420

4283 Views 38 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Melatv, Apr 16, 2018

joshrowland151

Discussion Starter · Mar 5, 2018

I have a 2008 rancher 420 4x4 ES. I can not get it to shift. I replaced the angle sensor, checked all the connections, and still nothing. It's throwing a code on the dash. One long blink, and 3 quick ones. I was told it was the angle sensor, but I don't know. What do I need to do to fix my problem?

21 - 39 of 39 Posts

retro

· #21 · Mar 13, 2018

joshrowland151 said:
Thanks! that's the closest answer we have gotten. I will try that. They are definitely a pain, but nice when working correctly. Could it being out of time cause it to throw the angle sensor all out of wack?

Yes, they will overshoot the shift right away and bind up the spindle shaft if they are installed out of time. Nothing will work until removed and corrected. Cleanliness, proper lubrication & good watertight seals are very important... always perform your best when working on ES bikes or they'll leave you stranded and cost you a fortune to fix each time. This is one area where preventive maintenance and dotting your I's and crossing your T's, really pays off with huge rewards!

Never install a china knockoff part either, buy OEM only or you'll be rebuilding the entire thing. OEM parts are the cheapest way out... fail to acknowledge that and you'll be paying triple for that mistake the next day.

Let us know how it goes... and enjoy your work.

retro

· #22 · Mar 13, 2018

By the way, most angle sensor replacements on ES bikes are unnecessary wastes of money. Those rarely ever fail and if/when they do it was probably caused by riding in deep water without prepping the bike for it. Don't be reluctant to read that service manual, its the best advice you've ever gotten here... or ever will get.

Wsg

· #23 · Mar 14, 2018

Sounds like you are on the right track and I hope that this is an easy fix most are. I did have a problem that occasionally my bike would hang in second if I rode in it for a couple minutes and show a dash. I rode it this way for over a year changing my riding habits and not keeping it in second,when forgetting I reset it manually. I did finally changed the gear selector unit in the back of the motor to eliminate the last gremlin in my system and have had no issues in a year. One other note is make sure that your clutch is properly adjusted to ensure it is completely releasing pressure on the disks. ES are a high maintenance system but I would not go back to foot shift.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Jeepwm69

· #24 · Mar 14, 2018

I just converted a 350 Rancher to Footshift. Did my neighbors like that a couple of years ago, and he has had ZERO shifting problems since.

Reactions: 1

joshrowland151

Discussion Starter · #25 · Mar 15, 2018

Thanks y'all, I got the new shift motor in fixed all the timing, greased everything, and cleaned everything. We still got no change, no down shift

retro

· #26 · Mar 15, 2018

So, you have upshift but not down? You said earlier you could not get a voltage through the down shift switch. Check that again per the manual... if I'm not mistaken there should be 5 volts measured there?

joshrowland151

Discussion Starter · #27 · Mar 15, 2018

I might have miss worded it. My bad. Yes i have up shifting but no down shifting. It has power to and from the down shift button. It's like its going somewhere and stopping

retro

· #28 · Mar 15, 2018

Ok, are there any codes showing on the display?

Does the display indicate each gear position correctly (no -- shown at any time) as you shift up using the shift button and shift down using the manual shift wrench?

joshrowland151

Discussion Starter · #29 · Mar 15, 2018

Only code it's showing is code 12. That's supposed to be fuel injection, but that's just a lose wire or connection. And yes all the gears show when you upshift. Only thing we came up with is the cdi we went through and checked wires, no broke ones

joshrowland151

Discussion Starter · #30 · Mar 15, 2018

We put all the shift gears back in time also

retro

· #31 · Mar 15, 2018

joshrowland151 said:
Only code it's showing is code 12. That's supposed to be fuel injection, but that's just a lose wire or connection.

Well, didn't you say earlier that you cleaned & dielectric greased all of the harness plugs and all of those were good? The electric shift and the PGM-FI share/monitor several (TPS, CKP etc.) of the same components. If there is a problem with one sub-system it can/will disable the other... follow me? You are making an assumption that you know what is wrong with it (code 12)... but you can't/won't fix it?

We can't troubleshoot the ES until all known issues have been resolved satisfactorily. Then once those known issues have been resolved the ES symptoms might change. So we get to start over from that point. We can't get anywhere from here... all avenues lead to deadends.

retro

· #32 · Mar 15, 2018

Lets go back to the beginning. Please explain why you replaced the angle sensor... was it throwing a code? If so what code (or codes) was it throwing back then, before you began working on it?

