I need any help that i could get..... Two months ago i bought a new foreman 500 2X4, a week after i bought it it started smoking. I took it to my local service dept. and after having it for 2 weeks they had to replace the top end of the motor. They told me that honda forgot to put a rist pin keeper in the motor. Well I am a woman that don't really understand all that mombo jumbo so I trusted the service dept. What a mistake.... I ended up with another problem..... back fire and power cutting out in higher gears!! Ok so I gave the service dept. one more chance. They told me that the problem was that it needed to be rejeted for the higher altitude I bought it in Glendale Az. and it was suppose to be jetted for down there, now this was going to cost me, not a warranty thing. I get the bike back and now it won't start without being choked and in the lower gears it don't want to go first thing in the morning. I live at 5500 altitude, I took the bike to Buckeye last weekend and it ran great, other then slow start.... Any ideas, i am desperate.... Thanks[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

Well, the wrist pin is the shaft that goes through the piston to attach it to the top of the connecting rod.

Typically there will be a groove cut into the inside of each side of the hole through the piston that the wrist pin rides in, and spring clips fit in those grooves to keep the wrist pin located in the middle of the piston.

Without one of those clips, the wrist pin can try to slide out of the side of the piston, until it rides against the side of the cylinder, damaging both...

As far as your current problem, my home is close to sea level, and some of the areas I have ridden in are above 5,000 feet, and my quad runs well in both conditions, though I also have to use the choke for cold starts.

How did your quad run (at the same altitude) before the top end rebuild? If it ran fine there before the work, and started falling flat in higher gears afterwards, I'd suspect an air leak in the intake manifold, or possibly the float level in the carb got messed up.

On the other hand, if it ran poorly at 5,000 feet before the work, maybe it did need a jetting adjustment (which wouldn't be warranty) but if you paid for a jetting job, they should get it running right.

If yours won't start without choke even when it is warm, and really stumbles, I think you still have something wrong...

If you already paid for a rejet, I think I'd take it back to the dealer and tell them it still isn't running right. I would presume they would take another crack at it without charging you again... or if they are honest and if they find an intake leak, I would think they should refund your rejet money.


P.S. It might be a good idea to get a repair manual. I think a lot of people rightly have more faith in their own work than that of the average dealer. Even if you didn't want to work on the quad yourself, having an idea of what the service guy is talking about can keep you from looking like someone they could take advantage of (though I'm not saying that is necessarily what happened here).

Anyhow, good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

 

I've taken my foreman above 5000 ft periodically and have never had a problem. I currently live around 2500 feet. In your shoes I would have demanded a fresh motor installed. A rebuild would not have cut it for me considering it was only a few weeks old. Either that or give you a brand new one. You may want to call Honda directly and pitch a fit. They can "persuade" dealers to do things they otherwise would not do.

 

WOW, thank you sooooo much for the info! Now when i go to the next dealer I will not sound like a stupid woman.... I am impressed by your knowledge. Yes the bike ran great at both altitudes before the rist pin problem, I think I am calling Honda today, I don't pay $4600 for a rebuild I do want a new motor... I wish I knew as much about motors as you, I just hate to be without my bike for soooo long.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] Again thanks Julie

 

I'm with JeffinTD on this one if it ran okay at different altitudes before the repair then it is obviously something they done during the repair. I'm the warranty administrator for John Deere and that line about it is not covered under warranty is a bunch of crap. They are a servicing dealer and you are a customer with a problem on a new quad. They should throw the proper jets in it and not charge you a thing if that is their story. Installing the proper jets should be a minor expense find out how much they want,if it is with in your budget get it done . Warn them if the bike is not operating properly when they have installed the new jets then you are looking to have the thing repaired at no cost and you want reimbursed for the jet installation also. Document everthing that has happened so far and anything that happens in the future regarding this. Also ask for the name and number of the Honda regional customer service Rep. Contact him directly and tell him your story also. They are being under handed from what I can see.

 

Ok I called Honda today and you'll never believe what this guy told me to do... And this is the way it has to be done.... I have to take the bike back to the service dept. that I have been taking it to, the ones that couldn't fix it in the first place!! They told me that if I took it to another service dept. like I want to and they find something wrong with the bike that was caused by the other service dept. then I will have to pay for it getting fixed. A BUNCH AF BULL S***... I am very unhappy with honda right now. I know as well as they do that the man that has worked on it in the past dosen't really know what he is doing. SO off i go on monday to give it one more try, and not very happy about it...... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

I have dealt with 3 or 4 Honda service departments and I have yet to find one worth a sh@#. As far as I am concerned I WILL NEVER take my quad back to a Honda service dept. I know yours is warranty work (been there) and there is nothing you can do about that. I feel for ya, it sucks having a quad laid up during prime riding season. I just don't understand how Honda can have such incompetent service departments.

 

I am taking it out for a long ride on Sunday, and if it breaks down i am going to be mad. When it's nice out all I want to do is RIDE, I have the need for speed... I wonder being a member of honda riding club of america, if they will come pick me up out in the boonies??

 

Well, with an answer like that, and knowing your bike is only a few weeks old, I would be inclined to call the regional guy back and ask for his boss. You might want to see if AZ vehicle lemon law http://autopedia.com/html/LemonLaw/AZ_lemonlaw2.html applys to recreational vehicles. Perhaps a call to the State Attorney general can let you know about that. Regardless, I would be working my way up the Honda food chain until I got a satisfactory answer/solution.

 

Hey julie..any updates on this?