I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

I still change both oils after every third trip to the track, I change my fuel filter when I change oil, I check every bolt after every ride when I wash my quad, I also check everything for cracks after every ride when I wash my quad, I constantly clean all the filters except for that little oil filter on the back of the motor thats almost impossible to get to cause it still hasn't gotten anything on it, but after a year of racing, I haven't done a valve adjustment.

How do I know if I really need one? Could I hear it? It would be kind of hard to hear because of the loud motor. Also, is it a big task, like would I need to take it to a shop? I know you have to drop the motor, but is the actual valve adjustment any different than on other quads?

Sorry for the long list of questions but I actually feel guilty for not doing the valve adjustment yet.

I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

Yodaddy I feel almost the same.I also have about a year of racing on mine and havent adjusted them yet.I also only checked that filter twice you are talking about.Once after break in and another last month.Both times it was clean.Thats close to a year without checking that filter and it looked clean without any sighn of trash in it.I do change my oil
every other weekend though.Fuel filter once a month so far so good.

Im going to try and make the rest of the winter series down here and then maybe try and adjust the valves.

I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

Do I have to take it to a shop or is it one of those do it at home jobs? I would ask one of my friends to help me out, but I'm just wondering if it's just one of those things that you have to let the shop do. I don't know if it's completely different than other quads, or just a bit more involved. Like, do you just drop the motor and adjust the valves like you would any other quad?


Wow, looks like I managed to ask the same thing 3 times. Hehe [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]

I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

I will try and do it my self.I realy dont know much about it but I think I could get it done with a few phone calls for advice if I got in a jam.

I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

Ya, I can still make one more trip to the track before I need to change the oil so I'll see if my friend is willing to do the valve adjustment after I go to the track for practice one more time.

I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

I have never actually adjusted the valves on mine, but I have checked them. They were spot on after about 6 months of hard riding. It is easy to do, but you have to pull the motor out which takes a few hours. The adjustment is different than most ATV's because the cam runs directly on a plunger that pushes the valves. To adjust them, you have to use different size shims. Check Cannondales website and look in the Engine Manual, it will go through the procedure and also gives you the valve shim tables.

I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

Was it hard to drop the motor? I saw the hole thing on R&S's website and it looked kind of dumb. I don't see why they didn't just unhook everything and just set a jack under the frame rails, unbolt those, and lower it down. They were all about unhooking everything, holding the motor up with straps, taking the frame rails off and then lowering the motor out of it. What is the point of hangin the motor up w/ straps while they take the engine rails off? Seems like they're just adding unneeded steps.

I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

It really isn't that difficult, it just takes some time. I used the R&S method when I did it. I haven't tried it the other way, so I don't know which is easier. They must have found it easier to do it that way then to lower the engine and rails as one unit. Dunno.

I'm slacking a bit on maintanance...
 

The Rs way works the best when you lower it the motor by the swingarm has to go forward the cradle gets in the way after a year you will probably need adjustment if raced or reved alot the intake valves seem to need it the most.Take the time to do any updates that arent done.