to the forum rusty !!! have you tried cleaning the starter button yet (im thinking its dirty because it only gets spark when you let off the starter button) __________________ 2000 foreman 450 es-s the fking pig 14% 300 foretrax gear reduction 30in gorila silverbacks on C-5 wheels 2500lb warn winch superatv disk brake conversion kit 2in ssatv lift kit and progressive 512 shocks the original 4in PVC storage tube hurculined racks with rear cargo box czr loud exhaust , uni airfilter and drilled main jet foreman 450 parts for sale pm me for info**

11-08-2011, 08:15 AM	#6 (permalink)
rich450es Honda Red Wing Rider Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: ludlow,mass Posts: 10,524	take a volt meter and touch the neg and pos of the battery with it running it should read between 12.9 to 14.2 volts. but make sure the battery is fully charged . __________________ 2000 foreman 450 es-s the fking pig 14% 300 foretrax gear reduction 30in gorila silverbacks on C-5 wheels 2500lb warn winch superatv disk brake conversion kit 2in ssatv lift kit and progressive 512 shocks the original 4in PVC storage tube hurculined racks with rear cargo box czr loud exhaust , uni airfilter and drilled main jet foreman 450 parts for sale pm me for info**

11-07-2011, 09:51 AM	#3 (permalink)
toodeep Administrator Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: south dakota Posts: 6,628	Welcome to the forum. There is no test for the regulator itself, you test everything up to it and if that checks good then you try a different one. Your right, that is a very common problem with them. If everything is checking good that would be the first thing I would try.

11-07-2011, 06:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
rusty360 Honda Rider Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 3	Thanks for the help guys, il check the starter switch. would a stuffed reg still give me some spark like ive got? other than checking the stator and the pluse generator for the correct ohums is there any others tested you can do on them? As it usally cheaper to ship parts out from the us than buy in nz any recomendations on a mail order shop to get a new reg from? they are 225 nz over here. cheers rusty

11-08-2011, 03:51 AM	#5 (permalink)
rusty360 Honda Rider Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 3	Just a quick update, i thought i would check though and test everything again just to make sure all seemed ok. i rememberd when i was searching on the net i found a post on this forum with the same problem. he disconnected the stator ground wire and got spark. so i thought id try this. I got a much more consistant spark with it disconnected and the bike fired up yay. When i reconnected the stator ground it still ran. So now im not sure what fixed the problem?? but it is running at the moment thou for how long who knows. Its always a problem when you are not sure what has fixed it!!!! how do i test the reg when its running to seee if its chargeing? Cheers rusty

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
Honda Foreman Forum Advertisement