[pancake]

Hey all - I just stumbled upon this forum today and hope to learn a few things about these 4 wheelers.

I just picked up a '97 300ex.. The previous owner had the top end rebuilt and claimed that it ran fine until he let it sit for about six months. I pulled the carb and found that the pilot and main were both clean, and there was no sediment in the fuel bowl. The gas in the tank didn't smell to awful, either. I have ordered a carb rebuild kit and will address that issue later this week.

Now.. onto the other problem. I was putting it around the yard (limited because it wouldn't run if I opened it up past 1/3 throttle. Anyway, the motor stalled and when I tried to start it again the start just spun free..

I tried tapping it and tried bouncing the whole 4 wheeler to shake it loose, but that didn't help. I didn't want to jog the start switch too much because I was afraid of burning it up. So have any of you had a problem like this?

Any input is appreciated!

 

[Helmut]

Welcome to the forums. If the starter is turning, but the engine isn't turning, your one-way starter clutch is bad.

 

[pancake]

Welcome to the forums. If the starter is turning, but the engine isn't turning, your one-way starter clutch is bad.

Ok. Figures.. I'm going to wait until the outside temperature drops a bit and then I'll tear into fixing that. It's going to be 107 tomorrow! aaargh!

 

[TRX2fiveO]

Agree^^^^^ I would also check the engine just to be sure nothing siezed internally causing the starter to be damaged. Pull the big slotted cap off of the left side cover grab a 17mm socket and try to rotate the engine manually I believe it turns counter clockwise.

 

[pancake]

Agree^^^^^ I would also check the engine just to be sure nothing siezed internally causing the starter to be damaged. Pull the big slotted cap off of the left side cover grab a 17mm socket and try to rotate the engine manually I believe it turns counter clockwise.

Hmm.. I sure hope that's not what happened! Who knows.. I don't know who rebuilt it.. I did put it in 2nd gear and pushed it with my weight on the rear grab bar and the motor turned over.. though it was REALLY hard to turn.

 

[Helmut]

I would say the problem is the one-way starter clutch.

 

[shadetree]

agreed ^^^^^^^^^^..thats if..the starter itself did not get striped out.

 

[pancake]

I finally had a chance to work on the atv so I pulled the two plugs off of the rotor side of the motor to see if the engine was free (as someone suggested earlier..) and I found that the flippin bolt that holds the rotor on was loose!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So.. uh... i did the lazy thing and torqued it to spec (80ft lbs says the trusty haynes manual) and now my starter works again.

Under closer inspection, I found that atv has the wrong coil on it and some of the wires on the harness are pretty torn up. One of the ground wires from the CDI box actually looks like it got pretty hot.. the insulation is melted and the wire strand is exposed and in bad shape... I read somewhere on the trusty interwebz that a bad ground on the CDI can cause the whole no-revs-past-half-throttle thing. So I located a good used harness on ebay and a coil.. now back to the whole waiting on parts thing.

Any input?

 

[shadetree]

I finally had a chance to work on the atv so I pulled the two plugs off of the rotor side of the motor to see if the engine was free (as someone suggested earlier..) and I found that the flippin bolt that holds the rotor on was loose!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So.. uh... i did the lazy thing and torqued it to spec (80ft lbs says the trusty haynes manual) and now my starter works again.

Under closer inspection, I found that atv has the wrong coil on it and some of the wires on the harness are pretty torn up. One of the ground wires from the CDI box actually looks like it got pretty hot.. the insulation is melted and the wire strand is exposed and in bad shape... I read somewhere on the trusty interwebz that a bad ground on the CDI can cause the whole no-revs-past-half-throttle thing. So I located a good used harness on ebay and a coil.. now back to the whole waiting on parts thing.

Any input?

nice find !..my only concern is..did you torque the flywheel back on the woodruff key ???..if not..your timming is gonna be up the creek so to speak.

 

[Helmut]

I finally had a chance to work on the atv so I pulled the two plugs off of the rotor side of the motor to see if the engine was free (as someone suggested earlier..) and I found that the flippin bolt that holds the rotor on was loose!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So.. uh... i did the lazy thing and torqued it to spec (80ft lbs says the trusty haynes manual) and now my starter works again.

