2002 400E will not start - Help.

[pschiess]

A friend has a 2002 400E that has not been used much. He took it into the Suzuki shop for a "tune up" and they replaced the water pump, adjusted the carb, changed the oil and put in a new battery. $600 later he gets the bike back and it started right up but was leaking oil so back to the shop. They said it was just a drain bolt. Got it back from the shop but did not start it. And now after sitting for several months he tries to start it and when you push the starter button - NOTHING (no sound, no clicks nothing). The head light comes on fine. We put his battery in my DRZ400S and it stated my bike fine so it is not the battery. We also tried my battery in his and nothing. Any ideas as to what I should be looking for? The shop wants $95 to diagnose the issue. Not a lot of confidence in this shop. He has had the bike there 3 times and not right yet. Help me get him going in the right direction. Thanks

[Wayward Son]

And now after sitting for several months he tries to start it

the shop may be a bad deal but they didnt let the bike sit for several months.

first step is to bypass the clutch switch,check/charge the battery and see what you get.

tell him not to be suprised if the pilot jet is plugged up from sitting.

[pschiess]

Hi Eddie, I agree with you but that would not explain why there is nothing when you push the e start button. That is what puzzles me. As I said the battery checked out in a working DRZ and worked fine. It is not that it will not start it is that it will not try to start. He now knows to keep the bike on a battery tender and run it or drain the bike of gas but that does not explain the nothing when you push the start button.

[JUNURE]

If the clutch switch is bad the bike will not crank.

[Noble]

First thing to check is the clutch lever interlock switch -- just like Eddie said. Easy to bypass. Trace the wires from the switch to the connection. Unplug the switch. Plug the 2 wires together.

OK to start with did your friend remember to pull the clutch lever?

And sure he was pushing the START button and not he KILL button.

[slowriding]

I am unfamiliar with the 'E' model but here goes. The kill button was out? One push stays in (off) another push it pops out (on).

If start switch is working while pushing it the headlight should turn off.

[pschiess]

As several of you suggested - it was the clutch cut out switch. Once I disconnected the two wires and then plugged them into each other the bike fired right up. It is weird that it would go out sitting in the garage. Anyway it was a two minute fix and cost $0.00. That is the kind of mechanical problem I like. Thanks for the help.