Honda 400 EX problems ???

[straittactical]

I got a 2007 Honda 400ex. and i cant get it to start. my old lady rides it the other day she said it would died on here about 5 times on the way home. the only way she could get it to start was to take the gas cap off. then it would make a gargling sound. she put the gas cap back on and it would run for a few miles then die again. well it hasnt been touched for about a week. today i tried to see what the probablem was and it wont start at all. it will turn over but wont start. I changed the spark plug and it does have spark. i just wont start. any of you guys have any suggestions.

 

[furbymac]

sounds like your gas tank is creating some kind of vacuum not allowing gas to enter the engine. try leaving the gas cap off and starting it.

 

[straittactical]

I tried leaving the gas cap off just keeps cranking over but not starting.

 

[tyler34]

the only problem I ever had with my 400 ex was frying plugs, but that was more of gunning it before it could warm up.

 

[bigcraig]

Fuel system needs cleaned and flushed, any fuel filters need replaced, along with a good thorough carb cleaning.

Also, check that the fuel tank is properly ventilated and not vacum locking.

 

[furbymac]

after reading some things online have you tried jump starting it sounds like a common issue.

 

[straittactical]

jump starting it as in with jumper cables or pushing it down the road and dropping it in first gear.

 

[furbymac]

jump starting it as in with jumper cables or pushing it down the road and dropping it in first gear.

both but i read alot of people were using jumper cables or some kind of booster

 

[DragonGunner]

What you described with your wife riding it was a problem with the ventilation tube coming out of the gas tank. Take it off an make sure you can blow air through it. Now you have spark an turns over but does not start even with the cap off.....Could be a weak battery that can't produce enough spark, or a dirty carb not putting the gas into the cylinder...pump the throttle like crazy an try an start...if it doesn't start take the spark plug out an see if any gas got to the cylinder, plug will be soaked with gas...if not soaked with gas then you need to clean your carb inside an out with carb cleaner...if a tank of gas sets to long the gas will gum up the carb....check this out an let me now whether your getting gas to the cylinder....alos make sure the choke is off.....I seen where guys forget to take the choke off an run an it keeps dying then starting an dying because it keeps getting too flooded.

Also is the gas on? Is gas in the tank low where it needs to be put on reserve? Dumb question but my buddy Raptor kept running an dying, start an run a little an then die..he swore he had filled the tank before we left...we worked for an hour....wouldn't start, his brother asked him if he was sure he filled it..YES!...I went over finally an took the cap off, it was bone dry an he had it on reserve...we had only ridden a few min...when I told him he had no gas his brother almost blew up...we just left him an went riding...lol

 

[straittactical]

I will check that in the morning.
thanks for the tips

 

[jfed85]

There is a vent hose that comes out of the gas cap and runs down into the steering tree. Make sure that it isnt pinched. Thats what it sounds like to me.