wow this is depressing :(

[powermadd400ex]

ok so my quad has been smoking for awhile now and we thought it was most likely the valve seals. also the clutch has been acting funky, like jumping in gear. even when we adjust it, after a couple miles it goes back to the same old crap. also the other night we found metal in my oil. keep in mind my quad is only 9 months old.

so since my warranty ends in march we figured, what the heck lets take it in and see what the dealer says. we let them have it and we ask them what there guess is.
well they said the smoke is probally from the seals,rings, and piston. we didnt metion the metal in the oil, cause that would most likely stomp out any hope of the warranty covering it. but we are assuming that the metal is from the rings and piston.
the clutch is either gone bad, or the cable is strecthed.
now they also said that warranty only covers defects not wear and tear. and there's a chance they wont cover this in the warranty. we asked them the estimate if worse comes to worse, and they said 1200-1500 bucks. so if the warranty doesnt cover the rebuild then we dont know whether we will pay them to rebuild or just put a new engine in it. but one thing is for sure if honda's warranty doesnt cover the rebuild that will be the last honda we purchase. the reason i choose the 400ex over all the rest was because of it being the most reliable sport quad on the market. but Im having more trouble out of my 400ex than my buddy's z400, and his cousin's 450r.
sorry guys just needed to vent, this is just to depressing :(

[katch26]

1200-1500 is what the dealer would charge you. You could do it all yourself for a fraction of the cost. JMO.

[powermadd400ex]

im 15, the most mechinal thing ive done is put +2 a arms on my quad. my dad is 54 and he doesnt feel confident enough to open the case. i wish i had more mechinal enginuty, if i did i would be doing it right now :ermm:

[coryatver]

you can get your motor totally rebuilt at the best engine shops for less than that. dealers charge way to much for shop work.

But I would definitely TRY harder to get warranty coverage. Really demand it. The squeaky wheel gets the grease they are not just going to do it you are going to have to complain even maybe have to call Honda to get it taken care of.

Its only 9 months old it shouldn't be doing that it has to be a manufacture defect unless you really messed it up doing something. Theres still 1999 400ex's out there running around running great lol

[katch26]

if its piston you really wouldnt be opening any cases......but I understand if your dont feel comfortable in it but stuff like that really isnt hard if you have a nice garage to work in so youre not rushed by the weather

[powermadd400ex]

thats exactly what i intend to do. my quads are trailer queens. i dont dog them. i clean them after every ride. and change oil every 3 or 4 rides.
my dad is friends with the service crew done there, so he'll try to persuade them to let the warranty cover it. but if that doesnt work, we will complain and call honda.
i just think i got a lemon, i mean i seem to have more troubles outta my 400ex than most people do with their cannondales :ermm:

[250x_kyle]

did u keep up with maintence? and if the motors already junk wats it gunna hurt to try to rebuild it. just find someone you know that has a little experience with motors and do it under their guidance

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by 250x_kyle
did u keep up with maintence? and if the motors already junk wats it gunna hurt to try to rebuild it. just find someone you know that has a little experience with motors and do it under their guidance
no i always been have maticulate about my maintence. i worry alot about my engine and sometime i change the oil and clean the air filter to often haha
i would do that, but if my warranty wont cover it, ill either do what you suggested and have someon help me, or let a machine shop do it.
either way if honda doesnt cover it, me and my dad are thinking about selling it and putting that money down on a ltr450.

[sprayedgt]

You need to demand that since it is only 9 months old that it is covered under warranty. If they admitted it is most likely the rings and piston, that type of failure falls way short of the recommended service life of those parts. It's not like you're racing it every weekend. Call Honda and raise h*ll if the dealership doesn't come through.

[mooseracerX]

Man that sucks too hear. I had something like that happen to my 250ex. It started smoking. We too it to a shop and they bored it out and put in new piston and rings. And that also happened to my dad's utility. We bought them both from the same deal and they never prepped the motors it made them do that. So it should be covered.

[sprayedgt]

Originally posted by mooseracerX
We bought them both from the same deal and they never prepped the motors it made them do that. So it should be covered.
What do they do to prep the motor?

[mooseracerX]

Like I've herd that when they get them they don't put oil in them right away. And just put them in the back of their storage area.

[tx07400ex]

my 400 is also an 07 i have had it almost 2 yrs it doesnt smoke but 2 weeks after i bought it, it wouldnt start, during assembly some dumb*** had let a plastic pop rivet that holds the plastic together get in the tube between the carb and head, it sucked into the motor, hung the intake valve open and took almost a month to get back from the dealer, so there could have been a quality control issue on some of the 07 production run causing your problem

[sprayedgt]

Dealerships are not the best at putting things together or service sometimes. I took my '08 to a local dealer to do the 10 hr service. They installed the wrong spark plug. It was cross threaded by them so when I took it out it broke. Thank god they were stupid enough to put the wrong spark plugs part number on the invoice so I had proof of what they did. Otherwise I'd be S.O.L.

[hornetgod13]

Warranties are so conditional that dealerships rarely have to cover them. Do you have proof of your oil changes and other routine maintenance? You practically have to take it to the dealership for all routine to prove it was properly maintained.

