big decission

[js3350z]

I was thinking about a 400ex or a z400

I pretty much wanted reliablility and value so, I am goin with the 400ex (2004)

www.southernhonda.com has otd price of $4300 on brand new 2004 400ex, so that also made my decision easier ($5400 for a z400 or $4300 for 400ex)

so, what would you do to a new 400ex with about $500 (I will mostly trails now, but may look into MX later on)

thanks

[nosliw]

look at the page in my sig, my mods came out to around that....

[js3350z]

how is the power increase with HMF?

what site did you get all your stuff from?

how much of a pain is it to take of carb to mess with jetting, on my ttr it is buried, and a real pain in the a**

what is the stock jetting on it?


thanks

anybody else have more ideas

[nosliw]

power increase was freakin' awesome. like a whole new bike.

i got my pipe directly from hmf. my jets from local stealership. k&n and prefilter from k&n directly. air scoops from magicracing. temp gauge from heatseeker. nerf bars from rockymountain.

i was dreading jetting the carb, but it ended up being easy as hell. just taking the first step into doing it is the hardest. get a clymers or some other shop manual and it makes it a breeze.

stock jetting for a 400ex is 148 main jet, 38 pilot jet, middle position on needle, and 2 1/4 turns out from lightly seated on the fuel screw.

[js3350z]

i am used to the jetting, I was just curious on how much stuff the carb is buried behind (I work at a small engine repair shop)

I have jetted my ttr for the winter, it just sucks seeing all the snow comeing down and haveing to be in the garage taking carb off (without much light or the right tools, all my tools are at work)

you just got silencer, not header right?

I may just get used to the power for a while and then get "the new bike feeling" I am assuming it will be a large power jump from my ttr
:D

where did you get oil temp gauge (is it for atvs, did it bolt right on or did you tap into oil tank or somethin)

thanks

[js3350z]

what do you think about a bigger oil tank?

[nosliw]

you got to take off the front plastics, the gas tank, and the rear fender assembly to get to where the carb can lift right out. i just unbolted everything but the throttle assembly from the carb and did my work with it hanging a few inches away from where it laid before.

yep, just the slip on for me. if i ever need a better headpipe i can get the fmf powerbomb header which will mate right up to my muffler.

the oil temp gauge is from warpdrive performance. they make it just for your quad. it replaces the stock dipstick. the only tools you need are a couple 11mm open end wrenches (and a 13/16 to grab the whole of it), but that's just to adjust it so it's facing you when it's screw all the way it and calibrating it).
http://www.warpdriveperformance.com/

[nosliw]

bigger oil tank is a great investment for $100. i haven't gotten one because all my money is going towards my pickup.... might be my next quad investment now that i think about it.

[js3350z]

when you change the oil do you drain it all out of the engine case, or is there a seperate drain for the tank?


sorry for all these stupid questions, just curious

thanks for all your help nosliw

[js3350z]

if it goes where the dipstick is, how do you check the oil (does it come out to check oil?)

[nosliw]

not a problem, i'm here to help :D
to drain the oil, there is a plug on the bottom of the oil tank, and a bolt on the side of the engine. owners and service manual go into the detail of that, but it's extremely straight forward.
the heatseeker gauge takes the place of the stock dipstick. but instead of having a 'add' and 'full' line, it's a bare metal 'spike' with what looks like a sharpie mark on it. just keep the oil up to that level and your fine.
yes, you can take it out. it just threads in. imagine your stock dipstick with a cool little pyro gauge on the top of it.

[js3350z]

"the only tools you need are a couple 11mm open end wrenches (and a 13/16 to grab the whole of it), but that's just to adjust it so it's facing you when it's screw all the way it and calibrating it)."



what do you have to calibrate?

[nosliw]

when you adjust the position of the dial face it throws it gauging abilities (is that even a term? lol!) off. i never had to do mine though, i think it's only necessary when the small nut on the back of the face gets turned- which mine never did. i dont know, it seems good. i even cleaned it and put it in my mouth to make sure it was right :D

[js3350z]

ok thanks

i sometimes taste oil to see if it has gone bad or not:huh

lol

[nosliw]

here's what they told me what i asked how to calibrate it (lost my original instructions)

"There's a mark on the back of the dial. Line up the mark on the dial and
the mark on the nut."

since the nut and back of dial never changed their position i didnt have to do it........

[nosliw]

Originally posted by js3350z
ok thanks

i sometimes taste oil to see if it has gone bad or not:huh

lol

LOL!

dont do that with antifreeze!!!!:scary:

[js3350z]

o ok, I thought you needed a seperate temp gauge and had to synchronize sp? the 2

[js3350z]

what oil do you run in your 400ex

(did you start with non-syn the go to syn or what?)

thanks

[nosliw]

i'm running honda gn4 now (dino), but will switch over to mobil 1 red cap (full syn) next oil change. i started with gn4 because that's what it had in it when i bought it new. never thought to change until recently. apparently you should stick with dino oil during break in because it helps the rings seal better..... or something like that...

lol, bedtime for me. got any more questions you can keep this thread up or pm me.