ohh..CRAP!!!!!

[Brauap]

So, today I went to Rumble On The Ridge in Adena, OH. Half way through my 400 was acting funny. Like if you would give it enough gas and let go of the clutch, it would normally pull a holeshot, but it would bog down and sometimes die. So about three hours later, we got back to our RV, but I didn't want to stop riding. There was thing HUGE mud hill that I was climbing, with full first. But if you would give it .... it (honest to god) sounded like a 2 stoke dirtbike was right behind me! like Braaaapppppp but it was comming from me, but I ignored it and kept riding for about another hour. When I got back, I was cleaning off my fenders, then I took them off.

What I found, scared the crap outta me. The air boot wasn't even touching the carb. There was dust all in the boot, and dirt in the carb and all over the piston inside the carb. My question is, what should I/could I do? I hope my engine isn't going to turn to junk. As I said, I ran for about 3 hours w/o an air filter, just air right into the carb.

Thanks. Please don't resond if you do not know what you are talking about. Don't say, Ope, its junk. I want info.

Thanks Again!

[hondaking52]

well for sure i would take ur carb off and clean it really good, i dont know wat would happen to the engine itself but ''I'' would drain my oil just to be safe and try to check the piston, but i dunno, someone else should know more about the motor aspect, and when you put ur boot back on tightin the snot out of both of them and always keep an eye on em.

[QuadManiac]

Well, you may have sucked some crap into your cylinder, causing some wear to rings and cylinder wall... the poor running you experienced was likely due to running lean from the extra air flow.

As long as it runs well after you've cleaned everything up, the worst that has happened is that you've reduced the lifetime of your bore and rings and/or maybe reduced your compression a bit. As long as your compression hasn't gone to hell, you may as well keep riding and hope for a long life still.

Next time you hear a marked change in the sound of your bike, stop and investigate the cause. It could prevent a catastrophe in the making.

Good Luck!

[Brauap]

Thank You! Its good to hear I am not totally S.O.L.

just wondering, how do I know if my compression is bad?

[QuadManiac]

You'll notice the loss or change in performance. But, the best way to keep tabs on it is to run a compression test occasionally.

A hose type compression guage (the conical V shaped type usually won't work on bike motors) is cheap and available most anywhere - auto parts stores (sometimes they'll lend you one), harbor frieght, sears, walmart, etc. You can NEVER have too many tools!

[UNBROKEN]

^ get a compression tester tool, and well i guess u get to have fun rebuilding her and blowing half a STACK of cash, man ure lucky lol,

[Brauap]

Yes, I know! (NOT!) But if I do have to, I am going w/ Wisco 416 w/ 10.5:1 Hotcams Stage 1 w/ Port and Polish.. Well, just a dream, and if I do have to have a rebuild, it will give me a perfect excuse to let the folks let me tear into her!

How exactly does the compression tester work?

[QuadManiac]

You pull the plug, screw the compression tester's hose into the plug hole. Open the throttle, crank the engine over for a few seconds. The gauge tells you what your compression pressure is. Don't remember what it's supposed to be, but it will be in the manual... if it's 120 or below, you are starting to see some leakage past the rings (or valves). If its 100 or below, you will start to have serious performance issues. If its much below that you have a paperweight.

[Brauap]

Thanks! How much do one of those cost?

[QuadManiac]

around $20 and up.

[Brauap]

ok Great!!

[2muchquad]

Dont be alarmed if you go out to start it next time and your burning oil.#hrs is a long time,you could have ruined your valves possibly along with the piston and rings at least.You may be fine but dont get your hopes up.:(

[UNBROKEN]

yeah if its smoking time to rebuild :(

[wildchilds74]

If you are below 80 on the tester, just expect to need a rebuild...
if you are under 100, you know a rebuild is in your future.
But the bottom line, if it is running ok. There is nothing you can really do beyond a carb clean and oil change. If the damage is done, it's already done and won't get any better by tearing it all apart just to check.

IMHO... You have shortened the life of the top end, rings, cylinder, ect... But not as much as you really think. If you had done a bunch of riding in sand on the other hand, it would be junk and need an overhual. Dirt and dust would be a lot softer then sand.

[Brauap]

Just to show you what conditions I was riding in w/ the carb like this:

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa283/braaup/Muddy4WHEELA.jpg

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa283/braaup/DCP_1766.jpg


Hills, lots and lots of hills.
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa283/braaup/DCP_1759.jpg

Also, just wondering if it was normal.. I had about 0 bottom end, like only mid and top, climbing a hill in first, would almost die at he top, so I would have to hit it hard in 2nd.