Warranties are like gambling. Dealerships (Honda) are betting it won't break down or you'll default on the warranty and the owner thinks it covers any breakage. Odds are the owner loses 9 out of 10 times. Warranties are a waste of money and are just another money making gimick drummed up by Honda and Dealerships.

[hondaking52]

ya, the yamaha/suzuki and polaris dealer i worked at, most of the sport quads only had like 3-4 months of warranty, utillitys had a few months more, which is dumb to me, but the big wigs are covering there arse's, but ya good luck with getting it fixed

[coryatver]

Originally posted by sprayedgt
Dealerships are not the best at putting things together or service sometimes. I took my '08 to a local dealer to do the 10 hr service. They installed the wrong spark plug. It was cross threaded by them so when I took it out it broke. Thank god they were stupid enough to put the wrong spark plugs part number on the invoice so I had proof of what they did. Otherwise I'd be S.O.L.

WOW i would love to have been there when there like we are not going to cover it we didn't do it and then you slap the reciept in there face lol.

I never take my bike to the dealer but I never had issues under warranty

[sprayedgt]

Ha ha I know! I had a print out of all the 450+ engines that the plug they put in went to and the 3 engines using the same plug as a 400EX. It was pretty freaking funny seeing his face when I put the receipt on the counter. I think he said they spent all day taking the head off and putting everything back together. All for free!!!

[powermadd400ex]

hornetgod: no i dont have proof of maitenance. only proof i have is that the oil in it now is brand new. i also didnt spend extra on the warranty, i got a one year warranty for free.

what can possibly make a 9 month old quad need a rebuild? other than having it WFO every hour of the day. i rode my quad like a quad should be rode, but i never put her up wet.
i wont know what to do, or plan, until they split the case. which should be soon, since they said they are having little to no business at the moment.
i just want to know what kinda reasoning honda can come up with to not cover my bike.
this whole ordeal is just pissing me off :mad:

[hondaking52]

ya i know how ya feel there bud, it is weird tht it went, mines a 02 and i havent rebuilt it yet...hope things work out for ya

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by hondaking52
ya i know how ya feel there bud, it is weird tht it went, mines a 02 and i havent rebuilt it yet...hope things work out for ya

thanks man, i appreciate it.

a quad that new is like impossible to destroy unless you run it no oil or screw something up doing it yourself. I beat my quad almost everytime I ride it and its still going stong except for the valve cover has started to leak in the same spot as my brothers 2004, weird right?

[sprayedgt]

Every car, truck, motorcycle, jet ski, or anything else with a engine is at risk of being a lemon. It's very possible that this is the case here. You just have to approach it the proper way and you should get it taken care of under warranty.

[brokenmike]

It's a shame you dont live closer to me. I would give you a hand. I do all my own work.(exept boring cylinders,I dont have the machine)

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by brokenmike
It's a shame you dont live closer to me. I would give you a hand. I do all my own work.(exept boring cylinders,I dont have the machine)

thanks man, if only jersey bordered georgia :p
i have a buddy with some knowledge of 400ex engines. so if i cant come up with the money for a machine shop to do it, me and him will try and tackle it.

[brian76708]

sorry to hear that but now you just got a excuse to bore it out. dealer prices are always way high and im doin my 416 rebuild with a clutch for way less then you stated. I caint believe yours is so new and this happened. like many others have said keep on trying to get the warranty to cover it or at least some of it if you complain enough you are bound to get something.

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by brian76708
sorry to hear that but now you just got a excuse to bore it out. dealer prices are always way high and im doin my 416 rebuild with a clutch for way less then you stated. I caint believe yours is so new and this happened. like many others have said keep on trying to get the warranty to cover it or at least some of it if you complain enough you are bound to get something.

yea it will probbly be bored to a 402 or 406. but if the warranty doesnt cover it i might just go for the 416. put ill bore it as little as possible if i decide to sell it and buy a ltr. still deciding and going over options here.

[brian76708]

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
yea it will probbly be bored to a 402 or 406. but if the warranty doesnt cover it i might just go for the 416. put ill bore it as little as possible if i decide to sell it and buy a ltr. still deciding and going over options here.

well if you sell it i would probably be interested in the a arms u got.

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by brian76708
well if you sell it i would probably be interested in the a arms u got.

alright man, ill keep you updated.
still no guarantees at this point.

[bmfgsxr]

If this dealership doesnt fix it under warranty then you need to have your father contact Honda Corporate. Go above their heads if they give you a hard time. It seems very unreasonable why a brand new quad like that would have a failure. Dont accept their answer as gold. Write a letter/email, and follow up with a phone call higher up the chain of command. Good luck.

[powermadd400ex]

i have a feeling thats what we will probbly have to resort to bmfgsxr.
thanks for the advice guys.

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
i have a feeling thats what we will probbly have to resort to bmfgsxr.
thanks for the advice guys.

Stupid question, but did you ever change the oil filter?

You can change the oil a lot but you also have to change the oil filter.

If otherwise, for 1300 you might s well send it to GT Thunder for the $1500 to get the 452 stroker done. Supposed to be pretty fast and still reliable.

