HELP! Can’t start 1988 Honda Fourtrax 300 ATV!

[Steven Workman]

So I have a Honda Fourtrax 300 year 1988. The ignition doesn’t start it with no sound. The headlights won’t turn on. It has a brand new charged battery, fuses are good, oil is good, gas is good, reverse is rusted, it shifts good, won’t jumpstart but when you try it will turn over, it will start if you jump the solenoid give it gas and spray starter fluid on the breather but it won’t stay on long but will stay on for the little time it does by itself. I don’t know what’s wrong and I need help!

[David Peterson]

check to see if your getting 12 volts dc to your key switch.  12volts dc comes from the battery to that switch.

 

[Frank Angerano]

Have you checked the main fuse located next to the starting solonid.  Look at that solinoid and see if there’s a fuse right next to it under a rubber cap.   Make sure you’ve gone through every fuse and connection. Try to wiggle the key while it’s in the ignition and see if anything happens. Sometimes it’s a bad ignition switch.   Checking the power to the switch is a good idea like @David Peterson mentions.   If you don’t have power after all of that the you have to start looking at safety switches like the neutral safety switch and the kill switch etc. 

[JacobSlabach]

sounds like a push button and carb issue to me.  Have you cleaned the carb yet?  maybe check compression, valve clearance, spark plug, timing while you're at it- could be factors

[sirdragon]

Maybe the starting solonid i got a new one and it did the same thing as your talking about

[Scott Stevens]

i guess dirty carb too

[David Peterson]

Steven, first thing I would suggest is getting the starting issue done first.  you have to get 12vdc to the key switch. That 12vdc comes from the battery to the solenoid. Then through the solenoid usually via a connector through the wiring to the key switch,  Then when you turn on the key switch on. it sends that 12 vdc every where else it needs to go.  So check the key switch for 12vdc. If you don't have it there go back to the solenoid and check both sides of your fuses. Check you battery ground too. 

I'm not looking at a wiring diagram for your fourtrax other wise I could give you the wire colors. 

Bottom line no power to the key switch nothing else will work. Get it to crank first then look at the carb/ fuel issue. 

[JacobSlabach]

yea def get it running before you worry about the carb.  On mine, i wasnt getting spark until i ran through the wiring harness and greased all the connections.  with a bike that old, its easy for the connections to corrode and not connect anymore

[Brad Powell]