Under closer inspection, I found that atv has the wrong coil on it and some of the wires on the harness are pretty torn up. One of the ground wires from the CDI box actually looks like it got pretty hot.. the insulation is melted and the wire strand is exposed and in bad shape... I read somewhere on the trusty interwebz that a bad ground on the CDI can cause the whole no-revs-past-half-throttle thing. So I located a good used harness on ebay and a coil.. now back to the whole waiting on parts thing.

Any input?

nice find !..my only concern is..did you torque the flywheel back on the woodruff key ???..if not..your timming is gonna be up the creek so to speak.

I was wondering the same thing. If the starter was turning, but the engine wasn't turning, the flywheel must have been turning on the crank. I bet it sheared the key.

 

[shadetree]

I finally had a chance to work on the atv so I pulled the two plugs off of the rotor side of the motor to see if the engine was free (as someone suggested earlier..) and I found that the flippin bolt that holds the rotor on was loose!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So.. uh... i did the lazy thing and torqued it to spec (80ft lbs says the trusty haynes manual) and now my starter works again.

Under closer inspection, I found that atv has the wrong coil on it and some of the wires on the harness are pretty torn up. One of the ground wires from the CDI box actually looks like it got pretty hot.. the insulation is melted and the wire strand is exposed and in bad shape... I read somewhere on the trusty interwebz that a bad ground on the CDI can cause the whole no-revs-past-half-throttle thing. So I located a good used harness on ebay and a coil.. now back to the whole waiting on parts thing.

Any input?

nice find !..my only concern is..did you torque the flywheel back on the woodruff key ???..if not..your timming is gonna be up the creek so to speak.

I was wondering the same thing. If the starter was turning, but the engine wasn't turning, the flywheel must have been turning on the crank. I bet it sheared the key.

i totally agree helmut..that is my main concern..your 100 % right on this !

 

[pancake]

nice find !..my only concern is..did you torque the flywheel back on the woodruff key ???..if not..your timming is gonna be up the creek so to speak.

I was wondering the same thing. If the starter was turning, but the engine wasn't turning, the flywheel must have been turning on the crank. I bet it sheared the key.

i totally agree helmut..that is my main concern..your 100 % right on this !

Crap. I was afraid of that. It felt like the rotor stayed put on the crank, but I couldn't explain why it sounded like it was out of time. Good thing is I didn't hear metal to metal in the cylinder (or anywhere) cause I have no idea if this is an interference motor or not.. figured it was.

I'll pull the side cover and do it right.. crap. I knew better and was lazy.

 

[shadetree]

I was wondering the same thing. If the starter was turning, but the engine wasn't turning, the flywheel must have been turning on the crank. I bet it sheared the key.

i totally agree helmut..that is my main concern..your 100 % right on this !

Crap. I was afraid of that. It felt like the rotor stayed put on the crank, but I couldn't explain why it sounded like it was out of time. Good thing is I didn't hear metal to metal in the cylinder (or anywhere) cause I have no idea if this is an interference motor or not.. figured it was.

I'll pull the side cover and do it right.. crap. I knew better and was lazy.

don't feal bad..we all do stupid crap..we know better..but we try to save time..take the lazy way out..and then it comes back and bites us on the arse !..lol...just turn the bike on it's right side..at a 45 degree angle..support it with jack stands..remove the left side cover..this way..at least you dont have to drain your oil !!.

 

[pancake]

Well guys.... she runs! I pulled the side cover (conveniently, I had an empty half barrel of Coors Original that made a perfect jackstand) and replaced the keyway... I also swapped out the coil (had the wrong one on it.. for sure) with a used one I found on ebay.. and it fired right up.. no more problems through the rev-range. There's still work to be done since the chain is hosed.. sprockets, too.. rear brake pads.. front end alignment. and I have to rebuild the carb since the needle & seat seem to be malfunctioning (or the float level is too high).. it'll dump fuel occasionally if you let it sit with the gas on.. I'm thinking needle & seat since it's intermittent.

but the important thing is that it wheelies in first and second.. and will lift 'em in third if you feather the clutch.

But anyway.. all easy stuff. I sure do appreciate the help you guys have provided!!