#1) I have a hard time getting my quad started or it will not run
at all.....WHY ? Start.....
#2) My clutch doesn't engage or disengage properly.What could be
the problem?.... Clutch
#3) My quad pulls to the left (or right ).....WHY? Pulls
#4) Can I adjust my own valves?....Valves
#5) What is the proper way to adjust my carburetor?.... Carb
#6) How do I choose the correct brake shoes for my quad?....
Brakes
#7) What kind of oil should I use?....Oil
#8) How do I get my old tires off my rims to put my new tires
on?.....Tires
#9) How much free play should I have in my chain?....Chain
#10) What should I consider when buying new tires? Go Here
#11) How can I get MORE POWER from my 4 stroke motor?....MORE
POWER
#12) How do I rebuild my 2 stroke motor ? ....2 Stroke
Rebuild
#13) How does a 2 stroke motor actually work ?...2 STROKE
#14) Can I add A twist throttle to my ATV ? SURE
!!!
#15) How do I add A "Big Gun" exhaust to my Honda 400 EX ? Click here,thats how!
#16) OH BOY !!! I just stripped out those threads. Can they be
repaired ? Yes,and here's how.
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If you have a problem that was not addressed here in
the "FAQs. Please try asking your question on our ATV
BBS . If after a few days you don't get an answer from
there,Feel free to drop me a line in the mail box. THANKS !!
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Do It In The Dirt !!
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FAQs Answers
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 (Burnt),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
My Clutch Doesn't Engage or
Disengage Properly.What Could Be The Problem? There are a
few things that can make your clutch act funny. #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. A temporary fix for this is to remove the
basket and file smooth the spots where the grooves are. This will
only last a short while. you must replace the 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
My Quad Pulls To The Left (or
right ).....WHY? (1) Check your tire pressure. Atv tires are
so soft and flexible 2 to 3 lbs difference between tires can do it.
The reason why is air pressure causes the tire to expand. If you
have 2 tires with different air pressures,they will be different
diameters,causing the tire with more air to "Push" the atv. If it
pulls to the left,check the right rear. If it pulls to the
right,check the left rear. (2) Check the front end componants. You
could have a worn or bent.....(a) Shocks (b) Tie rod ends (c) A
arms (d) Ball joints (e) Steering column bushing (3) Check front
end alignment. See your owners manual for specs.
Can I adjust my own
valves?....
Adjusting you
valves is one of things everyone with a four 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. What
you have to do is 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. #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 untill 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) You simply 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
valve 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 your 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. the
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 your not sure you
can do the job right the first time.........practice on your buds
quad.
How To Adjust A Carb....
Carburetors ....are the one thing that give most 2 stroke guys
fits.I got some information from a company here in Cleveland called
Carb Parts Warehouse.They are the importers for Mikuni and Keihin
carbs. They are located at 7777 Wall street,Vally View,Ohio 44125
(ph) (216) 524-1599. The following is a guideline for jetting
Keihin carburetors.I hope this info will help you understand
exactly which area(s) of the carb to adjust for your peticular
situation. 1) IDLE....Set idle speed to proper r.p.m. by adjusting
the IDLE SPEED SCREW. Next turn the IDLE MIXTURE SCREW to achieve
highest speed and best response. Next reset IDLE SPEED SCREW to
proper r.p.m. 2) OFF IDLE TO 1/4 THROTTLE.....The SLOW JET and SLOW
AIR JET are the most effective in this range. When you want a
richer mixture in this range use a larger SLOW JET or a smaller
SLOW AIR JET. The opposite holds true for a leaner mixture. 3) 1/4
TO 3/4 THROTTLE.....The jet NEEDLE is the most effective in this
range.Raising the NEEDLE (by lowering the clip) will richen the
mixture. Lowering the NEEDLE will lean the mixture. 4) WIDE OPEN
THROTTLE.....Changing the MAIN JET effects this range the most.
Select the size which offers the best performance at wide open,
then install a MAIN JET one size larger for engine durability.
NOTE.. Please keep in mind when tuning any carburetor . When you
jet a carb lean, you may increase your performance but you also
increase your chance of over heating the motor and seizing the
piston. The cylinder relies on air ( 4 stroke ) and water ( 2
stroke ) to keep it cool,but the piston relies on the gasoline in
the air fuel mixture to keep it cool.
How do I choose the correct
brake shoes?.... Choosing the correct brake shoes can be a
pain in the !$#@. The trick is to find the right pads for your
application. All brake pads are NOT the same. Brake pads are
manufactured from different materials that range from metalic to
organic to kevlar. Each material has it own properties and
characteristics. I will list a few below just as an example,this is
NOT a complete list. My advise is to visit your local bike shop and
talk to them about the brake pads they carry. I hope this will give
you an idea of what to look for.
