2005 Kawi Prairie 7004x4 Back fires 4wd ligh flashes

[marioweldinginc]

My father has a Kawasaki 700 4x4 that backfires when you let off the throttle when driving faster than about 30mph. Its quite loud. My father uses it for stump pulling and haulling felled trees and thats it. Doesnt really go faster than walking speed. The quad is not near me and I am only relaying what my brother is telling me (he cant drive it anymore it drives him nuts). Also the 2wd/4wd light is flashing. Where should I tell him to look? he is in the Catskills in NY at my parents place. No close by dealers, no internet, no cellphone. Oh and the town below was completely flooded out by Hurricane Irene so no local motorcycle shops are open yet.

Where should I have him start. He has the basics in mechanics tools and is knowledgable in mechanics but small engines is not his forte'.

[quadnut20]

Does it have an aftermarket exhaust ?

[marioweldinginc]

Driving slow with it produces no backfire. The air cleaner is clean and tight connections to and from air box is tight. Spark plugs are ok little brownish in color. The machine was purchased used.

[marioweldinginc]

Does it have an aftermarket exhaust ?

As far as I can tell fully stock.

[hangingon]

Ok heres what I found on Mine it was popping back thru the carbs & a little thru the exhuast I found the intake boots were loose where the carbs attach. Now on too the light check with him and see if it has the power it should if their is a problem with the belt it will go into limp mode and have to be reset. The kebc actuator can caues the limp mode & will cause one to pop. The prairie has a limiter when you back up and if you don't push in the little gray button it pops and has no power if it's running like the reverse limiter is kicked in going foward it's in limp mode. Also the prairie has 2 carbs and they need to be in sync which can be a task.This is just a guess may need the valves adjusted since it's backfireing thru the exhuast. I'm leaning more that it's in limp mode over carb or valve adjustments & when you try to go faster it says no! pop pop pop pop! I would have too go back read how to reset it to get it out of limp mode & ask him if he been havin belt squeeling going on he my have to replace the belt.

Edited September 22, 2011 by hangingon

[WillyPoP]

seems u might have 2 seperate issues....concerning is the flashing lights and backfiring. i ran into a similar issue and found mine to be a bad electrical ground coming off a kill switch. point here is that a loose ground has caused me the same issue at one point. difference here is mine would pop and backfire and then die all together. i would definitely have those valves checked to make sure they are still in specs. i am trying to get better and check mine every 100 hours or so

[marioweldinginc]

Ok thanks guys I will relay the info. It doesnt die out just pops on decel at fast speeds but its an ear shattering pop not a light gurgiling.

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk

Edited September 22, 2011 by marioweldinginc

[marioweldinginc]

My brother called and said both plugs where brown in color not sooty. He tried disconnecting the battery for an hour. 4wd light is out went for a drive as soon as he went the front end went heavy hard to steer and 4wd light is flashing. I am leaning towards the 4wd actuator is stuck. He is taking it apart this weekend

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk

[marioweldinginc]

Got the call. My bro says some type of linkage is broken. Maybe a pin? Its where the four wheel drive actuator is. Took him a while to get it out was jammed.

Could he leave it uncoupled and only use 2 wd or would that make the kawi go into limpdick mode

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk

[hangingon]

Would this be the small metal block on the shaft of the actuator that is held on by a small pin. I have a post about my Prairie being hung in 4wd I have 3 pic's I think of my actuator. If so they want around 25 bucks for the block & 1.00 for the pin. I have been riding my but the light does not flash between 2wd & 4wd. I had pulled the actuator apart and the metal motor cover has to go back on in the same postion it came off other wise it will cause the light too flash 2wd to 4wd.

[marioweldinginc]

I found your posts. Can the block be removed and the actuator act as just a cover? Again im not near the quad so im not even sure what it looks like at this point. But from what he is describing something happened to that block or maybe just the pin came out.

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk

[marioweldinginc]

Oh and thanks for your help!

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk

[hangingon]

By what I've been able to find the block gets damaged if the pin came out the block I would think would slip off. Which means you would have small chunk of metal on the lose in the front diff looking to do damage. AS far as I know the front diff actuator is just giong to effect the quad going into 2wd or 4wd. It wouldn't cause the backfiring the light flashing is like the check engine light on a car something is wrong besides the front actuator I think. If I'm right check out nyrco or nyrcos site I belive thats where I found info that was helpful. Just incase it is in limp mode it would not hurt to search how to reset it to get it out of limp mode Thats if it is still running bad & the light is still flashing. I hope this helps. I belive to do a reset thy will have to remove the rubber boot from the belt cover to the snorkle behind it you will find the plug for the kebc I do know you have to at least get the boot out of the but I dont know the steps to take from there. I could look it up and let you know.

[hangingon]

If he removed the block from the actuator the part that the actuator slides for it to go in 4wd or 2wd would be able to freely move and may cause damage. Do you know if his will go from 2wd to 4wd or is his stuck in 2wd.

[marioweldinginc]

On his last ride he said the steering was very heavy so im assuming it was stuck in 4 wheel drive

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk