# Big Bear won't start! HELP!!!!!!



## subforeman

went to start my '02 big bear 400 last night and it wouldn't crank. (ran perfect last time i rode it which was last sunday). well, it still will not start. I have tried everything in the world! It just turns over. it doesnt even backfire/sputter or anything. i have taken the carb off/apart and cleaned it very good, drained gas/put new gas in, adjusted valves, changed spark plugs 1000 times, put a little oil in the cylinder, tried starting fluid. I cant think of anything else to check. Its getting fuel (i can smell gas on the plug when i pull it), its getting spark, and it has good compression. i dont know what to do. anybody give me some suggestions. please!!! oh and, the bike has never done this before.


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## IBBruin

Starting fluid and not even a pop? Kill switch on the handle bar maybe?


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## phreebsd

im thinkin handlebar switch too


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## lg07brute

If it was the handle bar switch it shouldn't spark at all should it? When you cleaned tke carb did ya pull the jets out and make sure they were clear? Had a few projects that once started would run fine but wouldn't start cuz something was plugged up that you couldn't see. If it is getting spark it should atleast start and run for a few seconds on ether.


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## IBBruin

lg07brute said:


> If it was the handle bar switch it shouldn't spark at all should it? When you cleaned tke carb did ya pull the jets out and make sure they were clear? Had a few projects that once started would run fine but wouldn't start cuz something was plugged up that you couldn't see. If it is getting spark it should at least start and run for a few seconds on ether.


Zakly, that's why I'm thinking weak/no sparkage.


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## trailmaker

ONe situation i ran into last winter just got done plowing with my 99 big bear 350 4x4 and shut off the machine 10 minutes later tried to start it and crank crank crank......nothing.......samething tried using starting fluid cleaned carb then checked everything else i could think of......turns out it had a rats nest around the air cleaner and while plowing must of stirred it up enough to sufocate the machine......cleaned it and the machine shot right off. Was the last thing i checked caused it was just running. Just an idea but you probably already checked this.


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## lg07brute

You could try takin the carb and airbox totally out of the equation, pull the carb off and give it a shot of ether straight into the boot, if still no fire it's definitely not enough spark. Just trying to eliminate possible problems.


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## subforeman

ok, i know its not the the kill switch on the handlebar. im going to check the timing tomorrow and i will clean the carb again. i will also try what lg07brute suggested. but i honestly think its either a spark issue or its dumping too much fuel into the cylinder (fouling plugs). also, could the cdi box have gone bad?


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## gpinjason

:agreed: it's either not enough spark to ignite the fuel (bad coil or CDI)... Air filter dirty OR exhaust clogged possibly... if it can't exhale, it won't run either! but since it's not even trying to start, I'd say weak spark, or too much/too little fuel


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## subforeman

finally got it cranked!!! reason it wasn't starting is because it jumped time


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## byrd

glad to hear ya got it. happy riding


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## Roboquad

Those big bears were always ahead of their time. glad it's going again.


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## subforeman

yea, im glad too!


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## Eight

What ended up being wrong with it back when we went riding in April.


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## subforeman

camshaft bearing went out. the cam was just laying in the head. its got a Web cam in it now.


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## Eight

oh, well you said it prolly wasn't gonna be good.lol


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## dean1011

i have the same issue can you tell me how to set the timing on a 99 big bear se?


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