[Camohurley4x4]

I have an 89 Honda fourtrax 300 2x4 I had a lawnmower battery in it and it would start fine once I cleaned the terminals each ride but it would corrode really bad. I bought a atv battery for it. And out it in in spins over normal and fast but no spark any ideas?

 

[fishfiles]

maybe , it is spinning backwards cause the cables are reversed and won't fire the CDI backwards , just saying

 

[Camohurley4x4]

maybe , it is spinning backwards cause the cables are reversed and won't fire the CDI backwards , just saying

what wires would be backwards? The only wires I disconnected where the two battery wires. And I put the ground terminal to the ground bolt/wire and the hot goes from the hot to the solenoid

 

[fishfiles]

...believe it or not , I have read where people have put them on backwards , and some have caused damage to CDI's , I think there are even a few threads labeled " I put my cables on the battery backwards and now it don't start " .... I always look to the easy thing first , what about fuses , blew any during the battery change

 

[Camohurley4x4]

I had one blown fuse replaced it but still nothing(both fuses on mine are aftermarket in line fuses the previous owner had the old wires ripped the shreds from bending them) I replaced the fuse but still no spark.ive got power in and out of both fuses and the engine spins over faster then it ever as. At first I thought it was just flooded so I tried two other plugs still nothing.i thought it was the cdi box last time I had this problem but I put that lawnmower battery in and it started up all the time just had a problem with corrosion as I had to bolt together a new battery cable to the existing ones. It would run and ride no problem. I wanted a correct battery though so I went and picked up one of the parts house specials where you fill it and charge it. I did that charged for 12 hours bike will spin like crazy but no spark. I've never seen this before

 

[mrbb]

have you made sure your kill switch is in RUN< as if not that could explain the loss of spark!
and also, double check that battery connections are correct? it happens more than you think

 

[Camohurley4x4]

have you made sure your kill switch is in RUN< as if not that could explain the loss of spark!
and also, double check that battery connections are correct? it happens more than you think

tripple checked the battery and had my wife check it as well.(because we all know women are always right) battery is installed correctly and kill switch is in run position I have also checked both sides of the wires in and out of kill switch both are hott

 

[Goober]

Will it fire just briefly if you spray a small shot of starting fluid? Just once or twice briefly.

Download manual from my link—check ignition diagnostics

 

[Camohurley4x4]

Will it fire just briefly if you spray a small shot of starting fluid? Just once or twice briefly.

Download manual from my link—check ignition diagnostics

no spark at all at the plug I've tried 3 new plugs

 

[Goober]

Will it fire just briefly if you spray a small shot of starting fluid? Just once or twice briefly.

Download manual from my link–check ignition diagnostics

no spark at all at the plug I've tried 3 new plugs

Without performing the diagnostics I would expect the CDI to be bad; however, usually you can get these quads to fire briefly with a shot of starting fluid. Your condition doesn’t rule out a bad CDI, but in my book your list just got longer.

I would definitely check the stator.

Perform the diagnostics very carefully and keep notes. You will need a good multimeter. make sure you only buy OEM parts–there are three different generations of TRX300–several ignition components not interchangeable.

 

[Camohurley4x4]

Does anyone have access to a wiring diagram for this bike? Took the front plastic off and it looks like a rats nest
Wanna go thru and fix some of the bad repairs

 

[retro]

Ya, wiring diagrams are in the back of the service manual.

https://www.hondaatvforums.net/foru...nual-help/50817-service-manual-downloads.html

 

[retro]

This one is captured from the manual, but a bit difficult to read for me because it was scanned. If you have good eyes you'll be alright though.

 

[Camohurley4x4]

This one is captured from the manual, but a bit difficult to read for me because it was scanned. If you have good eyes you'll be alright though.

ok so I ordered a used wireing harness(in better shape then mine) a new cdi box a new rectifire I have 3 plugs at the battery where does the red go

 

[Goober]

Good on ya for getting a harness

Consider getting a printed manual that’s what I did too

Red cable usually goes to the positive terminal

 

[Camohurley4x4]

Good on ya for getting a harness

Consider getting a printed manual that’s what I did too

Red cable usually goes to the positive terminal

my bad just realized I misspelled that. Wife was yelling at me when I typed it... There's 3 plugs on the battery side (white white and red) unsure where the red plugs in as all the fuse plugs and everything have been cut and made aftermarker

 

[Goober]

It sounds like you make have to buy some replacement battery cables. That’s pretty common on these because mice love this area of the quad.
Check out your manual, figure out numbers and names of the butchered cables, and try to find them thru a local Honda shop, atv junkyard and fleabay.
I’ll post pics of the cables you’re probably missing. Check it out almost every battery cable you find has some damage like chewing, splices etc, take the part numbers and search fleabay

I would post a pic of my wires for ya later this weekend

 

[Camohurley4x4]

Ok so I've got all the new wireing harness hooked up the new cdi box installed but I'm not getting spark still. Is there any way possible that the battery just is to small to create a spark? I'm completely at a loss for words 300 dollars in parts later I'm still sitting where I was.

 

[fishfiles]

First thing comes to mind is what year harness and CDI did you buy ----------- when you look up 89 300 , the wiring harness part number shows to only fit the 89 and no other bike , I have a '90 engine in a 96 frame but used all the wiring harness and components from the 90 on the 96 frame , including the headlight switch as I believe the wiring to the kill switch is different on first gen and second gen's , the CDI for a 89 list as 89-93 , I have heard of people swopping around CDI's around and it working , Jeep and SamUk seem to know about that personally I don't know much about swopping CDI years , the regulator is 89-91 , the coil 88-92 , the headlight switch which is also the kill switch is 88-95 , the alarm is 88-92 -----but with that being said , you had the same problem before you swopped parts , so maybe it has nothing to do with what you swopped

 

[Goober]

Taking a step back—you said you wires were all messed up. Do you have a multimeter?

Did you buy all OEM parts? Like FF said, Lots of sellers mistake model year applications

Now is perfect time to use that wiring diagram, troubleshooting sections from the manual and a multimeter. I personally make copies of the wiring diagram and use a highlighter to mark the copy when I do continuity and voltage checks. The little markers in the diagram indicate a bullet connection you can check from: =<

I recommend you start from the ignition section in chapter 20.
When you switch on, Do you have neutral light
Does the oil light come on momentarily then go out?