My girlfriends daughter's 05 KFX80 started making a strange noise the last day at Tug Hill.

Sounds like a wind up noise, a whine, it gets louder the faster she goes.

First thing I thought was the rear end was getting dry. We added some grease to the single fitting in the rear end
but that didnt solve the problem.

The center lug covers for the rear two wheels are missing - dont know if that is doing it.

We did take it through some deeper puddles the day before we noticed the noise.

We cleaned it all up and it still makes the noise.

It is under warranty so we will take it back if it isnt something simple.

Any suggestions?

 

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Trying to find the cause of a strange noise in quad (and even within automobiles) is sometimes very hard. The sound travels down parts of steel, plastic and often echos in the emty spaces. For automobiles, my mechanic uses a doctors stephascope (sp ??). Yes, a stephascope. If you know anyone who may have one (even a toy stephascope may work), try to use it. As a suggestion, put mini's tail on blocks and try to re-create the noise. While another person is on the thottle (if it needs RPM to re-create the noise), get nice and close to the mini. But not too close. LOL!!!! Also do sound samplines from both sides - to eliminate sound echos in the empty spaces.

Hope these ideas help...

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Hrumph......I guess start checking the simple things first to eliminate possabilitys..
Gearbox oil, maybe full of water? Look for milky oil when removing the lil bolt to check the level.
Head gasket leak. Take top motor plastic off and inspect.
Rear brake drum full of something/rear brakes dragging.
Something in the fan? Remove the plastic fan cover and inspect.
Front hubs/brakes dragging.
So much for the easy stuff, now ya have to remove the clutch cover and do some inspecting/maintence.
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

LT80: You were right ... water in the gearbox. Took it to the dealer and they had to change the oil in it 3 times to get all the water out.
Problem is, it still whines. Now the oil changes were under warranty and they said if the noise doesnt go away they will fix the gearbox as well. - Possibly a bad bearing. But here's my question...how the hell did water get in there and how do I prevent it from getting water in there again? I mean it wasnt like we through a creek or pond or anything. We went through some big puddles, it never got even close to stuck but the water did go up to the top of the tires once.

As far as I'm concerned these are "little puddles" for the rest of us but she needs tp be able to go where we go. We wouldnt try to take her someplace we think she would be in danger or would hurt her or the ATV but c'mon, this thing is called an ATV for a reason aint it?

I said to the mechanic, if I wanted a go kart I wouldve bought one for a quarter of what I spent on this quad. If I cant go through some puddles with this thing, I'm gonna have to get my money back cause it aint an ALL TERRAIN VEHICLE...its an overpriced go-kart.

Thanks for listening to my rant and if you have any ideas about keeping the water out- lemme know.

 

I don't know how the water got in but we ran ours through seat deep water last weekend and it never missed a beat. There was one hole that there was no way to go around. That little thing is still ticking like a clock.

Might ask LT80 where the water can get in from. He seems to know these little buggers inside and out.

PS-Once you get the problem fixed, they are an ATV. Mine is as tough as nails and can ride through water 12" deep.

 

That is unusuall.
Presumably the vent hose was on.
Other than that, I can only say it was a freaky type of thing and you shouldn't have to worry about it again.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]