locked up - but while off????

[ccwonka]

OK - I'm mechanicaly abled, but ignorant of four-wheelers.

I have an older 300EX, was running great the other day - stopped after a ten minute trail ride, shut it down.

When I went to restart I got a THUNK and no turnover . . . my immediate assumption was that the battery didn't charge back up and there wasn't enough to turn it over, but . . . .

My buddy tows me out, and once we're on flat ground we pop the clutch while he's pulling to get her started, the wheels locked up tight, 1st, second, 3rd, etc . . . . .

When we stopped, I had fuel leaking from what appears to be a drain in the bottom of the seat ?(the airbox maybe)?

Gears shift fine (at least they seem to) and it rolls fine with clutch in or in neutral, but seems to be siezed? Anyone have any ideas where to start with this limited amount of inforation?

Thanks!
CC

[wilkin250r]

Sounds like you may have siezed the engine.

Forget the fuel leaking for the moment, that's the least of your problems.

Put your quad it 5th gear ( 5th is best, but any gear will do if you can't get 5th), and try to move the tires. If they don't move, your engine is siezed, and it's time for a major rebuild.

[ccwonka]

So if I can assume I have some major damage in there, what's my best resource on a teardown and re-build?

I assume somewhere I can find a step-by step that a mechanicaly abled fellow can accomplish himself over a period of time?

CC

[brokenmike]

It could be that when you stopped your float got stuck open and went in to the cylinder and hydro locked it. Pull the spark plug and try to turn it over, and look at the spark plug for anything unusual

[ccwonka]

OK, so I'll be going down there Teusday (It's still out in the country) to check it out . . . I know these are basic, but I've never gotten into this level of an engine . . . I should:

a: Pull the plug
b: examine the plug to look for ?fouling? or ?physical damage?
c: try to turn the motor over (with no plug) to possibly remove H20?

now the questions:

a: If the plug is physicaly damaged should I still try to turn it over to remove h2o?
b: If the plug is undamaged, and I pump out some h20, do I them re-install the plug and try to start her?
c: Does physical plug damage indicate a rebuild? Does a lack of damage rule one out?

Is there any truth to another post I saw saying try to 'un-freeze' the motor by popping the clutch while pulled backward in reverse, 'cause it sounds kinda silly to me at first glance . . . but then again, it also sounds like a rationale I could reach after a few beers . . . .

Thanks in advance guys!!!!

CC

[JOEX]

Originally posted by ccwonka

. . . but then again, it also sounds like a rationale I could reach after a few beers . . . .

Thanks in advance guys!!!!

CC
Ever have to chew your arm off?:eek: :p


(an old joke for those who don't understand;) )



After having a few beers myself, I don't think there could be much more damage done, if any has been done yet, when turning the motor over after removing the spark plug.

[ccwonka]

OK, so I went to start it today and it fired right up.

Trust me, I'm not complaining, I'd just like to know what the heck is going on here?

Is it possible it hydro-locked, and the water seeped out so now it's fine? How do I keep this from happening again?

CC

[416exriden]

the only place ot would go is pass the rings in the oil i would drain the oil and make sure ur air box it seald

[400exstud]

Originally posted by ccwonka
OK, so I went to start it today and it fired right up.

Trust me, I'm not complaining, I'd just like to know what the heck is going on here?

Is it possible it hydro-locked, and the water seeped out so now it's fine? How do I keep this from happening again?

CC

My guess is that you got the motor so hot that the piston and cylender expanded a lot. Then when you stopped the cylender shrunk faster than the piston, the tolerence between the two went away and they locked together. When you let it sit for a long time the piston and cylender shrunk down to spec and you are good to go. This has happened to my friends snowmobile many times because he has it all dun up.