I posted this on another site but I wanted to get more opinions. I was told the clutch is the problem. Lately I have noticed a drop in my atv's take off ability. I can lay on the throttle and the rpm s sound normal but I'm just not accelerating that fast. I don't think the top speed was really effected but definitely the acceleration. So like I said some people told me the clutch was slipping but I wanted more opinions. It is a 1995 yamaha timberwolf with a semi auto trans. There is no hand lever for the clutch I think it engages at a certain rpm.

 

Give the guys at Grizzly Riders - Yamaha Grizzly ATV Forum a shot. We had a issue similar to this on a Grizz 450 and we got him up and running after some thought. Just a suggestion. good luck!

 

Thanks for the suggestion I will post this over there too.

Another thing I wanted to add: Tonight I was out riding it and it was doing the same really slow acceleration and then when I was in 5th gear I went to shift up (didn`t know what gear I was in there is only 5 gears) but I didn`t let off the throttle so the RPMS went through the roof and then when I let off the gear shifter I was back to going fast again like it forced the clutch to do something I`m just not sure....

Right now my 5th gear feels like what 3rd used to be. The engine is running real fast but I`m just put put-ing along.

 

Sounds like you might be having some clutch slippage issues.

 

If I follow my manual and take the clutch off what do I look for to insure this is the problem? Also when you replace a clutch is it just the plates or the whole thing? Sorry I just don't know much about the internals of an atv engine...

 

The semi auto clutch has shoes and drum, you will look for grooves in drum and shiney shoes. Do you have atv engine oil in it? Some automotive oil or all automotive have moly in oil IMO which makes semi auto clutches sticky and makes them slip.Now lets don,t get in an debate guy this is my opinion and experince ONLY.

 

It has yamalube in it. Thanks for the suggestion I will take it apart and look for wear.

 

Are the shoes and drums different from clutch plates? Whenever I see someone replacing a clutch they just pull the springs pressure plate and install new plates and new springs...is my problem something else?

 

I looked into my manual and saw that there are two clutches the primary and secondary. The secondary is the one with the plates in it and the primary is the one with the shoes.

I looked on the yamaha parts diagram and the item # I found was 4BD-16620-00-00.

They call it clutch carrier assy.

Problem is it is 180 bucks and I dont even know if thats what I need. That seems like quite a bit of money to fork out each time you wear out a clutch...am I missing something?

Here is one of them on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...#ht_1636wt_698

 

Does anyone know if the secondary clutch pack can wear out? Or is it more likely the primary clutch like in the ebay listing posted above that is giving me these problems.

Also I have been doing some reading online and most of the time when people say there clutch is slipping they say that they are on the throttle and then eventually the atv catches and starts moving. Mine moves right when I'm on the throttle its just a whirring noise in the engine and its slow to accelerate.