My '03 450 Kodiak acted wierd the other day. We were doing some light duty deep water/mud riding. I was at a stop waiting to go through a spot, and swithed on the diff-lock. When i gave it gas, it jerked and sputtered, and wouldn't go. Acted like a fuel problem but it obviously wasn't fuel issue.

Anyone else? My warranty runs out in the next month, anything else that needs attention, or that I should be mindful of?

I'm also due for first service. Some of you posted it's just an expensive oil change. Dealer says they change oil, adjust valves, check coolant, change plug. It's about $220 OTD. If it's only an oil change, that's robbery. How will I ever tell the difference unless i sit and watch? Is it worth it?

Also, fuel guage only goes to 3/4 when it's full. I know this is picky, but it's there and it should work. Can it be re-calibrated?

Anything else any of yuo would do if you would have known then what you know now?

Thanks a lot for your help.

 

you ae hitting the rev limiter in diff lock, it works on rpm, not speed, you nail it, rpm's go up, it cut's out!!!

 

I doubt that is it. In diff-lock mode, your kodiak will do 22 mph before sputtering. The problem you are having is that you are not waiting for the diff-lock to engage. Next time, push the diff lock button and turn the handlebars a few times side to side. Make sure you watch the red difflock light and it STOPS flashing. I had the same thing happen to me and i thought my kodi was hosed up. Not so, just make sure it engages before you give it gas. I'd be the farm on this one.

 

The 1st service is critical on any brand and type of quad simply based on the valve adjustment and oil change.

If you can adjust the valves yourself, do the entire service yourself. It's not that involved.

If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, just have the dealer adjust the valves and do the rest yourself.

 

I'll have to go with atv123 on this one. I've had the same thing happen to me a few times. Sometimes the diff lock doesn't want to engage right away, and if it's not engaged fully it will spit and sputter. It's supposed to do that until it's fully locked. I think it even says that in the owners manual some where. Like he said just make sure that the diff lock light stops blinking before you go. I have a hell of a time getting it locked sometimes. I have to move the handlebars back and forth, go forward and back etc. Most of the time it works fine though.

 

I also agree with ATV123, I did the same thing when I first bought it and it was the same issue, I just jumped the gun before the locker had engaged. I realized this is what I was doing and did not have to call the dealer. It was sputtering if I gave it any gas and I had to switch the locker off then back on as it was stuck in between and would not fully engage until I did this.AlaskaBoy.

 

I think you guys are right. I think the diff-lock light was flashing. but isn't that something they can or should be able to fix so it engages properly/quicker? also, my previous kodiak was a bugger to shift from fwd to rev (it was only the 400). took it to dealer and they made an adjustment and it was perfect after that.

 

I doubt they can fix it because it even says in the manual that you may have to move the handlebars back and forth to get it to engage. I guess if you had problems with it all the time I would take it in. Otherwise you might just have to live with it.