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by DMC-4OOEX
Stupid question, but did you ever change the oil filter?

You can change the oil a lot but you also have to change the oil filter.

If otherwise, for 1300 you might s well send it to GT Thunder for the $1500 to get the 452 stroker done. Supposed to be pretty fast and still reliable.
changed it twice. its on its 3rd one right now. its to soon to make any diesicions right now.

[Wheelie]

What brand of oil and oil filter have you been running? My jaw hit the floor when you stated a 9 month old ex was smoking.

I rode my 2000 very hard for nearly 5 years before a friend of mine wanted to ride it and damaged 3rd gear. When I tore it down, the engine wasn't smoking and the piston still looked great.

3 years on my current build and no signs of any problems.

I'm curious as to what would cause an EX engine and trans to fail that quickly. Did it idle for long periods of time without moving? Run low on oil?


I'm not trying to be a jerk powermadd, just curious.

Good Luck with the Stealership,


Jeremiah

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by Wheelie
What brand of oil and oil filter have you been running? My jaw hit the floor when you stated a 9 month old ex was smoking.

I rode my 2000 very hard for nearly 5 years before a friend of mine wanted to ride it and damaged 3rd gear. When I tore it down, the engine wasn't smoking and the piston still looked great.

3 years on my current build and no signs of any problems.

I'm curious as to what would cause an EX engine and trans to fail that quickly. Did it idle for long periods of time without moving? Run low on oil?


I'm not trying to be a jerk powermadd, just curious.

Good Luck with the Stealership,


Jeremiah

no offence taken Jeremiah
ive been running valvoline 10w-40 desingned for aircooled motorcycle engines. and ive always ran geniune honda oil filters.
i always let it sit 5 to 10 minutes and idle before i rode, which is what the dealer suggested.

its never ran low on oil, i checked it on a daily basis to make sure it was bewteen the upper and lower marks on the dipstick. until just recently it started to burn oil during every ride.
it also has never been over filled with oil.

thanks,
Chris

[powermadd400ex]

well i just got a call from the dealer, and they said that i will need, new piston,rings,it needs to be bored, the cam chain is severely streched, and it needs to valve stems.
the total is right under $900 bucks.
and the warranty wont cover it because its "wear and tear".
so now i guess ill take it to the warranty department and we will go over our case.
how can a 2007 400ex burn up in 9 months?
:mad::mad::mad:

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
well i just got a call from the dealer, and they said that i will need, new piston,rings,it needs to be bored, the cam chain is severely streched, and it needs to valve stems.
the total is right under $900 bucks.
and the warranty wont cover it because its "wear and tear".
so now i guess ill take it to the warranty department and we will go over our case.
how can a 2007 400ex burn up in 9 months?
:mad::mad::mad:

That blows.

I would seriously take this to court. I dont care how much it was abused a 400ex should not be smoking after 9 months unless some pro was screaming the freakin piss out of it every weekend.

I can't believe they said wear and tear. Wear and tear would be like 4 good years of riding then slightly tired.

Oh, and on a side note, and im not trying to insult you so take no offense to this, have you ever adjusted the valves?

[hornetgod13]

[i]
how can a 2007 400ex burn up in 9 months?[/B]

You abused the hell out of it or didn't maintain it properly. One or both. 9 months of normal use does not wear out a piston, rings, valves, and timing chain.

Mine smoked after 6 months and all it was was valve seals. They might be taking advantage of you. Did you do a compression check?

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
well i just got a call from the dealer, and they said that i will need, new piston,rings,it needs to be bored, the cam chain is severely streched, and it needs to valve stems.
the total is right under $900 bucks.
and the warranty wont cover it because its "wear and tear".
so now i guess ill take it to the warranty department and we will go over our case.
how can a 2007 400ex burn up in 9 months?
:mad::mad::mad:

should have bought a K&N my quad is still running strong lmfao How can that much go wrong with something 9 months old. Thats stuff that goes after 5 years with beating on it every ride. Thats a $900 waste of money. Top end kit is like $150? Bore job maybe $30? Cam chain $50? Valve stems as in new valves? Its like $25- $30 a valve from honda I believe. Then gaskets but still way under $900. while your doing that you might as well change the cam too $150 and it will be faster than stock for sure. Still cant believe a 2007 could go bad that fast that has to be a record

[sprayedgt]

Originally posted by hornetgod13
You abused the hell out of it or didn't maintain it properly. One or both.

I have no doubt that the case here is just a lemon. Could have been built on a friday before a holiday, the person putting it together could have been hung over or having a bad day, who knows. Try and go through Honda and see where you get. The dealership right now has no money coming in because of the economy and could be using you to get some easy cash flow. How did they diagnose the solution?

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by hornetgod13
You abused the hell out of it or didn't maintain it properly. One or both. 9 months of normal use does not wear out a piston, rings, valves, and timing chain.

Mine smoked after 6 months and all it was was valve seals. They might be taking advantage of you. Did you do a compression check?

neither, i never pushed the quad to were it was hurting. and i always took care of my quad like it was my baby. and on top of that, i was grounded for 2 months. so its really 7 months.
i originally thought it was valve seals. but had no realy proof it was. other than thick black soot at the end of the exhaust tip.

no i didnt check the compression. i dont have a tool for it.
but it still pulls hard as when i brought it home...

eric, yes i had the SAME DEALER adjust the valves right after break in.

