[mattmctree]

so recently i have been having issue starting my 2001 honda fourtrax. the starter turns very slowly or i just get a click. if i jump it the starter turns just fine. i charge my battery the other day and it has drained again. ( key left on). i tried charging it again and the battery will not charge. when i used my multimeter when it was running last week i had 12 or so volts on the battery itself and them it would pull down to 9 while starting and then when machine was running i would have around 14 volts. i dont want to throw parts at it and am hoping its just the battery . how can i verify this. my manual starter was all seized up from previous ownwer so i need to buy a whole new one . looks like ive got to jump it now in the mean time. any help would be appreciated
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[retro]

You need a new battery for sure, Measuring at/near 12 volts means it is beyond dead and its totally junk. Make sure you buy one the proper size and don't run the motor again until you've put the new battery in it, else risk frying the stator and/or regulator/rectifier. Let us know how it goes...

 

[mattmctree]

i ran it a few times to get firewood for about 20 minutes. how do i know if ive trashed the the stator or regulator rectifier?

 

[retro]

Please don't use adult language here... and if your charging system still works (measure with a voltmeter while idling) after you put a new battery in it it is ok. We get folks coming in from time to time that are not even aware that their bike requires a good battery, so I generally include a heads up about the stator risk... just in case.

 

[mattmctree]

my apologies about the langauge. im assuming if im getting around 14 volts to the battery that my charging system is considered to be ok? i will get a new battery asap

 

[retro]

Yeah, with a good battery in it and motor idling the voltage should climb to about 14.5 volts.

 

[David Brewer]

My 300 is doing the same thing. I went to get a new battery and they said its my bike not the battery. They said my bike should be putting out at least 12.6 volts to run and maintain the battery. It only putting out 11 to 12 but does put out more when given gas. The voltage meter show the battery at 11plus when not running but when I hit the start it drops to 2 to 3 volts.

 

[shadetree]

My 300 is doing the same thing. I went to get a new battery and they said its my bike not the battery. They said my bike should be putting out at least 12.6 volts to run and maintain the battery. It only putting out 11 to 12 but does put out more when given gas. The voltage meter show the battery at 11plus when not running but when I hit the start it drops to 2 to 3 volts.

you should start your own thread, so not to confuse you and the OP . but from the sounds of it ?, your stator , or reg/rec seems to be the trouble . you can run a test on the stator with an ohm meter if you down load the service manual from our site here, it shows you step by step how to test the stator. there is also youtube videos on how to test your stator .

 

[retro]

My 300 is doing the same thing. I went to get a new battery and they said its my bike not the battery. They said my bike should be putting out at least 12.6 volts to run and maintain the battery. It only putting out 11 to 12 but does put out more when given gas. The voltage meter show the battery at 11plus when not running but when I hit the start it drops to 2 to 3 volts.

...and your 300 has the exact same problem. You need to buy a new battery for it. Don't run the bike again until you do.

After the new battery is installed, start the motor and measure the battery voltage while it is idling (adjust idle speed to specs) at the proper speed. You should see the voltage rise and approach 14-14.5 volts within just a few minutes. If voltage does not rise while the motor is idling and lights turned off, then you have fried either the alternator stator windings or the regulator/rectifier... due to operation while a shorted battery was in it.

Let us know how it goes for ya...

 

[David Brewer]

Thank you so much. How do I down load service manual? I am having a hard time finding that option?

 

[shadetree]

Thank you so much. How do I down load service manual? I am having a hard time finding that option?

go to manual section, click on first sticky, scroll down to the big red words, click it ( you must be on a pc or lap top ), click on your model, yu'll see different models, then just click on the PDF file , bam..done !.

 

[mattmctree]

just popped a new battery in today and i was getting 14.9 v at idle when i first started it up. it my charging system and regulator ok or did it get pooched running it with the lkow battery

 

[retro]

What does it measure (max volts) when you rev the motor up? Is your meter trustworthy?

 

[Goober]

If you click the first link in my sig block will take you to manuals. I couldn’t figure out how to download it either, so one of our kind members sent me one on disk. LOL gratus semper @Okie

I also buy printed service manuals for my PO quads because the wiring diagrams are easier for me to trace.

 

[LedFTed]

What does it measure (max volts) when you rev the motor up? Is your meter trustworthy?

14.9 seems a tad high. is this so. i think meter also.

 

[shadetree]

What does it measure (max volts) when you rev the motor up? Is your meter trustworthy?

14.9 seems a tad high. is this so. i think meter also.

14.9 at a high rev is ok, but not at idle.

 

[retro]

With a battery in good condition, as long as the charging voltage is greater than the resting battery voltage, and as long as voltage does not exceed 15.5 volts at any RPM point, the charging system is functioning normally. Idle speed voltage readings vary from bike to bike and battery to battery. So a high RPM measurement is the only consistent (relevant) way to test them.

 

[mattmctree]

i used my fluke meter and was getting 14.9 -15 volts at idle and 15 when engine was reved to various rpms. doesnt rise abouve 15

 

[LedFTed]

meter

fluke meter is a good meter. i still think the voltage is a tad high. i just stepped in the world of honda atv a couple of years ago.. wadda i know. at the moment, i am thinking digital v/s analog, an a friend who also has a good meter.

 

[retro]

i used my fluke meter and was getting 14.9 -15 volts at idle and 15 when engine was reved to various rpms. doesnt rise abouve 15

That is normal and expected with a new battery, because resistance is low and capacitance is high. Ohms law answers 90% of all electronics & electrical engineering questions... Carry on...