atv??

[painterman67]

how can I tell if my atv is in need of a major redo ? I own a 97 honda 300 fourtrax. Cranks and runs good but seems that it is loosing a little power.Alos when I crank it iif it has been a couple of dayssince the last frie up it will 4smoke blue four a few seconds. LOnger if its set longer since it was run. Im not a mechanic so anyhting that I can check with simple tools will be appreciated. When I first got it it was extremely cold natured and was hard to start. A couple of tanks dosed with seafome stopped that.

 

 

Any help would be apreciated

 

David

 

 

Ps. If there are any atv mechanics close by and willing to help Ill pay.

[Dano]

You need to do a compression test, I'll bet you have valve stem seals or an oil ring that is letting oil seep thru and it's causing low compression. That'll make it harder to start and will allow for the few moments of blue smoke out of the tail pipe till it burns off the oil collected in the cylinder.

If you can induce some air pressure into the cylinder via the spark plug hole, then you can listen for air at the carb (slightly open intake valve), or thru the exhaust is the same with an exhaust valve. If you hear it come out the crankcase breather, then it's escaping past the rings.

 

Give that a try and let us know what you find.......

[straycatt]

As long as it runs well, I wouldn't worry about it immediately.

My 1986 Suzuki 230 Quadsport (that I use for plowing snow) has been smoking on start up for ten years. It likely does need rings and/or a valve job but is has and will run for a very long time that way.