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by sprayedgt
I have no doubt that the case here is just a lemon. Could have been built on a friday before a holiday, the person putting it together could have been hung over or having a bad day, who knows. Try and go through Honda and see where you get. The dealership right now has no money coming in because of the economy and could be using you to get some easy cash flow. How did they diagnose the solution?

thank you for your support, this is straight from the horses mouth.
"we had our guys rip the top off and they found" and he stated all the problems wrong which was in my previous post

[250x_kyle]

time for you to build a hybrid. i highly doubt you will get any warrnty money out of if. and if you take it to court your going to be out more money than u were in the first place. if its motor wise they will just say its ware and tare and theres nothing we can do about that case closed.

either get the parts and do it yourself or build a hybrid.

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by 250x_kyle
time for you to build a hybrid. i highly doubt you will get any warrnty money out of if. and if you take it to court your going to be out more money than u were in the first place. if its motor wise they will just say its ware and tare and theres nothing we can do about that case closed.

either get the parts and do it yourself or build a hybrid.

thats another possiblilty i was thinking of. for 900 bucks i can get a used crf450 engine.
i do know that this 400ex is the last cent honda will ever get out of me.

[sprayedgt]

I would go there and have them show you exactly why they came to that conclusion. So in order to see if the chain is severely stretched they would have to take the clutch side of the motor off and look at it fully. Doubt they did that. Why would it have to be bored and not just honed? You need to ask these questions. The service life of OEM Honda piston is usually around 5 years under normal circumstances. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think 9 months is well below 5 years so their bull ***** "wear and tear" excuse has no validity what so ever. Every single solitary part on the bike is subject to wear and tear.

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
thats another possiblilty i was thinking of. for 900 bucks i can get a used crf450 engine.
i do know that this 400ex is the last cent honda will ever get out of me.

I noticed you're really into motocross tracks.

So I say one of two things.

1) Buiild a hybrid since you have a lot of suspension work

or

2) Part it out and buy an ltr450.

[250x_kyle]

if you do a hybrid i reccoment a yz motor.

to me it looks like to me like you just got a bad lemon. i have rode honda since i was 3, nothing else. my dad wanted to try something new so he sold his honda and went out and bought a new yamaha rhino. it was very nice for about the first year. after that.. me and my bro we just crusing threw the woods nothing hard. and we hear a pop and the frame had cracked in the rear end. so he got suzuki and had to put 3 new batteries in it within the first say year or so. we all mantain out stuff very well. it washed after every ride and the oil is changed WAY to often. idk sounds to me like your just having bad luck. honda is the way to go. i was at my honda dealer today and was talking to a parts seller, and he was talking about how honda might have efi in 09. or later. i say eaither do what DMC has said and part it out and get what ya want. if it was me id stick with honda. honda is the way to go. i wouldent ride anything else. :macho

[powermadd400ex]

still no guarntees at this point.
the manager of the service dept. is talking to the warranty department and he will be calling us back here soon. if we dont like what we hear(which is honda pay atleast half) we'll call the warranty department and try to negiotiate.
man im just so sick on my stomach right now :(

[250x_kyle]

now you know how i felt when ups droped my new motor and wernt goign to replace it when i payed an extra 20 to insure it.

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by 250x_kyle
now you know how i felt when ups droped my new motor and wernt goign to replace it when i payed an extra 20 to insure it.

it sucks, im going to have to pay for alll of it. and im out of a job right now, so my im going to be quadless until i have 900 bucks, unless God smiles down on us and the warranty people see's we're in a tough spot..

[Ruby Soho]

Originally posted by DMC-4OOEX
I noticed you're really into motocross tracks.

So I say one of two things.

1) Buiild a hybrid since you have a lot of suspension work

or

2) Part it out and buy an ltr450.

way to run from problems.

a rebuild isnt hard at all. a topend is cake.. get a clymer manual and even the dumbest of riders could rebuild one.

as for the cases, why would you split them? the clutch isnt inside the cases.

the dealer will always rip you off.

the first time you jump into your engine is always kind of iffy but once you do it you will be fine.

trust me. buy a clymer, tools if you dont have them (such as torque wrench etc..) and do it yourself its not a big deal

[Gibson]

You can buy the parts to fix it for way less than that. take the cylinder to a machine shop and have it bored and i can help you rebuild it. It proboably wouldn't cost but around 250 bucks, that's including having it bored

[powermadd400ex]

yea i added up all the parts the guy listed and it was around 200-250. so they are charging 650 dollars for labor.
i might buy a clymer manual like ruby said and just try it ourselfs. me you and my dad might try to tackle it jacob.. i still need to talk to the warranty deptarment and see where that goes first though.

I think I may know what might have happened after having a conversation with my dad. This may or might not be true, it's just a thought.

You said it started smoking on the ride after you adjusted the clutch correct?

Well I have a feeling that maybe you adjusted the clutch too much and it was burning up. You may have adjusted it to other peoples specs but all bikes are a little different.

