New guy, curious about build...opinions welcomed

[Fox84]

Hello guys, im new as you can tell but have surfed threw this forum quite a bit. Figured i would jump on the forum since a good majority of you guys know your stuff.

I picked up 99' 400 roughly a year ago. Other than a 89' R, probably my favorite all around quad.

I usually putt around, field ride and occasional road ride with my buds due to living in the sticks. One night after one, two...twelve... beers, we were all pissing around road riding and after a 1/4mi race with a friends cummins she bit the dust, lost power and locked. She was running a bit lean purposely.

Motors off, painting frame and rebuilding engine over the next couple months. From what i have gathered from here, the relaible to strength ratio falls under these mods:

- 11:1 wiseco kit (416)
- FCR carb
- xr400 gasket
- P&P head
- 8oz off flywheel
- header welds
- hd studs
- stg 2 hc
- new valves, guides seals springs blah blah


It has a uni filter and dg chrome exhaust(stupid loud), 450 cam chain. Used to have a stg1 hc but the tool i bought it off of failed to use loctite on the cam gear bolts.

Yeah, so 90% of my riding is on level surfaces, but i want a combo that will deliver when i hear my buds shee downshift beside me.

Any input more than welcome

[CJM]

Excellent setup. Basically what i already have run (used to be a 416). Beating a stock shee is easy, I can hang with modded/bored shees as well as some 450s.

[ish416]

Welcome to the forums.

You basically have everything covered. I haven't heard much of getting the flywheel shaved but it should give you a bit more snap at the loss of tractability.

As far as the Banshee, if it's stock you may have a chance. If it has pipes and it runs correctly, you will still get pulled in a drag, just not as bad.

Where you ahead of the Cummins by chance when your EX let go?

[Fox84]

I walked him until 5th, then he coal'd me. Nothing like a p-pumped 12v @ 50psi

Theres a few other things like the cooler fan, in-line fuel filter, possible larger cooler etc etc... that im planning tossing on for insurance.

Main objective is power when wanted, but most of all reliability.

[slightlybent47]

Ditch the uni and go back to the stock foam filter and use bel-ray filter oil. The filter is the most important thing when it comes to keeping the air clean. Many will argue about that and swear uni and K&N are the best but trust me, stay with the stock filter.
You only gain ¼ hp at best with the aftermarket filters. Not worth the risk.
The HD studs are not needed on a 416 build but are good insurance. The most common mistake is to over torque the studs. Torque them in 5 lb increments.
Leave the fly wheel alone, you will lose low end torque if you lighten it up.
Tires are very important in getting traction. All the mods in the world can’t help if the power doesn’t get to the ground.
Trust me with new rubber will do more for you then you think.
Gearing is very important on the ex. If you run stock tires then stay with 39 tooth on the rear. If you go with 18’s then drop the rear sprocket and use a 36 tooth.
Always change both the front and rear sprocket together and use a new chain.

There are some very smart people that never realized that there is a filter screen in the carb and in the fuel tank. Adding an extra fuel filter is not needed.

[DragonGunner]

Be a shame after doing all this to your quad you total it, an yourself, due to drunk driving. Got a friend that had a few drinks (I wasn't there) an got on his Banshee....ambulance ride an 6 months off work.

Welcome to the forum.

[dxcody]

dragon you have a PM

[Fox84]

Thanks bent, you have some valid points. I will try the stock filter with oil. But as for shaving the flywheel, im looking for more of a topend drag type of engine over the 'out of the hole pull' engine. Still shaving it a tad not worth it?

I recogonize the risks of alcohol and speed, dragon. Its not a monthly occurance let alone daily. I myself have been in a head on collision in an integra and was in icu for 3 weeks. Stepping out of the boundries is rare anymore, been there done that.

[slightlybent47]

There’s not a lot on the top end on the ex but mine is set for mx.
Maybe with a stadge 3 cam it might work, but I’m not sure, I’ve never had that set up.
The strength of the ex is it’s low end, but I’m sure there is someone that has done it.

It would be interesting to see two ex’s drag with both set up’s to see how they do.
The type of drag strip may have a lot to do with how they both work.
Good luck with the build!

[400man]

ive owned an built a couple banshees........and if you say you have a 400ex that can hang with a piped shee........Id have to see video of it to believe it. Im not dissing the 400 by any means, I love mine and will never sell it. But the banshee is just a completely different animal when it comes to shear hp and straight line racing. You have got to have one badass ex if you say you can hang with a piped shee.

heres my bro's bike, I wish my 400ex could even hold a candle to the acceleration his has got

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6tnLoVzG0Q&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLD0C43C610CA13D49

[Stickman400]

Lol, that's pretty funny how he just walks out of nowhere, jumps on it, then kicks it and is already on the gas and doing a wheelie when you think he would need alittle more time to take off then that. That is insane acceleration though, those tires look like they hook up great.

[slightlybent47]

Another No helmet riding dick weed!

[Stickman400]

I find videos of people not wearing helmets quite stupid too, but I think the only reason he's not wearing a helmet is because he just wanted to show how well the tires hooked up. He probably quit riding after he shut the camera off.

[mineralgrey01gt]

Originally posted by CJM
Excellent setup. Basically what i already have run (used to be a 416). Beating a stock shee is easy, I can hang with modded/bored shees as well as some 450s.

Im sorry and not putting down your quad but I dont see that happening with your mods. Ive owned a stock bore banshee piped and a 2 into 1 filter set up and the guy I got it from ran it against my 400ex which was the same build as the OP mentioned and the shee walked it hard and i mean hard. He put bike length after bike length on my 400ex

[Fox84]

For the record his bike is piped, filter, single carbed, jetted, bored 30 over, stock gearing.

He gets me but not by much. Then again a rebuild is in his near future.

Im tearing into the engine tonight. Heh, fingers are crossed.