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I have a 2006 Honda 450x.
This problem has me stumped.
The problem is when I use my e-start it will work 5 times out of 10.
The times it does not work, it acts like I have a dead battery (click, click, click)
I replaced the battery and it still acts up.
Starts fine with the kick start.
Second
I don’t know if the failure to start killed the headlight blub, but the tail light still works.
Thanks for your help.

The E-Start should not have anything to do with the lighting coil , , although you could have a bad connection and that could affect some things , or it could be that your headlight bulb just decided to quit , though i find that rare

You can test the bulb by simply using jumper wires connected to the battery , and directly to the bulb (being careful not to arc the wires anywhere of course), bypassing the system , if the bulb works , its a wiring issue , if the bulb does not work , then the bulb is bad



Have you checked the handlebar switch at all ?? , it could have dirty contacts and that it might depend on the actual way you press the button , try barely pressing it several times, then try pushing hard several times , then try blipping the switch , by putting your finger on it , then letting it "snap" off the button , and see if that changes anything , if any of those do , then i would remove the switch and take it apart to examine the contacts , etc , or replace it

Would a bad e switch work 50% of the time?




Have you checked the handlebar switch at all ?? , it could have dirty contacts and that it might depend on the actual way you press the button , try barely pressing it several times, then try pushing hard several times , then try blipping the switch , by putting your finger on it , then letting it "snap" off the button , and see if that changes anything , if any of those do , then i would remove the switch and take it apart to examine the contacts , etc , or replace it[/quote]

Yes , it can be a intermittent issue , where you press it 4 times and it works and the next 2 times it wont , then the next 8 times it works then the next time it does not , take the switch apart and spray it with Contact Cleaner , let it dry (or blow it out with air) , then try it and see if it works every time , not saying this IS the issue , but its a good possibility

The next step would be looking at the starter brushes , this is also a common issue , that can be fixed by simply removing the starter cleaning the armature of the starter , and replacing the brushes , your starting system is basically , the Battery , the Switch , the Starter Relay , and the Starter , that's pretty much it , so something within those parts are what is most likely causing the issue

the manual decomp adjust is very sensitive. a 1/8 to 1/4 turn can make the difference in the starter being able to turn over the motor fast enough to start. if it will always start with the kickstarter then it is likely an out of adjustment decomp gap. you really can't measure 1/8 to 1/4 turn. so just tighten the gap in 1/8 to 1/4 increments until the starter can turn it over fast enough to start it. good luck.

ken