I have an 02 Rubicon and it has rescently started to make a zipping grinding sound on steep hills and the will not continue to go up. It acts just like it has a belt and is slipping which i know is not the case.This problem only starts after ive been riding for about an hour.Any suggestions.

 

Sounds like your oil pump has lost it's pressure causeing the HFT so it cann't hold.

I would take it to your dealer and get the oil pressure tested. Should be around 50psi at idle and 150+ at 5000 rpms.

HFT unit is 1400.00
oil pump 150.00
gaskets 100.00
labor 8x75.00 600

$2250.00 plus

 

HFT? Is this maintenance possible at home or is there a bunch of special tools.

 

No not really just a clutch puller and a flywheel puller if you would have to replace the crankshaft if it scored the wrist pin. Which that can happen as well with low oil pressure.

The HFT it self is not sevice able sorry. But you can look on Ebay sometimes and get one on there. Around 400 bucks or if luck get a whole motor. All years will work better if you can get a new one, stay away from 01-03 unless they say it has been replaced

 

Thanks, i just ordered the repair manual,do you think the procedure for replacement of these parts will be covered in their?also what is the deal with the 01-03 motors

 

Ya all what you need to know is in the HONDA brand repair manuals. Far as 01-03 basically those first few years Honda was working out the BUGS. I have a 02 and bought all the 06 parts, which the parts superised anyways.

If your dealer is up on the things they can test your HFT that test is not in the book.

I am a tech in Brainerd MN, where are you from.

 

I am originally from St.Louis but have been in the Air Force as an aircraft mechanic for 9 years so i have lived in Japan for a couple of years and mostly here in Little Rock Arkansas. So most parts are common through the years of the rubicon?

 

Oh ya the new 05 -07 have diffrent oil tanks, and stator/ flywheels but otherwise same. If you buy a complete motor out of an 05 or new use your old cam cause they changed them in 05 and they are dogs.

 

The grinding noise sounds the same as the engine when its winding up right before the engine braking kicks in when im going down a steep hill,but much louder of course.Does this still sound like the same problem.

 

Oh ya I have done 10 plus ruby's, Do you know anything about hydrolics and hydrostatics? Low pressure in this set up means that the piston in the HFT slip past there dentents that drvie the output shaft, causing the grinding and sliping. Sounds like when you spin a ratch backwards.