I’m well aware after researching the ES system on my 2003 TRX350TE (many Google links point back to these forums :)) of the many headaches that can be created when it quits working. I’ll run down the details when I purchased it three weeks ago:
The ES system did not work
The upshift button was sticky
There was no speedometer reading other than "0"
The odometer didn’t increase
The clock does not display
The gear selection display showed nothing (blank; no N, —, number)
The hourmeter DOES work
The low oil and neutral indicator lights DO work
The trans can be shifted using the emergency shaft w/ tool
Last week I dropped it off with a friend of mine that works on ATVs on the side and threw a bunch of parts at him to replace, including the following:
Speedometer Sensor – Replaced with brand new, factory Honda
Angle Sensor – Replaced with brand new, factory Honda
Handlebar Switch Assembly – Replaced with brand new, factory Honda
At this point, he called me and said the ES system now worked! However, the cluster still displayed "0" for speed at all times, the odometer still would not increase, and the gear selector area was blank (No gear number, N, —, nothing). I figured maybe a bad cluster, so I’d GPS it for awhile and the hourmeter still worked.
An hour later, I arrived to pick my quad up, and took it down the street for the first time using the ES system. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, then nothing. It quit electronically shifting. I came back in 3rd gear, and we started looking over everything. All plugs were intact to the sensors, nothing had come loose. However, the ES system would not shift any further, and I could NOT get the diagnostics to work (holding the up/down shift buttons while turning on the ignition, then letting go and hitting them both again), and the gear selection display was still blank.
At this point, it gets weird. If the speedometer sensor is unplugged from the harness, the gear selection area now displays "N", but will not still display a gear or "R". Plug it in, the display disappears. This does it with the old sensor as well.
So, if you’re still here, I’m thinking one of two or possibly both things.
1) Shift motor is stuck, gunked up, etc. Possibly clean or just spend $30 and replace it outright.
2) I see the TE and FE have a "Shift ECU" at the rear of the quad. I’m wondering if it’s crapped out and needs replaced, at the not-so-cheap price of $170?
However, the gear selection "N" appearing and disappearing when the speedometer sensor is unplugged is still bugging me, as well as the inability to perform the diagnostic mode.
Thoughts? Thanks everyone!