Chucksta

20240917_112323.mp4

Well ... So here we go.. As promised, pics and video. To be honest, I pumped up the left rear tire to probably 20 P.S.I. three days ago.. The ride still isn't perfect. but it way, way better than before. I'm not leaving marks the way it was before. The oil leak is two patches, about two days for each one. Up until now, it was maybe a drop a week.. Which I didn.t worry about. If you listen to the audio on the video, you can hear a bit of he whoot, whoot whoot . 2nd video to follow, and I'll pick it up and crawl under and see what I can see.. 20240917_112855.mp4

Definitely not a was down situation.. It's only leaked a few drops in 10 months.. Suddenly it's flooding the garage.. Like get out the kitty litter oil.. I can see a drop on the skid pan, near the sight glass for oil level, but I'll do better with pics and vids of the issues in a a day or two..

Thanks to all for the help and advice. (pics, and if I can, video ,to follow).. Might take a day or two to clear out the "honey do" list and get a chance to have a boo at it. First thing ( job #1 ), is find the oil leak that is piddling out some VERY expensive Amsoil onto my garage floor. It's leaked a drop or two, here and there, but this is new, and, obviously serious. Both to "Suzie", and my wallet. It's under the rear of the bike, but seems to be coming down from the other side of the skid pan. I can't see the source .... yet.. Girlfriend says it's from switching from Dino oil to a high end synthetic.. I washed the crud out of wherever it was that stopped it from leaking.. CRAP!! No matter what the cause, it's a PITA!! There should be a thread ... " So... how much did the "free" ATV cost you, before you were happy with it?".

How did I get into quads? Wow.. I so go against the grain on this one. About 10 years or so ago, ( I was in my mid 50s'), I met my girlfriend. Her family had a cabin in Northern Ontario, about an hour and a half North East of North Bay. There was, on said property, a 1996 Honda Foreman. It had been in the Family since day 1, and , not that it was abused, but more just neglected. If it broke, someone would fix it, or it would go to the Dealership, ( but it virtually never broke down). It just got ridden, and ridden... Drain fuel out.. spray fogging oil in it for the Winter?? ... Ahhh heck no.. Oil changes? Once again...nope.. Virtually nothing was done to it as long as it would start, and go down the road. 12,000 K.M. of that kind of care. About four or five years ago, it somehow became MY responsibility to keep it proper. The girlfriend's Mother signed it over to us.. Oh but wait!! Girlfriend didn't really care for riding 2 up with me, so, it was time for a new Honda Rubicon.. Suddenly, the Honda started to get referred to as " Chuck's ATV>" WTF?? How did I become responsible for this hot mess?? I asked the girlfriend's brother, when the last time the valves were set was.. He looks me dead in the eye and says " They're hydraulic.. they self adjust".. I knew not to discuss maintenance with him beyond that point. New battery, oil, filter, air filter, ball joints, tie rod ends, winch cable, hitch, spark plug, new muffler, and set the valves before putting on 4 new tires. Once again.. a "free" thing just ain't free. No way. So.. it starts, it runs, it is ( for what it is), a really reliable beast. Now... here comes the hard question.. Do I like ATVs, or riding them.. Short story is that I can't 'effin stand them!! And it's not just my ( sorta) Honda, that I can't stand.. I ridden several other brands and styles.. I completely dislike them all. Our Community had an AYV run last weekend.. You coudn't have paid me to go..To me, it's like 4 hours in a washing machine. Would I ever get on one and just go for a ride?. Heck no.. not unless you are holding a shotgun to my head. I would, however, get on one and ride through knee deep crud, to go somewhere fishing. Sorry.. but to me, it is, at best, a tool! It pulls down trees, it pushes snow, it goes places and carries stuff that would otherwise be impossible. But, other than that, it can sit in my garage, and wait till I need it. I feel the same about the 4 Ski doos that we own.. They are there to take me ice fishing.. The chances of getting on one, just to go for a boot, is zero. Now, if we've got company, oh yeah!! Bundle up and get on!! But that's just as a treat for them.. And it's not like I don't like speed.. My retirement gift to myself was a 1985 Honda Interceptor 1,000 CC.. I sold it when I retired to the land of dirt roads..

It feels like riding over small speed bumps, or ruts in the road. Obvious most on hard flat surfaces, like in the pictures. Could you define " over inflating a bit". Take the tire to how many P.S.I.? For how long? Ride it while over inflated, or just let it sit for a couple of days? Thanks.

Thanks to you both for the quick replies. Mainly, I want to make sure that it's not something fatal in the drive train. It's amazing how much money a "free" ATV can eat 🙂 Would just going for a long ride sort it out, if it's just a matter of it having sat with no air in the tire??

So.. it a weird one.. The quad surges as you go down the road. By the looks of my tracks, it's one wheel only. High range, low range, 2 wd , 4 wd.. It just doesn't matter.. You can see in the pictures the marks it leaves. That was in a straight line, with hardly any acceleration. Any ideas?

About the voltage regulator effin' up the running.... It's true. Got a '97 king quad.. a freebie fixer upper.. Got it to start, and run, etc.etc. But, once the battery was fully charged, it'd run O.K. at idle, then buck and jerk and run like a bag of hammers. I couldn't find the problem to save my life. I had the meter out to try and get the power port 12 volt thingy working, and the meter showed 18.2 volts.. Google quickly let me know that this was WAY to high and would have " adverse effects" on ignition, headlights, etc. I changed the voltage regulator, and it's been all good ever since. On;y crappy part was having to take off the plastics to get at it. At the end of the day, I couldn't get the old one out ( rusted mounting screws), so I just stuffed it in there, and zip tied it into place. When you put it back together, be sure not to disturb the trigger wire to the starter relay. Don't ask me how I know this..