Hello everyone,

I am a new 650 03 owner and I must say I am in awe of this machine. I have had it for 5 days now and it is more than I expected, even though I read your rave reviews many times before purchasing--thanks! I am going through the breakin period before my younger son comes home from college for Thanksgiving. He will not baby my aztec red machine like his old dad (58 years young!). My high school students think it is something that their old computer teacher rides an atv and especially a Praire 650--also gives me something in common to share with them, not much as I get older!

Question--when I shift to reverse or even from neutral to high, I get a grinding and can feel this as I try shifting. I know that I must be at a full stop and also let the engine slow down--but it still happens most of the time. Sometimes it goes into gear without the grind. During the initial orientation from the service manager a few days ago at his shop, he turned up the idle. It was a cold Saturday morning and it would stall, so he turned up the idle--I know about its "cold blooded" nature from this forum. Could this idle be causing the grinding when shifting or is this somewhat normal during the breakin period?

Again thanks to all of you for your knowledge and this informative forum. I enjoy learning and know that it is never, never too late to learn. I purchased the 650 for working in my yard (told the wife), but I just want to play. Found some cool dirt piles at a construction site yesterday and did I have fun! Used the 4x drive and engine breaking--wait until my son sees me. I might not want to let it go without a struggle!

Thanks . . . . John from Rhode Island

 

IT sounds like your shifter needs adjusted. Did it do it before you turned up the idle. The idle could be fast enough for it to slightly ingading your belt and causing it. It also may cause more where on your belt pending on how much your idle is turned up.

 

Yep, Betcha the idle is too high. Same thing happened to me. Turn it clockwise to slow it down just a bit and then try to shift again. Also, make sure choke is fully disengaged before adjusting idle.

 

I had the same problem with my Prairie 360. I just turned the idle down and it fixed it. It's worth a try before doing anything that takes more effort. They are a little cold blooded, but nothing the choke and a little gas won't fix--don't have to turn up the idle. I could also tell my idle was high because it was actually "moving" instead of sitting there idle. Especially in reverse.

 

ConMan's right, that's the problem, but I believe you turn the idle adjustment **** "counter-clockwise" to slow it down.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Oh yeah, Novakaw650? Are you sure? I would bet a used jawbreaker that you hafta turn it clockwise (unless you newfie's clock run's backward's by 1/2 hour also)[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Hey ConMan, I just went out and checked my idle speed adjuster. It's counter-clockwise to slow it down, clockwise to increase. That's when looking in at the **** from the right side. I dunno, maybe my machine was built in a parallel universe (and on Newfoundland time). If not, I hope that half-eaten jawbreaker is in the mail!

 

Nova Kaw--- LOL Maybe the Bizzaro people(from Superman comics) put your idle adjuster on!
"Parallel universe", I like that!

 

OK NovaKaw650
You got me...the jawbreaker is in the mail (as if you would believe that from an american with the name "conman" ;-)

To many lefty loosy/righty tighty things I reckon. You DO have to turn it Counter Clockwise to SLOW the idle. Thanks for setting me straight on this one! I don't care what the queen says, you canadians are OK in my book!