[STUNTIN400EX]

the loss of power at the bottom end is due to the fact your fuel mixture was wrong. clean your bike change the oil and plugs, run a little fuel treatment with your next tanl of gas. and remember to stop and check when your quad starts acting/making strange noises. good luck and keep us posted.

[Brauap]

Thank You, and Will-Do!

[tri5ron]

3 hours of riding with THAT much mud on the bike would really make me worry about the oil cooler, as well as the cylinder head fins being compacted with mud, having no airflow, and possibly overheating.
It sounds and looks to me like you were getting on it pretty darn hard, and then to have no boot on the carb as well???

just try to remember that the better you take care of your equipment, (even WHILE riding it), the less expensive, And better it will take care of you.

No offense intended here, but who puts out the money for maintaince and repairs?

Not trying to preach to you, (REALLY),
I just know that I'd be pretty bummed,
If I grenaded my bike due to not watching what I was doing.

I really do hope you get lucky, and just need to clean out the carb, and dont end up with smoking/knocking engine problems.

but MAN !, thats ALOT of mud

[Brauap]

I am the one who pays for the repairs, butis this gets too expensive, I will ask the parents if they could chip in a little, then I will pay them back over time.

Yea, I was riding harrddd. I checked the oil.. to see if I had enough, there was oil on the dip stick, but it was like steeming, and the plastic nob you hold onto, burnt my fingers.... The headers where abnormally hot.

I hope there is no damage aswell.

[lorenjr83]

all that mud may have saved your *****!
your lucky it wasnt dusty dry conditions where you would have sucked in lots of dust.

[UNBROKEN]

id also invest and buy a oiltemp dipstick if u ride in those conditions frequently, and 20w50 amsoil MCF synthetic in the motor :eek:

[TRXRacer1]

That's my kind of riding! That's how I looked coming out of Cliffs Insane Terrain yesterday! That's also why I chose a 10:1 piston and it's also why I'm lovin' E85! I still run conventional oil but I change it more often then most. My buddies YFZ was overheating and I was just sailing by.

lorenjr83 is right, being wet out there was totally in your favor. As said before just change your oil, clean everything up and give it hell.

[Honda_Matt]

Originally posted by TRXRacer1
That's my kind of riding! That's how I looked coming out of Cliffs Insane Terrain yesterday! That's also why I chose a 10:1 piston and it's also why I'm lovin' E85! I still run conventional oil but I change it more often then most. My buddies YFZ was overheating and I was just sailing by.

lorenjr83 is right, being wet out there was totally in your favor. As said before just change your oil, clean everything up and give it hell.

Where are you from, I live nearby the cliff's..

Also, how do you run E-85? Ive never heard of that

[TRXRacer1]

Originally posted by Honda_Matt
Where are you from, I live nearby the cliff's..

Also, how do you run E-85? Ive never heard of that I live near Milwaukee WI. Search my threads and you'll find some insight on the E85 thing. The bottom line is bigger jetting. I have a cooler running motor and more octane then I need for less $ then regular unleaded. I'll have to post it up the next time we head down that way. Maybe you could join up with us. There was 12 of us yesterday. 9 from WI and 3 from IL.

[Honda_Matt]

Yeah it's a decent place to ride, other than all the jeep rutts going on.

I broke 3 ribs and had alot of road rash last time I went.

[TheNewn]

I just have to ask.

WHY would you ignore all those signs of the quad screaming "I'M BROKE! GET THE F*** OFF ME!"?

You're very lucky something more serious didn't happen.

[flauge]

Heres a lil tip I came across and it works for me. Theres one tab on each side of the airbox with grommets in them, they sit on the subframe. I run a ziptie thru each one and thru a bracket thats connected on each side of the subframe too. Tighten em up and the tension from them will keep the boot pushed up against the carb just in case the hose clamp comes loose. Some good and cheap insurance.:cool:

[Brauap]

Good idea, but I have that custom aluminum airbox, therefore, I can't do that. But I am going to weld a tab on the back, connecting it to where the stock airbox is. W/ the bolt.

Also, the reason I didn't think about checking is because I wasn't sure if it was just from the exhaust, and you couldn't even hear a difference. W/ my LOUD exhaust and "no airbox lid".. But now I know.

[Honda_Matt]

Originally posted by Brauap
But if you would give it .... it (honest to god) sounded like a 2 stoke dirtbike was right behind me! like Braaaapppppp but it was comming from me, but I ignored it and kept riding for about another hour.


No matter what, your 4 stroke SHOULD NEVER sound like a 2 stroke

BUT, you ignored it.


Originally posted by Brauap

and you couldn't even hear a difference.



So which is it? You know something was wrong, by hearing it.