Bingo......my service manual also says to check the oil with the plug not screwd in.......

 

Yeah, I checked that out and so do the ones at the shop- but there was a service bulletin put out in 02 saying not to overfill the 375 (now 400 motor) and to check the oil with the dipstick all the way in. I also talked to our tech at cat today and he said to do it screwed in, so I don't know who to believe at this point. One thing that I have noticed is that all the 400s come from the factory filled to the top of the hatch marks with the cap screwed all the way in. Its not like its a huge amount of oil between it being unscrewed and screwed so I guess its not that big of a deal. I guess check it the way you think it should be checked [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Then why does my 2005 owners manual say "Note; On the 400/500/650, the oil level stick should NOT be threaded in for checking purposes." It goes on to say in the next note that the V-2 should be threaded in. I can't believe that the owners manual would not be corrected in all this time.

 

Uh oh, sounds like the proverbial "can of worms" developing here. But it seems like all 'small engines' have the same rule for checking oil. I know my Honda lawn mower manual says to check the oil with the dip stick NOT screwed in. So, if I had to error one way or the other, I think I'd rather error on being a bit low on oil than bit over. So, I'll just keep doing what my owner's manual, and my Service Manual say, and count on the motors not blowing up. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Can someone please tell me how to check the oil in my WEEDEATER!!! LMAO!!

 

The owners manual to my 2003 honda 300ex and my dads 05 Honda Rancher ES it says not to screw it in. I would assume it is the same for the AC's.

 

Why would you assume it is the same for the Cat as a Honda? The Cat has a Suzuki engine and has nothing to do with Honda.

 

I was just confirming MrTommy's post on all small engines have a similar method for checking the oil

 

Not true. Even between the Suzuki engines and the Kawasaki engines that Arctic Cat uses there are two methods listed in the owners manual. On the 400 and 500 motors the manual states the dipstick should "not" be threaded, but on the 650 V2 it is to be threaded in. It states this in big heavy black letters on the top for page 111 of the 2005 owners manual.

 

Just because I like to beat a dead horse, on my old 2004 400 I just put in the full gallon in that oil change kit. Dealer told me it was fine to do, as others have said, a little more oil won't hurt anything.