engine life

[danny17]

hey guys i got a 2000 400ex and i dont no much about atvs. my atv is in wisconsin and i live in illinois. i go up there and ride it only about 25-30 hours every year. it is all stock besides the air filter. i use mobile 1 redcap and do the basic mantenance on it: change oil every 20-25 hours, replace oil filter, clean air filter and oil it...if i took care of it like this and only rode it for that long each year, how many more years do u think i can get out of it? also one thing...how important is it to adjust the valves because i have neevr done that before. do you suggest i get that done?
thanks a lot guys.

[danny17]

also, its never been raced, always let it warm up for at least 5 min, use 92 gas, etc. etc.

[ex101]

I would change oil sooner than that,I change mine around 8 hours because I ride hard sometimes.+..Quad and bike engines break down oil quicker.:)

[JJ-EX]

Honda engines are some of the most reliable and durable engines out there, if you ride as easy and as little as you say I think you should have no problem with 20 years before you might rebuild. I had a Honda 3 wheeler that went 15 years and ran fine when I sold it.

[400exrider707]

We have an 86 honda 350 4x4 and its still on original everything!!! INCLUDING THE TIRES!!! Dude your wasting your money running 92 in a stock EX. It actually just makes it harder to start! You could run 89 to be on the "preventative side"

[danny17]

yeah wats the deal with the gas. ive heard that 92 runs hotter and other times 87 runs hotter, and sometimes they are both the same...ive run 87 on my 400 and it runs just as good compared to the 92. but does 92 give longer engine life?

[j753301]

im pretty sure cheap gas has a lower flash point than high grade thats why you get detonation when running cheap gas.when you run higher octane or race gas it doesnt burn till its supposed to because of the higher flash point.
if you run more compression,when the piston is compressing the fuel air mix it is getting hotter and needs the higher flash point so it doesnt preignite the charge untill the sparkplug fires.if im wrong somebody let me know..

[honda92]

Originally posted by ex101
I would change oil sooner than that,I change mine around 8 hours because I ride hard sometimes.+..Quad and bike engines break down oil quicker.:)


its a honda, for the stock engine 8 hours could be a tad overkill but maybe thats just me.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by j753301
im pretty sure cheap gas has a lower flash point than high grade thats why you get detonation when running cheap gas.when you run higher octane or race gas it doesnt burn till its supposed to because of the higher flash point.
if you run more compression,when the piston is compressing the fuel air mix it is getting hotter and needs the higher flash point so it doesnt preignite the charge untill the sparkplug fires.if im wrong somebody let me know..

Yeah that pretty much sums it up, but with a stock EX the compression is low enough that you can run 87. If it does detonate then you should step it up an octane rating, but never run octane booster!!

[walt miller]

honda says to use 91 or higher. this is because of timing not compression. i would not run 87.

[JJ-EX]

Mine seems to run better with premium, might just be my imagination though.

[dannyboy20]

i have always run 93

[blue416ex]

if u only ride that much well have hydroelectric cras and quads and instead of us changing tires ull have a robot that does it for you itll last you too long its disgusting ho long im even thinking maybe 11 years if you drain the gas ion between you riding weekends