Quantcast
Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Hi,  

I have an 04 bear tracker, with a minor starting quirk. It starts in gear with brake in.  Neutral and Reverse lights work.   

But when trying to start in neutral, there is no click or attempt to start with the push button. 

However if i pull up on the shifter (not hard enough to shift into first though) the neutral light goes off and the start button works and it starts fine.

All gears shift fine with no issues,  has anyone seen this before?  Just wondering if it is a bad sensor or something needs adjusting. 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Posted

I can't think how it would/could cause it, but I think I'd suspect the neutral light switch. I'd test that idea by by-passing the switch with a piece of wire I could earth out. If it worked normally with the wire earthed then I'd figure the switch was not making proper contact.

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)
On 1/16/2025 at 12:42 PM, gt_jacket said:

Hi,  

I have an 04 bear tracker, with a minor starting quirk. It starts in gear with brake in.  Neutral and Reverse lights work.   

But when trying to start in neutral, there is no click or attempt to start with the push button. 

However if i pull up on the shifter (not hard enough to shift into first though) the neutral light goes off and the start button works and it starts fine.

All gears shift fine with no issues,  has anyone seen this before?  Just wondering if it is a bad sensor or something needs adjusting. 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Check the neutral switch. The switch may have failed and is grounding the spark.

In your case, I'd look at starter button as well on handle bar. If I remember correctly, I believe the neutral switch is wired to the button and a cut off relay as well. Check the wiring diagram first. 

 

I believe Mech is on the right track.

 

Edited by Savage3
Misspelled
Posted

Thanks for the help,   Looks like the switch had been replaced before as there were some "homemade" connectors to hold the wire on.  I replaced the connectors and my neutral light went off completely. which was new.  Ordered a new switch on amazon.  Replaced it and now the light is always on (but the electric start will not start) regardless of gear.  Pulled it, touched the sensor to the engine and the light went off, which was also strange.   Either way if i disconnect the neutral switch i can start it in gear with the electric start no problem.  Reverse light works when it is in reverse.     Going to recheck the wiring diagram, strange, but still a minor nuisance as it will run fine.

 

 

Posted

That sounds as if the neutral light works by shorting to earth in every gear except neutral, and in neutral is is open/not connected to earth. I didn't now they worked like that, most I've seen have shorted for neutral.. Talking all makes here..

I'll have another look at the wiring diagram and get back to you after a think..

Posted (edited)

Ok, so I rechecked. I don't have that year but I looked at several years and although their wiring differs a little the neutral switch always shorts to earth to make the light come on and to allow the starter to operate. The rear brake lever on the bars also has a switch that earths when you pull that lever that also allows operation of the starter even if the bike's in gear. Between the neutral switch and the brake switch there is a diode to prevent the power going through the neutral bulb feeding back and putting the neutral light on every time you use the brake. In the diagram the diode look as if it's built into the relay. The other relay the bike has doesn't have a diode built in. I wonder if the two relays have been swapped ? Without testing the relay connections with a gauge I can't tell where the connections/pins on the relay are, and so can't figure whether it would cause the problem, But it's probably possible it could cause it. You could check one relay does have the diode.. I'll attach a wiring diagram, it'll be the same in operation as your one I'm sure... If the diode was just blown and allowing power both ways, it would only cause the neutral light to come on when you used the brake, but, depending on it's pin arrangement, if it got swapped it could cause some weird symptoms.. 

Please login to view attachment

Edited by Mech
Posted

Doh !!  I just looked at that diagram one last time and I see that the second relay isn't a relay at all.. it's the starter solenoid..  Haha.. Disregard all this last bit.. 

I'll better keep thinking  .

Posted

Have you tried disconnecting the neutral switch and shorting the bikes wire(the one that goes to the switch) to earth ?

That should make the neutral light come on and the starter to work..  That;s the first test I'd do..

Posted
54 minutes ago, Mech said:

Have you tried disconnecting the neutral switch and shorting the bikes wire(the one that goes to the switch) to earth ?

That should make the neutral light come on and the starter to work..  That;s the first test I'd do..

Exactly sir! Or run a jumper wire......the neutral switch has a bad chassis ground. 

 

The switch is wired into cdi, no ground equals incomplete circuit. Incomplete circuit = no start.

 

The cdi is shorting the ignition circuit because it thinks the bike is not in neutral.  Therefore, the ground fault is the problem.

Test circuit and switch.  Test from negative battery terminal to neutral switch for good ground. Key on, run switch on....etc

 

Test switch itself as well, keep testing until you find the bad ground.

 

Read no spark thread I listed above, most likely testing procedures in that thread. 

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Similar Forum Topics

    • By fwsamm
      Im aware that this relay needs a positive (+) and a negative (-) to activate the other side. The blue wire is the neutral wire so when in neutral it gets ground. The green wire is from the parking break; when you pull the break in it gets ground (-). however one of those two needs to be neutral so that the positive from kill switch can go to the starter relay. The ground from the starter relay is from the start switch. Which one (neutral or parking break) should have a positive (+) voltage?
    • By mans
      Were is the neutral safety switch on 03' Kodiak 400 4x4 . How xan i check it to see if it's good for a no neutral light no power to machine. Ty
    • By Gwbarm
      I finally got around to working on the TRX, this has been an ongoing problem with this machine. This is a machine that we keep on my Fathers property, i dont see it that often, my brother haad it professionally repaired last year and year before same problem, the new starter gears and bypass gears last about a year and the machine is not used that often, he said he was done with it , so i thought i should go take a look. Sure enough the gears were all malled again. 
       

       

      IMG_4910.mov   There is some slack in there but most is taken up by the gear cover,if anyone with history with these machines has had the same problem, let me know your findings. Where i am now im looking for finding replacement honda gears on Ebay and try those. I suspect the original was replaced with aftermarket gears years ago and they just worse quality as the years go by. 
    • By wheeliewayne
      my  2012 big bear 400 is hard shifting  can anyone help me
    • By Kaz
      Troubleshooting a no spark issue, was running OK, maybe a little rich, turned it off, now no spark. I've checked/ohmed out the main key switch, the start/stop switch, neutral switch, brake switch - all good. It will crank the starter, but no spark with the starter or when I try the pull start. I've checked all fuses and diodes. Swapped battery. New plug. New coil. Swapped in a used CDI - no help. Traced, removed, cleaned, reattached all grounds. Removed things like my winch from the circuits to be sure a bad relay or something was dragging it down. When testing voltages, the orange wire going from the CDI to the ignition coil shows no/very low voltage-shouldn't it have 12V on it? Sometimes I get a very weak, intermittent glow on my spark tester, but not enough to fire the plug. I've checked continuity on just about all wires in the harness. Checked/cleaned/lubed w dielectric grease- all connections, redid a few that looked old/dirty. I've checked the stator resistances, all good, but have a stator and rectifier ordered anyway, will arrive Sunday. I verified that the rectifier has a voltage output back to charge the battery while cranking - 10.5-11V, low, but expected while starter is engaged. What else can I check as part of troubleshooting? I have a Haines service manual, but the 1999 350 4x4 seems to be an odd model, there isn't an exact electrical diagram for it, but found one for another year that has all the same number of wires and same color wires, so I've referenced that. Any hints, tips or advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
×
×
  • Create New...