ENGINE
One of the MOST neglected parts of your engine is
your air filter. A dirty air filter can tremendously affect the
performance of your ATV. A dirty filter can Keep your engine from
starting. A dirty filter will allow dirt to pass through the filter
possibly causing to your engine. ***PARTICULARLY THOSE 2
STROKES.***
For you guys that ride with
an open air box.... Take a spare air filter with you when you go
riding or when you go to the race track. Have it clean, oiled, and
in a plastic bag ready to use. This way when have finished riding
"The Dusty Trail", all you have to do is change the filter. This
will enable you to clean the filter after you're done riding for
the day.
Clean your Air Filter
OFTEN !!!!
I Have A Hard Time Starting My Quad.....Why
?
THINGS TO CHECK
1) Air
filter..is it clean? The motor has to inhale.
2) Exhaust baffles..are they clean? The motor has to exhale.
(Maybe it sounds stupid but I saw a guy get mud in the exhaust -
the bike wouldn't start)
3) Spark...getting
any? (a) Check plug.. is it dirty? Is the gap correct? Try a new
one anyway. (b) Check for broken, cracked, frayed or split wires.
(c) Faulty CDI unit. (d) Faulty pulse generator. (e) Faulty reverse
switch. (f) Faulty ignition switch.
4)Compression...is it low? (a) Worn cylinder (b) Worn piston
& rings (c) Blown gaskets. (d) Valves....Could be stuck open,
out of adjustment, damaged or an improperly adjusted decompression
system.
5)Carburetion... (a) Getting any
gas... Are the gas tank and carb breather tubes plugged? Check the
float level. Plugged fuel filter? (b) Improper carb adjustments.
(c) Check for dirt in the carb. (Dirt in the carb can get in the
jets and the air passage ways causing a motor not to run, run rich,
and run lean). (d) Too much gas..flooding?.... Check float level
,Is gas leaking past float valve (could be faulty) (e) Dirty air
cleaner
There are a few things that can
make your quad not want to start.
My Clutch Doesn't
Engage or Disengage Properly. What Could Be The
Problem?
#1) Does your clutch have
a difficult time disengaging? It could be............ (a) The
clutch lever may be damaged. (b) The cable may need oiled. You can
purchase a cable oiling kit from a bike shop. (c) The clutch basket
may have "worn spots" on it where the clutch plates come in contact
with it.
Click
here to learn how to fix Clutch Basket.
#2) Clutch grabs slightly at idle (a) Out of adjustment (b)
Warped clutch plates. (c) Oil / trans fluid is to heavy.
#3) Clutch slips (a) Out of adjustment (b)Worn /
damaged clutch plates (c) Weak clutch springs
Can I adjust my own
valves?....
Adjusting you valves
is one of things everyone with a 4-stroke should learn to do.
4-strokes need the valves adjusted on a regular basis,and knowing
how to do it can save you a trip to the bike shop and some
cash.
Now obviously I can't cover
everyones' quad so I'm going to give an overview on how to adjust
the valves on a Honda 250X. Get the exact specs (valve clearance)
for your quad and follow the same basic principles.
#1) Remove all items that may be nessessary -
fenders and gas tank, etc.
#2) Remove the
valve adjuster covers.
#3) Turn the
crankshaft counter clockwise untill the timing marks line up and
the piston is "Top Dead Center" on the compression stroke. The
rockers should be a little loose. If they are not, turn the crank
one full turn until the timing marks line up again.
#4) Inspect the valve clearance by inserting a
feeler gauge between the adjusting screw and the valve stem. If the
clearance is too loose or too tight you need to adjust the
valves.
#5) Loosen the locknut with a
wrench while holding the adjuster screw still with a
screwdriver.
#6) With the locknut loose you
turn the screwdriver to either tighten or loosen the adjuster to
the specified clearance.
#7) Tighten the
locknut while holding the adjuster still with your screwdriver and
recheck the clearance again with your feeler gauge. You will know
when the clearance is adjusted properly when you insert the proper
thickness feeler gauge between the rocker and the valve stem it
should go in between them without being loose. You should feel a
slight drag.
#8) Adjust all valves using
same procedure.
#9) Double check each
locking nut, make sure they are tight. The last thing you want is a
nut spinning off and falling down into the motor.
#10) Recheck valve clearances. If everything looks
good, reassemble the beast and you're good to go.
*NOTE* It is very important that you only adjust
valves while the motor is COLD. The reason for this is simple. The
reason for having valve clearance is because metal expands when it
is heated. Valve clearance gives the metal room to expand without
binding everything up. If you adjust the valves while the motor is
HOT, you will have excessive valve clearance when the motor cools
down and the metal returns to it normal size again. You will know
this by the LOUD tapping noise coming from the motor.
If you're not sure you can do the job right the
first time.........practice on your buddy's quad .
What kind of oil should
I use?....
People ask me all the time.."What kind of oil do
you use?" I always tell them "it doesn't matter what kind I use -
you have to find what works for you." Here are some basic
guidelines. ALWAYS use a top quality oil; DON'T use some cheap 49
cents-a-can oil.
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Four Strokes (air cooled)
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Two Strokes (water
cooled)
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Summer
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Fall
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Winter
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Spring
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Summer
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Fall
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Winter
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Spring
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Temp
70-100
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Temp 40-70
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Temp
0-40
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Temp
40-70
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Two strokes are different from four strokes in that
a two stroke doesn't need oil to lube the engine. They do use fluid
in the transmission. You can use motor oil or you can use a special
fluid made by a major manufacturer for two strokes.The fluid is
more of a trans fluid - its what I use. It makes the clutch "FEEL"
and work nicely.
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20w50
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10w40
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5w30
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10w40
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I ride pretty hard in the summer. I like a heavy oil
in the heat.
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As the temp cools down a bit, I'll go with a lighter
oil.
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I find the clutch works a lot better with a lighter
oil at this temperature.
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As the temp goes up again I go with more
protection.
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Please submit any technical questions to the bulletin
board.
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