When the clutch burns up it puts particles in the oil. It's quite possible when you adjusted the clutch that you over-adjusted it and it was burning up putting particles in the oil.

These particles may have built up on one of the screens inside and restricted the oil flow. It may not have completely blocked it off, but restricted it. This would cause your piston/cylinder/top end to slowly burn up.

So I hate to say if but theres a good chance it is user error:(

[Gibson]

that is possible but it was smoking way before that. i went riding with him about a month ago and it would puff out smoke everytime he gassed on it, and it was just raw oil. I think it was the valve seals, and Chris never abused his quad, he takes care of it. I think he just got a lemon and Honda doesn't want to accept that.

[sc400ex_rider]

I try to stay away from the stealerships. i wouldnt let those monkey's change my spark plug. even when i bought my quad new one of the body plastics locking tabs was broken. they couldnt even put the plastics on right. i didnt say anything cause i didnt want them to take it apart. also god only knows what some idiot did when they adjusted your valves. not to mention there no experiance noobie tech's with on the job training. tell them it was serviced there and ask who worked on it and what are his qualifications and i bet the'll change there tune. i worked at a car dealership it really is like the thunderdome. some techs would nail people with 2 g estaments every time they came in for a oil change. if your brake pads were halfway wore down you were getting new ones. my quad has never been back to the dealership since i bought it maybe thats why i have 0 problems and it runs great. i change my own oil and built my own engine. something went terribly wrong with your quad.

[lilyamaharacer4]

For what your going to need done is very simple. Just get a shop manual or a clymer manual and do exactly what it says/ shows. The most complicated part is just getting it in time.

[400exstud]

Originally posted by sprayedgt
You need to demand that since it is only 9 months old that it is covered under warranty. If they admitted it is most likely the rings and piston, that type of failure falls way short of the recommended service life of those parts. It's not like you're racing it every weekend. Call Honda and raise h*ll if the dealership doesn't come through.

Yeah, I'm totally with you. When I first got my 2005 Arctic Cat F7, I had a problem that my right side A-arms were cracking at the welds. The dealer told me that it was due to my harsh riding habits. BULL! After I realized that I wasn't going to get anywhere with the dealer I got on the phone with Arctic Cat's service. I explained that this was the 6th Cat that I've owned and have always liked their products but to be treated like this was just rediculus. They agreed to change our the A-arms and related components free of charge under warrenty and appologized for the inconvienience.

Although this is your first ATV it probably won't be your last and LET HONDA KNOW THAT. They need to keep customers happy and returning. Don't be afraid to throw your weight around. What do you have to lose... nothing. What do you have to gain... $1500!

Good luck

[sprayedgt]

You don't HAVE to let them know it's your first ATV ;)

[stoopidbot]

Chris, I truly hope it works out for you but no one is looking at it from Honda's view. If you sold someone a machine and they came back 9 months later with the machine completely setup for racing(suspension wise). The race season is over and now you're expecting them to fix a blown motor. I know I wouldn't do it. For all they know you never changed the oil or cleaned the filter until the day you brought it to them.

And the guy who recommended taking them to court. The only way you would win is you could prove that Honda installed a faulty item or their work was direct result of the problem. If you don't win, you are responsible for ALL court cost including theirs.

[zracer16]

I can feel your pain. I had a 400EX and had a very similiar scenario as you. Honda wouldn't cover it and it took the stealership 3 times to get it fixed right. I sold the POS and bought a Z400. I have 2 Z400s now and have not had a single problem with either. I will never buy another Honda again.

[400ex28]

Originally posted by zracer16
I can feel your pain. I had a 400EX and had a very similiar scenario as you. Honda wouldn't cover it and it took the stealership 3 times to get it fixed right. I sold the POS and bought a Z400. I have 2 Z400s now and have not had a single problem with either. I will never buy another Honda again.

^ lol

[hondaking52]

have you checked ur frame lately? ahhaha

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by sprayedgt
You don't HAVE to let them know it's your first ATV ;)

its not my first quad, its my second, i still have my 250ex. and we never had a single problem outta it, and its 5 years old. same with my brother 250ex and my dads foreman, not a problem.

and i had a ttr90 before the 250ex and i did maitenance on it as well. so its not my first vechile

like gibson said, the smoking happened long before i adjusted my clutch.

and my dad talked to the warranty dept. and they said they can take 300 bucks off of it. but that with us sucking up. idk wether we'll confront them or not, the descision is up to my dad since they wouldnt take me seriously.

im just over it. this wont be my last quad, i wont let this put me down. but honda has lost my family and I's business. unless they want to pay for alll my rebuild.

[stoopidbot]

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
i wont let this put me down. but honda has lost my family and I's business. unless they want to pay for alll my rebuild. I hope it's otherwise but I think Honda is going to say bye bye.

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by stoopidbot
I hope it's otherwise but I think Honda is going to say bye bye.

im sure they wont pay all of it. and i doubt my dad will stand up and complain(idk why... usually my dad is the person to stand up and b*tch and not think twice).
its just a shame that we have 3 honda quads and not have a single problem outta them and then this one comes along and its blown up in 9 months.

