I was trying to clean the filter in the back of the crankcase. The last step to changing the oil. The line that comes out of the frame and into the engine was laying on the pipe. It has a protective sleeve on the hose but it is starting to burn. I was going to loosen the bolts to the pipe at the head and raise the pipe a little. The nuts on the pipe at the head are strange. Does anyone know what kind of socket i need to have to loosen them? I have got this thing tore down and do not want to put it back together to take it to the dealer. Also is there an easier way to get to that filter. I had to take the tank off and the rear shock just to get to that thing. This is one tough machine to work on. Please help with the nut type so i can loosen them. Im lost!

 

In order to pull out the filter screen, you just need needle nose pliers and clean it with an air compressor. Other than that I can't help. I have a Cannibal and the pipe is different on the speed.

 

If the head pipe nuts are the same as my FX400 (they should be), you need whats called an inverted torx socket. The bolt that holds the oil filter cover on is the same kind. Im talking about the big oil filter on the side of the engine not the inlet filter at the back. Anyway my head pipe bolts came loose a few times after I first got mine and I just used a wrench that fit ( be careful not to mess up the nuts if you use a wrench). A good set of the inverted torx sockets will be expensive, like $70.00 or $80.00 for a 8pc. set, but you can get some cheap o's cheap like $15 or $20 maybe.

 

thanks cdaleracer i will go and try and find a set. Why in the world would they use those nuts instead of just regular nuts? Do you have a easier way to get to that filter? This is a pain to maintain.

 

Yall have prolly heard me mention this a million times, but have you tried changin the spark plug yet? If you think oil changes are annoying you have no idea. You have to take off the seat, front plastic, rear plastic, cross bars over the gas tank, the gas tank, some bar that is just in the way, and then there is a clip over the coil that you have to unbolt. When you get the coil out you find out you need like a 6" extension to reach the spark plug. Not hard, just very annoying. Just a tip, when you remove a bolt try to go ahead and screw it back in when you get the plastic removedm... it's an easier way to keep from mixin up bolts.

 

There isnt realy an easy way to get to that filter perrier, I realy don't understand why there are two oil filters anyway. I guess there is a good reason but I dont know it. I wondered the same thing about the head pipe nuts, the only thing I could come up with is they used them as well as alot of allen bolts because these types of nuts and bolts MAY(?) weight less than regular nuts and bolts. Just a guess. Im no mechanic but I do work on some things, and when I use to look through MAC Tools and Snap-On books I would wonder why anyone would need a ratchet that does this or that, and who would ever use a tool like this or that. Since getting the C-Dale, NOW I KNOW! Alot of the tools I have bought arent necessary but they do make the work go easier and quicker. Realy the only tools I have bought just for the quad are an 8pc. inverted torx bit set, 24 position ratchet, and a 3pc. Micro Tough ratchet set. The Micro ratchets are cool they have a 72 tooth gear and 5 degree swing instead of 30 tooth gear like most. The 1/2 Dr. head is the same size or smaller than a normal 3/8 Dr. ratchet, the 1/4 Dr. head is smaller than a PENNY! They are as strong as normall ratchets also. Anyway sorry about getting off the subject.


Thats a good tip about threading the bolts back in a little Yo. I've had mine down to the last step for changing the plug just to see what it would be like and so I would know what to expect, but Ive never fouled one. I know it will happen though, probably the next time I ride!

 

perrier, The nut is a twelve point instead of your normal six point. You need an 8mm twelve point deep socket. 5/16 is very close also but they must be TWELVE POINT sockets.

 

GAR has got me to thinking! My quad isnt here so I cant look. They may very well be 12 point. I've only messed with them twice to tightin them back up and I used a wrong size wrench that griped enough to snug em up. You will still need at least one of the inv.torx sockets though for the oil filter cover and if you ever take the clutch cover off (I think they are the same size as the filter cover).

 

YoDaddy, I posted about the sparkplug thing months ago, you like what it takes to get it out huh?
When I got my FX in May, the first time I took it out to the dunes I fouled the plug the second time I started it up, took me about 45 minutes too get it out,, fairly easy just time consuming.
That frame support over the plug could have been designed a little diffrent thats for sure!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Those head nuts are 12point 8mm.When I got my fx they were all loose
and one rattled off.I look at every auto part store,Kmart,Walmart,
and Sears in my area and no one had one of thoes sockets.I got my
good old plyers and took them off(very time consuming)and replaced
them with stanles steel hex nuts.That worked fine.