While installing and removing my motor several times recently for work described in other threads, I've started to question the importance of the clutch cowlings. I recognize their safety benefits, and see some benefit to keeping dirt and debris away from the drive and driven clutches, but I wonder about their usefulness re: cooling of the clutch system.

My model (1987 Trail Boss 250) seems to have less ducting to the plastic clutch cowlings than I have seen in books and pictures for other model years. The drive clutch, driven clutch, and drive belt all look great.

The only inlet on my model is the one in the engine case behind where the driven clutch mounts, which attaches to the left frame rail with a rubber boot. I suspect little if any air/cooling arrives via this intake. This is especially true for my particular ATV, for which any vacuum intended to exist inside the clutch covers is missing due to the baseball-sized hole in the outer clutch cover(!)

The only reason I care about any of this is because maintenance tasks like engine removal, starter removal, etc., would be easier without that pesky inner clutch cover. The ATV is used for chores around the house, no serious mudding or off-roading. I'm thinking the drive system has no need to be any cleaner than the drive system on my golf cart, which has run unprotected for many years.

 

Yes there are two(Inlet and outlet),one lets air in the other lets air out,its for cooling the inside of the belt housing. The cover is also for safety,would not want a boot lace to get in there.

If your just putting around the yard you could run the ATV without a cover. I had a old 6wd belt drive ARGO that had nothing over the belt and clutches,but it was not located by my feet.

Here is a pic of a 6x6 CVT and how there exsposed.

 

Sure, the outer cover is kinda' required for safety, but I was speculating whether there would be any harm in altering the inner cover (the one which goes behind clutches). I'm thinking that I could make my life easier by cutting the inner cover in half, at a point maybe halfway between the drive clutch and the driven clutch to make life slightly easier when removing engine, etc. Only downside I can see is slightly more dirt in there.

Previous owner apparently took great pains to put a gasket-sealing-like substance on the inner cover at the point where it attached to the motor and transmission, as if attempting some kind of air-tight sealing, which seems silly to me. At the very least, I will not duplicate these actions during my own reassembly uless someone tells me I should.

 

"Previous owner apparently took great pains to put a gasket-sealing-like substance on the inner cover at the point where it attached to the motor and transmission, as if attempting some kind of air-tight sealing, which seems silly to me. At the very least, I will not duplicate these actions during my own reassembly uless someone tells me I should" he most likely was going thru water and wanted the belt not to get wet. don't get any mud/water in there or you will have belt issues. imo

 

I woulndt reccomend running without the inner housing. Yes you can run without the clutches covered but you are just asking for more trouble then you are saving. Hopefully you have the engine repaired well enough now, its not common to have to continually remove engine and starter. Any time there is an opening to the clutches that will allow more dirt and water into the clutches will can cause expensive repairs to your clutches and if you have the back open where a small rock or something might get into the clutch housing (from the tires kicking them onto the motor) it can act like a shotgun going off. Your primary clutch is turning 6000 rpm and if something like a small rock gets into there it will throw it through the outer clutch cover and into you. Safest bet is to keep it covered and sealed.