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BRAKE MATERIAL
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Organic
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Semi Metalic
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Full Metalic
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STOPPING ABILITY
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Very good stopping ability under most conditions. Even under
wet or muddy conditions. |
Average stopping ability under good conditions.Slighty less
reliable when wet or muddy but still ok. |
They work well dry,untill you get into the water and mud,then
they start to slip. |
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DURABILITY
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They are very soft so they won't last 2 weeks if you get a
little mud or sand in them. |
Good durability,they can take a little mud without doing a
dissapearing act while your riding. Should last a season. |
These puppies will out live you! If you get a little sand or
mud in them,no problem. Sticks,no problem. Gravel,no problem. You
get the idea. |
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PROS
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Very easy on the rotors |
Will last a long time without being to hard on the rotors, |
They will last longer than your quad. |
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CONS
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Need replacing often. |
?
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You WILL replace rotors more often than the brake pads.
REALLY!!!! |
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 guidlines. 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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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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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. |
As the temp. cools down a bit,I'll go with a
lighter oil . |
I find the clutch works a lot better with a lighter
oil at this temperature. |
As the temp goes up again I go with more
protection. |
Two strokes are different from four
strokes in that a two stroke doesn't need oil to lube the engine.
They do a 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 and
recommend. It makes the clutch "FEEL" and work nicely. |
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How do I get my old tires off
my rims to put my new tires on?..... I am open to
suggestions on this one. I just run down to the tire store where a
friend of mine works. If someone has got any good suggestions on
how to do this easily at home .......Let me know.
About How much free play
should I have in my chain..... I would first like to give
you two reasons chains stretch and need constant adjustment.The
first reason is the most common reason chains stretch and the
second is not so obvious to most people. #1) The first reason is
simply from the counter sprocket pulling the chain. When the drives
the rear sprocket the rear sprocket provides resistance. That
resistance varys depending on the type of riding you do. The more
resistance the chain gets from the rear sprocket, the more the
chain stretches. For example if you climb a lot of hills or if you
like to do "Burn Outs", things like that put a lot of stress on a
quads chain. #2) The second way to stretch a chain and possibly
break one is from improper chain adjustment. If you look at the
swingarm on an atv with no weight on it, you will notice the swing
arm is at a slight angle in relationship to the ground. During the
normal operation of an atv the swingarm pivots,such as when you go
over bumps. When the swingarm pivots it becomes more parallel to
the ground. When this happens,it takes up the slack in the chain
and if there isn't enough slack in the chain, the chain becomes too
tight and this causes it to stretch or possibly break. The
manufactures suggested way of checking the free play in your chain.
With the quad at the normal height, with no weight on it,measure
the amount of play in the chain.The recommended amount of slack is
1-3/8" to 1-3/4". Pretty simple. Read on.
The problems with chain
adjustment for most people start when they neglect the other parts
of the drive system,the things most people DON'T think are
important. 1) The chain roller. 2) The chain guide. When these two
items become worn or are missing ,(as I have seen on many quads) It
make it impossible to acheive the correct amount of slack in a
chain. These two items give the chain a certain amount of built in
slack . When these two items become worn passed their limits ,(see
your owners manual for specs) or are missing the amount of slack in
the chain (at rest) has to be increased .
The problem with this is as you increase the amount of
slack in the chain the greater the risk of the chain "Popping Off"
during riding. You don't want that happening. I have seen chains
come off and wrap around the counter shaft sprocket. Many times
when this happens it can crack the case.
So You Want New
Tires... I have found that after a period
of time almost everyone wants to start making changes to their atv.
In my opinion tires are the first place to start,not the engine!!
My reasons are #1) most atvs already have enough power for people
that are new to the sport, #2) the correct set of tires for your
style of riding may not only add to the comfort of riding, the
correct tires may also mean a safer ride. To choose the correct
tires for you,you must first ask yourself what kind of riding you
prefer to do, and what kind surface will you be riding on. Will you
be trail riding on a nice easy soft clear path ? Will you be riding
in lots of mud , sand ,or snow ? Will you riding fast or slow? Or
how about some kind of competition riding, MX racing ? Hillclimbs ?
Flat track racing ? I guess my point is with all the different
kinds of riding ,tire selection can be important. It is not
uncommon for experianced atvers to have more than one set of tires.
Things to consider when purchase a set of tires and why. If your
going buy a set of tires and put them on rims you already have,
make sure you purchase the correct WIDTH tire for the rim size that
you have because if the tires you buy are to narrow they WILL come
off the rim. Do you want a flat tire or a round tire ?If at this
point your thinking WHAT ? Walk around to the back of your atv
,squat down and take a look at the top of the tire (fully inflated
to its correct pressure),is the top of the tire flat or is it
rounded ?Most of the people I know prefer a flat tire. WHY? Because
a round tire has a tendancy to roll under during HARD cornering. A
flat tire tire puts more rubber to the road, so to speak. Do you
want a tall tire or a short tire ?If you need to have lots of
ground clearance you will need a tall tire,a tall tire will lift
the atv higher off the ground and give you a softer ride,but on the
other hand a tall tire has more sidewall flex which will give the
atv a feeling of being loose during hard cornering.If you choose a
short tire you get more stability during hard cornering and high
speeds, but you loose ground clearance and the ride may be a little
more bumpy. Tread pattern .There are so many different tread
patterns to choose from for different kinds of terrain that if your
working with a limited budget ( like most of us ),try to choose a
tire that will work under general condititions. If you have big
bucks and you can afford to buy mud tires,trail tires,sand
tires,ect.. then go for it.
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