Hello all. We just picked our new 2005 Rancher 250 Manual 4x4's this weekend for $3933 each OTD. I'm gonna throw a Warn 424 on mine next weekend if all goes well. Man, I love a Honda. You cant beat the reliability factor, IMO.

Quick question. Does anyone have a better "break in" suggestion than what our dealer told us? "Change the oil after 8-10 tanks and your good to go"

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Also, before I forget.....where is the friggin' recoil starter for this thing? I am too lazy to get my manual out. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Hello and welcome to the forum. The first post about break-in, you need to read the owners manual because there is more to do that just change the oil. Your second post, the recoil starter is on the right side under a cover that snaps off to get to it.

 

Welcome! Break-in is a controversial issue! I use Motomans method, which is that you need to run it hard or the rings never seat properly. http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

Oil is also a controversial issue! I do an oil and oil filter change after about 1 hour of riding. Stick with a petroleum oil during break-in, and for some great info about oils, see http://www.thumperfaq.com/oil.htm. I also change oil in the differentials early on. This gets any metal shavings left over from machning out of the engine and diffs. (Ok, Hondas are pretty clean anyway, but I like to be extra cautious).

I change the oil and filter again at 10 hours, and then again at 20 hours. I also change the diffs again at 20 hours and do a valve adjustment. At 20 hrs. I also switch to an Ester Synthetic oil, my personal choice being Maxima Extra. http://www.maximausa.com/technical/l...beNews2002.pdf

I know your owner's manual says the oil change interval is 100 hrs., but that is pretty unrealistic under all the dust and stress of actual riding conditions. For my Ranchers, my usual oil change interval is something like 20 hrs., although I could (and occasionally do) go much much longer seeing I am using an ester synthetic oil.