We bought a used 04 honda foreman 450 and son has rode it twice. It is smoking (white smoke) like crazy. Called Honda dealer and they said it has been sunk and would cost up to $1600 to fix. I emailed the person who we bought it from and he said he didn't know anything was wrong it. I just don't believe that. It would be different if we had, had it for months but it has only been one month and it has been smoking since week two. UGH!!!

 

How does the dealer know that? Did he know the previous owner? I wouldn't panic just yet. I am not very familiar with that model but I'm sure there's others here who can help.

 

If a ATV smokes due to engine damage it would smoke from day one not week two, you cant hide engine damage for 5 seconds,unless it had milky oil in it and was rode for 2 weeks with it in there.

Last year a fishing trip and we drowned and I mean drowned, two 500 foremans and changed the oil twice,and the diff fliuds once and drained the gas, both machines still run like new to this day. If we just tried to run the machines with milky oil and fried the motor there would be no way to hide the damage.

 

X2. Are you sure your son's not the one who sank it? No offense intended, just asking.

 

Yeah, and are you sure your son is not the one smoking? lol. Kidding again.

 

Yes, we are sure it wasn't our son. We were with him the whole time. Husband took the motor off and you can tell there was some kind of work done to it. There is a red/pinkish seal around one side of the seams. The person we bought it from used to go mudding in it. The dealer said since the pull cord was covered in mudd and twigs that mostly like that got in the motor. Husband changed the oil when we got it, it wasn't milky.

 

We are taking to dealer today to get it fixed. I sure hope they are honest.

 

What did the air box look like?

 

I will ask husband.

 

Doing the deep mud thing, grit can be held against the engine seal by the pull starter, and eventually end up in the engine.

Some of the mud oriented places offer a block off to replace the pull starter for that use.

If a quad was sunk and only clean water got in, changing the oil and filter a few times might be fine.

If silt/mud/grit got in there, IMHO the best thing to do is completely disassemble the engine for cleaning, and replace the oil coolers. That's the only way to know there isn't abrasive stuff in behind a bearing, or in a passage waiting to ruin the new parts you just installed...