[Ruby Soho]

Originally posted by DMC-4OOEX
I think I may know what might have happened after having a conversation with my dad. This may or might not be true, it's just a thought.

You said it started smoking on the ride after you adjusted the clutch correct?

Well I have a feeling that maybe you adjusted the clutch too much and it was burning up. You may have adjusted it to other peoples specs but all bikes are a little different.

When the clutch burns up it puts particles in the oil. It's quite possible when you adjusted the clutch that you over-adjusted it and it was burning up putting particles in the oil.

These particles may have built up on one of the screens inside and restricted the oil flow. It may not have completely blocked it off, but restricted it. This would cause your piston/cylinder/top end to slowly burn up.

So I hate to say if but theres a good chance it is user error:(

are you kidding me. :rolleyes:

i dont see why you don't just rebuild the quad.. its extremely easy, doesn't cost much and you can even give it some performance while your in there.

**** happens, not all motors are perfect and not all assemblies are correct. i dont think this is a need to not ride a honda anymore.

[3racers]

well here one for the books brought my son 2001 400ex took it to dealer for 10 hr. service and first oil change brought filters and oil from dealer and kept records on the next 2 or 3 oil changes. Well it blow up in 8 or 9 mos.Too it back to dealer told them I was there and checked and added oil before he started and went riding 3hrs later it locked up.Honda rebuilt the whole motor crank,cylinder,piston and clutch, they said oil ring turned and let oil blow out I dont now if that was what it was or not.Guess I got lucky on that one.mabe can use this as so ammo when talking to dealer.The only thing good I seen come out of a dealers shop.Motor ran great for the next 6 years of hard riding.

Originally posted by Ruby Soho
are you kidding me. :rolleyes:

i dont see why you don't just rebuild the quad.. its extremely easy, doesn't cost much and you can even give it some performance while your in there.

**** happens, not all motors are perfect and not all assemblies are correct. i dont think this is a need to not ride a honda anymore.

You explain to me exactly how am I kidding you? :rolleyes:

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by Ruby Soho
are you kidding me. :rolleyes:

i dont see why you don't just rebuild the quad.. its extremely easy, doesn't cost much and you can even give it some performance while your in there.

**** happens, not all motors are perfect and not all assemblies are correct. i dont think this is a need to not ride a honda anymore.

no offence is meant here but how old are you?
the big thing for me is im afraid to open the case. theres so many things that i can screw up. as you can tell i dont have much confidence in myself :p

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
no offence is meant here but how old are you?
the big thing for me is im afraid to open the case. theres so many things that i can screw up. as you can tell i dont have much confidence in myself :p

Well it really depends.

You may just get away with doing a top end rebuild only. It's super easy.

Like mentioned before.. i believe its clymers, their manual is really helpful.

[lilyamaharacer4]

The smoke your talking about just sounds like rings and valve seals my quad was smoking horribley until i re built my motor. After that i have never had a smoking issue since. Just put a new piston and rings with valve seals and new gaskets and itll all be good.

[zracer16]

Hey Hondaking,

My frames are doing great even after years of big air jumps. How about yours? Zs are not the only quads with frame problems. You should check yours. Honda's are not as bulletproof as people say. Don't get me wrong, my first quad was an 1985 Honda 250 Fourtrax and that thing was bulletproof, which is why I bought another Honda. I own riding land, so I have ridden and seen many quads in my life and know people who have had just as much trouble with their Hondas as any other quad. My biggest problem is Honda does not stand by their product. So thanks for the laugh.

[sc400ex_rider]

only the 03 04 z400 had frame issues. but i have seen 400ex crack every were and i dont think honda has ever addressed the problem. and yes only honda would have the ballz not to repair a 9 month old blown up quad. this is why you dont start modding your quad untill it gets out of the warranty period. if you want to post your contact info and dealership info i will write honda and urge them to make things right. if everyone does it they will do the right thing. lets work together to giterdun!!! go to the open forum under the supercross round 1 thread to see the letter i wrote to the AMA about wreckless james stew...wart. page 9 if you dont want to read it all.

[stoopidbot]

Originally posted by sc400ex_rider
only the 03 04 z400 had frame issues. but i have seen 400ex crack every were and i dont think honda has ever addressed the problem. and yes only honda would have the ballz not to repair a 9 month old blown up quad. this is why you dont start modding your quad untill it gets out of the warranty period. if you want to post your contact info and dealership info i will write honda and urge them to make things right. if everyone does it they will do the right thing. lets work together to giterdun!!! go to the open forum under the supercross round 1 thread to see the letter i wrote to the AMA about wreckless james stew...wart. I don't know any company that would rebuild it as a warranty job. They inspected the machine and found nothing to make them believe that Honda was at fault. Like the other guy above mentioned, they found his rings were installed incorrectly. For all they know he ran the quad wide open throttle for 9 months in first gear.

