Ok, this sucks. I recently bought a used 2004 Sportsman (from a dealer) only to find there is an oil leak from a bolt on the left engine housing tucked in between the two "banjo" bolts. Looking at the maintenance manual, it appears to be holding in a spring with a 1-way valve, but I can't find any other details for it (what it is, what it does, etc.)

Anyway, it sits just behind the front edge of the PVT housing, which means you can't really get at it. I can sort of get a grip on it with a stubby wrench, but I can't tighten or loosen it. It's definitely on there tight!

I'm tempted to take it in for repair, but my experience with the purchase still has me a but leary of dealers. I was charged a $300 "dealer prep" fee, for which it appears nothing was done (oil hadn't been changed, air filter filthy, etc.). The last thing I want to do is take it in, get charged a bunch of $$ and still have the problem. It's a slow leak, and I could just keep adding oil, but it bugs me and I'd like to fix it.

Any friendly advice?

 

Dealer should not have charged a prep fee on a used atv. If I were you I would take it back and complain because even if they did prep to the atv you have evidence that they did not prep it. I would call them and ask them what the prep is in detail. Sounds really fishy to me. Prep fee is on new atv.

Sounds like the part you are talking about is the spring tensioner. Go to partsland.com and you can look at your atv parts list. GO under intake and exhaust and you can see the timing chain parts list.

 

talk to your dealer- if they blow you off, put theyre name on here word travels fast on the internet!