My 99 450es w/ 700 miles makes awfully strange noises when running in the higher RPMS.Ticking& rattling is obtrusive when running in high geardown a dirt road.(definitley engine not driveline).Could it be too low octane fuel causing detonation??vavles need adjusting??engine runs well other than when pushing it.The engine has had religious maint.

Thanx,
Chris:

 

It sounds like your valves do need adjusting, did you have a first service done to your 450 because you should have the valves checked in the first 100-200 miles. If they were checked and properly adjusted they should not be ticking for many more miles. I run 87 octain gas in my Ruby and the rest of my atvs and I have friends with 450s' that all run the same grade of gas, so your problem is not there.

 

You definantly need your valves adjusted. If you let it go too long (ie years) damage to the valves seating surface may occur. I get mine checked once a year, only costs me $30 CDN for a local shop to service this and install a new spark plug. Cheap insurance.

 

Action.....where do you get your valves adjusted here in St. John's.....i wouldn't mind paying $30 for a valve adjustment.

 

It takes about 30 minutes (take off the tank, the valve covers....) to do it all. Just make sure the piston is at TDC (top dead centre) and the rocker arms should be loose, if not rotate the engine 360 degrees (i full revolution) and it will be on it's exhaust stroke (i think it's exhaust, might be intake) then loosen the lock nut and tighten the screw down untill there's a slight drag on the feeler gauge then hold the screw driver there and tighten the lock nut, then you're done, but mabey 30 bucks sounds like a better route to you, but it ain't that hard.

 

I had the vavles adjusted @200 miles but i dont think they were done properly. The local honda dealer is downright incompetent and i have had nothing but problems with this particular dealer since.

 

Im taking it another dealer for a full service.They want a $100 bucks to service it plus the oil filter and new plug.

 

mrmom....for $100 Canadian, here is what my dealer will do......oil, filter, plug, change differential fluids, and check all nuts and bolts, cables, bearings.....checkup if you will....don't know if that's a good or bad deal, but it should give you an idea of what you should at least get for your $100.

 

I think that 30 bucks is good, on the 300 and 400 I adjust them myself but I let my dealer do in one time on Ruby and it cost 48 dollars for the valves alone. The first service was free I made that deal when I baught the fourwheeler so it would not cost me another $125.00 right after I baught it.

 

A ridding bud of mine had a '01 450 honda, and the motor was knocking (or making a noise) and he traded it in on a Rubi. Never did figure out what the noise was, but mabey there's a flaw in some of the 450's?????