Hi,

I am experiencing a weird problem. The first time this happened, I had not changed the oil in my '05 Honda Rancher 400AT. My bike had been running great all day until we started climbing some pretty tame hills in a full out run. My quad started slipping in gear, kind of like a bad clutch. The engine would race, but the bike would barley move. I brought the bike home very slowly and did not experience the symptoms again.

When I got the bike home, I thought the best first place to go was to change the oil and filter. When I pulled the cover off the oil filter, I found a snot/phlegm like goo kind of encasing the filter element. It was kind of light colored.

I proceeded to change the oil and filter with stock Honda stuff. I rode the bike around my property for about an hour with no problem. The bike also ran fine the rest of the riding season, I put on about 150 more miles.

The quad ran fine until I went to the Rumble on the Ridge here in Ohio a couple of weeks ago. The exact same symptoms cropped up again. I limped back to the trailer and put the bike away for the day. The next day I opened up the oil filter cover again and I found the same snot/phlegm like goo again.

It seems that when this happens the motor taps kind of loud and the transmission acts as if there is not enough oil. When you check the dip stick the level is fine. I believe the snot/phlegm like goo stuff is limiting the flow of oil through the filter causing all of my other issues.

Now the big question: What is causing this snot/phlegm like goo substance to form in my crankcase?

Help!

 

Sounds like you need some good engine cleaner. I dont know what to recommend seeing you have an auto tranny, probably better to speak to a mechanic at your dealer.

 

Seeing you got the same result twice with the same oil, I would say it is time to try a different oil! Honda GN4 is just a basic petroleum oil spec'd to meet a price point...absolutely nothing special about it! HP4 is just GN4 with some synthetic added, to beef it up. Neither of these would ever be my first choice in oils.....

Also, why are you waiting for this to happen (the spooge in the filter), to change your oil? Why not be proactive and change before it has a chance to build up??? When your oil filter is clogged, you risk ruining your engine, not to mention that automatic transmission.

I would try a high quality ester synthetic oil like Maxima Extra for example, and see what that changes.....

 

Some good reading on oil. The best oils are API SG/JASO MA ester synthetics, but they are pricey:

http://www.thumperfaq.com/oil.htm


http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0308_oil/index.html


http://www.p1-performance.com/pdf/oildoc.pdf

 

Thanks for the feedback guys.

My procedures seem to be okay because I have another Rancher that I perform the same maintenance on and it is running fine.

I don't wait until the problem happens to change the oil, it is just that the slipping starts well before it is time to change the oil. I have changed the oil in the problem quad three times sice the oil was changed in my Rancher that is having no trouble.

What is it that could be causing my oil to thicken like it is?

What in my engine would be better if I ran an engine cleaner though it?

Thanks in advance.

 

Check your crank case vent hose for any possible leaks,maybe moisture is getting in and slowly contaminating your oil.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: TLC

Check your crank case vent hose for any possible leaks,maybe moisture is getting in and slowly contaminating your oil.</end quote></div>

Ditto! When moisture contaminates oil, it forms a grayish thick foam. Are these air or water cooled (can't remember). If water, perhaps a coolant leak?

 

The Rancher is oil cooled so the moisture must be getting in elsewhere.

I will check it out this week. Thanks for the feedbcak!