[sc400ex_rider]

ya but its still up to the dealers discretion. i once put a new motor in an izuzu trooper with 65000 miles on it under warranty. the factory powertrain warranty was 5 years 60,000 miles. it was out over time and miles. but they did it anyway cause "he was a good customer" he must of called the right people. the kicker is the only service history we had on him was he did the major services. he did a 15,000 30,000 45,000 60,000 miles service. he only changed the engine oil 4 times in 65,000 miles. no wonder it was knocking like hell. but i have heard of atv dealers not wanting to warranty anything just cause it had aftermarket exhaust. its there little back door escape clause, just like getting hurt on a atv and trying to sue them. they check it out and if it has any mods or performance parts "it was modified for racing" game over.

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by sc400ex_rider
ya but its still up to the dealers discretion. i once put a new motor in an izuzu trooper with 65000 miles on it under warranty. the factory powertrain warranty was 5 years 60,000 miles. it was out over time and miles. but they did it anyway cause "he was a good customer" he must of called the right people. the kicker is the only service history we had on him was he did the major services. he did a 15,000 30,000 45,000 60,000 miles service. he only changed the engine oil 4 times in 65,000 miles. no wonder it was knocking like hell. but i have heard of atv dealers not wanting to warranty anything just cause it had aftermarket exhaust. its there little back door escape clause, just like getting hurt on a atv and trying to sue them. they check it out and if it has any mods or performance parts "it was modified for racing" game over.

i dont even have an exhaust. just suspension. stoopibot believes that the dealer thinks, i came in at the end of race season. with elkas and +2s and nerfs and yada yada and they tought "welll he got all these mods on it at the end of race season, so he porbbly ran balls to the wall." so to them it smells like a duck.

edit: i decided to delete the dealer website that i posted previously for various reason.


i really appreciate it guys

[stoopidbot]

Originally posted by sc400ex_rider
ya but its still up to the dealers discretion. i once put a new motor in an izuzu trooper with 65000 miles on it under warranty. the factory powertrain warranty was 5 years 60,000 miles. it was out over time and miles. but they did it anyway cause "he was a good customer" he must of called the right people. the kicker is the only service history we had on him was he did the major services. he did a 15,000 30,000 45,000 60,000 miles service. he only changed the engine oil 4 times in 65,000 miles. no wonder it was knocking like hell. but i have heard of atv dealers not wanting to warranty anything just cause it had aftermarket exhaust. its there little back door escape clause, just like getting hurt on a atv and trying to sue them. they check it out and if it has any mods or performance parts "it was modified for racing" game over. Cars and trucks are a lot different. I have a buddy that had his motor in his Ram blow 8,000 out of warranty and they fixed it. Look at the investment difference. The fact that he got them to pay for a 3rd of it should make him happy. They don't even have to do that.Warranty only covers defective parts, no one can prove in this case that Honda was to blame for the breakdown. Do you think they should do it just to be nice? In the last 4 years we have given Yamaha 26,000 dollars in new machines. They would not cover a $75 roof for my Rhino that blew off the first day out. The brackets stayed on the bars but the roof tore away from them. Defective part, right? They said sorry, enjoy your Yamaha. That wasn't the dealership, that was corporate.

[stoopidbot]

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
i dont even have an exhaust. just suspension. stoopibot believes that the dealer thinks, i came in at the end of race season. with elkas and +2s and nerfs and yada yada and they tought "welll he got all these mods on it at the end of race season, so he porbbly ran balls to the wall." so to them it smells like a duck.

the contact info for the dealer is here
http://www.hondaofchattanoogatn.com/contact_us.asp
PM me for my phone number

i really appreciate it guys
I'm not trying to be a negative prick, just trying to express Honda's point. I really hope everything works out in your favor.

[06 Honda 450R]

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
ok so my quad has been smoking for awhile now and we thought it was most likely the valve seals. also the clutch has been acting funky, like jumping in gear. even when we adjust it, after a couple miles it goes back to the same old crap. also the other night we found metal in my oil. keep in mind my quad is only 9 months old.

so since my warranty ends in march we figured, what the heck lets take it in and see what the dealer says. we let them have it and we ask them what there guess is.
well they said the smoke is probally from the seals,rings, and piston. we didnt metion the metal in the oil, cause that would most likely stomp out any hope of the warranty covering it. but we are assuming that the metal is from the rings and piston.
the clutch is either gone bad, or the cable is strecthed.
now they also said that warranty only covers defects not wear and tear. and there's a chance they wont cover this in the warranty. we asked them the estimate if worse comes to worse, and they said 1200-1500 bucks. so if the warranty doesnt cover the rebuild then we dont know whether we will pay them to rebuild or just put a new engine in it. but one thing is for sure if honda's warranty doesnt cover the rebuild that will be the last honda we purchase. the reason i choose the 400ex over all the rest was because of it being the most reliable sport quad on the market. but Im having more trouble out of my 400ex than my buddy's z400, and his cousin's 450r.
sorry guys just needed to vent, this is just to depressing :(

almost this exact thing happend to my 450, the only thing that was dif was the metal in my oil and oil was leaking out of the top ond because it was gettin on top of the piston...1200, this happened 3 months after i bought it brand new, i had to replace the piston rings and hone the cilander. SThen 5 months after that it happened again, but this time i had to put new valves and valve rings in along with all the other stuff above, i took it to honda and they said the warranty wouldnt cover it cause "user fault" i put 10 hours of breaking in each time... another 1200 bucks, now i have to take it up to my shop every 15 to 20 hours so it dont mess up again, 120$$$ each time, its dumb, none of my ather friends quads messed up maybe mine was just crappy

[06 Honda 450R]

oh ya and i maintaned it properly, now i have to change the oil after every 10 hours,

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by stoopidbot
I'm not trying to be a negative prick, just trying to express Honda's point. I really hope everything works out in your favor.

i know your not buddy. but i was just telling the guy above what i thought your thoughts were on the situation.