Do you have a copy of the service manual now? Are you using it?

Thanks,

retro

· #33 · Mar 16, 2018

One more question for ya... Did one of the fuses in the fuse box ever blow? If so, which one?

Thanks,

Carolynskii

· #34 · Mar 16, 2018 (Edited)

Here's a few other things to check
1. make sure you're checking the gears while riding and not just at a stop.
If you see improvement then or after ithe bike warms up then change the oil and possibly adjust the clutch. Be sure to use oil designed for atv wet clutches Jasco MA.
If you've used regular motor oil in the past then that could be the problem.
See also step 5 and step 2 before determining a clutch adjustment.
2. Charge your battery if needed it seems downshifting uses more energy than up shifting. If you don't have a tester You can jump to the battery from a car to test this. If it improves then either charge or replace your battery.
3. Since you've removed the shift gears in the front test them by manually shifting to confirm they are synced correctly.
4. If none of the above did anything then remove the little shift gears again and inspect the spline shaft and gears for any missing teeth and the tiny bearings on the covers is in good working condition. Post a photo of this area for us if you can so we can get a look too.
5. Confirm that you cleaned all the old sticky grease off the shift gears and tiny bearings and replaced with regular grease. It can easily be cleaned off with break cleaner.

.... all this assuming the shift motor responds or has power on the other side of the down shift button when you press the down button.
If you have power at the down button but no sound from the motor happens the angle sensor will stop the motor from shifting if shifting conditions are not optimal. It's hard to believe you don't have an error code relating to shifting. Count the long and short blinks or post a video if you can when you report back.
You MUST throughly do ALL the tests listed above as myself and others suggested to determine your problem and get you riding again.
"Battery seems ok" ... is not the same as testing it. Complete ALL five tests above and report back the results of ALL 5 test and how many long and short blinks.

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joshrowland151

Discussion Starter · #35 · Apr 13, 2018

Here's an update, sorry I'm late. Still not electrically down shifting. I have literally done everything, and checked everything. From wires, to connections, fuses, and still nothing. I have replaced the angle sensor, shift motor, and crazy as it sounds the computer. (because we have not found anything wrong mechanically, or electrically.) I have checked the timing on the shift gears, all of that was great. We are getting power to in from the down shift button. I have talked to a mechanic at my local honda shop back and forth some. I have done everything he has told me, and nothing has worked. He told me today he didn't really know what else to tell me. My clutches don't need to be adjusted he said. I don't know what else to do? Honda's electric shifts were not a good design. Love the fourwheeler, but not the electric shift.

joshrowland151

Discussion Starter · #36 · Apr 13, 2018

It is also not throwing anymore code's.

retro

· #37 · Apr 13, 2018

Its either got a bad plug connection somewhere or an open wire in the harness. Check for both continuity thru the harness wire (from ECU to shift motor), and the output voltage from the ECU going to the shift motor (should be battery voltage) per the manual.

Carolynskii

· #38 · Apr 16, 2018 (Edited)

joshrowland151 said:
Here's an update, sorry I'm late. Still not electrically down shifting. I have literally done everything, and checked everything. From wires, to connections, fuses, and still nothing. I have replaced the angle sensor, shift motor, and crazy as it sounds the computer. (because we have not found anything wrong mechanically, or electrically.) I have checked the timing on the shift gears, all of that was great. We are getting power to in from the down shift button. I have talked to a mechanic at my local honda shop back and forth some. I have done everything he has told me, and nothing has worked. He told me today he didn't really know what else to tell me. My clutches don't need to be adjusted he said. I don't know what else to do? Honda's electric shifts were not a good design. Love the fourwheeler, but not the electric shift.

For clearity ..... are you getting power on the opposite side of the down shift button going to the shift motor when you press it or not? Does the shift motor make a noise when you press the down button?
Also can you currently manually shift up and down with your new shift motor in or not?

Melatv

· #39 · Apr 16, 2018

Hi: Start by unplugging the shift motor -- on the harness side of the connector test for 12 VDC on the Green and Red wire when you push the UP button (what do you read?)

When you do the test for the DN button the polarity on your meter will change (what do you read?)

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