2005 Arctic Cat 500 popping out of gear

[Cowboyffa84]

I just bought me a used 2005 Arctic Cat 4x4 500 had 500 miles on it and it keep popping out of gear when I put it in high most of the time it wont go in high when its not warmed uped I have to put it in low then slam it in high what do you think is the problem?

Oh by the way its an automatic

[oxidized_black]

swampcat07 is the best guy to talk to about Cats. he'll prob be on soon with an answer or P.M. him.

[swampcat07]

I have a similar problem with my 2007 650 so I will give some advice that I have not even tried yet. Mine has no trouble going into gear but there are some times when it just "feels" like the gears are not meshed right. Personally I am waiting to chip a gear and have the whole case explode but that has not happened yet. Once it is in gear it rides with no problems at all and in low the feeling is non existent.

I think I need to adjust the linkage from the shifter to the transmission.

I plan on opening the case and checking out the gears and replacing the bevel gear for a straight cut one but I put my quad under a lot more duress that the normal rider. I run 29.5" tires, have a BBK, and 80% of my riding is in mud/water so the chances of the same outcome for you would be slim.

Now with the comparison over here are my suggestions.

It is normal for the gears to pop out of gear with the engine cold. The RPMS are usually higher when warming up and you can listen to the idle to get a feeling of when to drop it into gear. This happens all the time with our 500, you have to wait a minute or two before you can drop it into high and get going.

From your description the problem does sound like a high idle. After the quad is warmed up and the choke is off can you get it into gear without slamming it or are you still experiencing the same problem?

If so you may have to turn your idle down. Only as a last resort would I mess with the linkage.

[Cowboyffa84]

I think its the linkage also i got to playing it it and the shifter needs to go a little higher to shift into high so im pretty sure it is the linkage

[swampcat07]

Awsome let me know if that works out for you.

[TexasRapier]

To adjust the shifter place the bike in neutral. You should have a N on the display. Adjust the linkage so that the shift lever is in the center on the neutral shift gate with no pressure to the plastic gate. snug up the lock nuts.

Now try all the gears, the only gear that may be difficult is low. Low may need a little tap of the throttle for the gears to shift.