[Ruby Soho]

Originally posted by powermadd400ex
no offence is meant here but how old are you?
the big thing for me is im afraid to open the case. theres so many things that i can screw up. as you can tell i dont have much confidence in myself :p

16 why?

why do you have to split the cases? if you didn't break the crank/rod or transmission parts then why do you have to split them?

its really not hard. have alittle confidence. i had my 400ex motor apart 3 times. they are simple SOHC 4 stroke motors. hell ive done so many klx110 motors i did my friends topend in 25 minutes. i split the cases on another 110 a few weeks ago, first time for me splitting cases. it was so much easier than people had said.

trust me.. do it yourself

just take your time and organize your parts.

and hondamaster, adjusting a clutch isn't going to blow your motor up. thats the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard.

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by Ruby Soho
16 why?

why do you have to split the cases? if you didn't break the crank/rod or transmission parts then why do you have to split them?

its really not hard. have alittle confidence. i had my 400ex motor apart 3 times. they are simple SOHC 4 stroke motors. hell ive done so many klx110 motors i did my friends topend in 25 minutes. i split the cases on another 110 a few weeks ago, first time for me splitting cases. it was so much easier than people had said.

trust me.. do it yourself

just take your time and organize your parts.

and hondamaster, adjusting a clutch isn't going to blow your motor up. thats the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard.
the reason i asked your age was, i didnt know whether you have had years of expierence with engines or what. but your close to my age.
the dealer said they would have to split the case so idk.
im reallly considering doing it my self. i have a 2 car garage and a kerosene heater so im not in a huge hurry. and i might go ahead and do the 416 while im in there. my first race of the season isnt till march so no hurries.

[Ruby Soho]

if the quad just smokes etc.. then its just rings/seals.

you won't have to split the cases for that. the dealer will try to make as much money off of you as possible. hence telling you that.

if i were you, i would do the 416, do it at home, do it right, go race and have some fun.. i have a clymer im selling if you want it aswell.. same one that got me though my 400 motor when i first did it

[hondaking52]

ya i'm with soho, ur gona have to learn how to do stuff on ur quad sooner or later, i stripped my quad down for the first time last year , it was super easy, same as the sparks key, more hype than anything, and remember ur labour is free!!!!! hahaha, and zracer16, ya all frames are s**t, just my 2 buds had z400's and they were both cracked, and ya they were 03's, and ya honda's rider support is a joke to say the least...

[powermadd400ex]

Originally posted by hondaking52
ya i'm with soho, ur gona have to learn how to do stuff on ur quad sooner or later, i stripped my quad down for the first time last year , it was super easy, same as the sparks key, more hype than anything, and remember ur labour is free!!!!! hahaha, and zracer16, ya all frames are s**t, just my 2 buds had z400's and they were both cracked, and ya they were 03's, and ya honda's rider support is a joke to say the least...

thats what i thinking. this will be a good learning expierence. i dont wanna depend on the stealerships anymore. i think me and my dad will try it.

[hondaking52]

ya, just buy a manual for it, or ask guys on here, you should have it goin no problem....good luck

mitch

[powermadd400ex]

well my dad went behind my back a couple weeks ago and told the dealer to go ahead and rebuild it. i was kinda pissed at the time cause i was all set to rebuild it myself, but he doesnt have faith in my mechanic skills.
we just got a call from the dealer saying it was done, and they said that they would go ahead and pay half the costs.
so all i owe is $450, which isnt bad at all.
we're going to go get it here soon. im just happy to have it back home :)

[Snipe]

My dealer charges $65 an hour anyshop around other than the dealer will charge about $40. Run the parts down yourself offline and then either do it yourself or find someone els to as the dealer is the last place screw the warranty its a piss poor joke anyway.

[powermadd400ex]

i agree, warrantys are nothing to me now.
it doesnt hold the dealer to anything.
but they offered to pay for parts and shipping and all i had to pay for was labor.
so i took em up on it.
anywho its now a 406 :D
i just got through riding around the house and can tell it pulls significantly harder than when it was half blown haha

my last question and then this thread can die.

what are yalls opinions on break in?
run it like i usually do(balls to the wall)?
or take it easy on it?

i appreciate it guys
Chris

[Gibson]

i'd take it easy for the first few tanks of gas. then u can start getting after it. but for the first few tanks try not to get past 3/4 throttle

[400ex28]

Just go ride it like you normally would and vary the rpm's and also let the engine slow you down too.

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[Ruby Soho]

i usually go easy on it for 10 hours

then ride the **** out of it.

[rob_990]

always let it warm up and cool down.vary the throttle and don't hit rev limiter.