Hi, we're new to 4 wheelin and new to the forum. My 15 year old just bought a used 98 400 xplorer, first the belt went on him, he changed that and then the pull chord went on him (electric start is shot), so he decided to take out the electric start to see if it just needed brushes...to do so they removed the clutch case (????) cover (the thing with the spring in it, sorry - I'm a single mom and know nothing about bikes and little about cars), anyhow now since he's put all back together it sounds like a clanking sound is coming from the clutch area where that spring is. Everything seems tight. The one fellow thinks it's just the plastic casing behind the clutch case (the back piece to the belt cover). But we're just leary about driving it if it sounds different than it did before. Could this be a serious problem or lead to more serious problems. As said there was no loud clanking sound before, seems quite loud when idling, when rpm's are up then it's not as loud. Thanks for your help. He just wants to get his bike back on the road. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

While in the dealership on Tuesday, I got an article about CVT. There was a diagnotstic section about the the knocking sound. Here is the common cause: Worn internal parts of the drive converter. Here is the Action: There are several wear items inside a drive converter including nylon guides, weights, rollers, and bushings.

Some of those parts might be worn and need replacing. BTW, the drive converter is the assembly connected to the crackshaft. I have never taken apart the transmission before so I don't what to tell you to look for.

 

Take your clutch cover off again and check your back clutch.. it might be shot.. thats what was wrong with my magnum 500... i took it off and the splines in it were all shot so i had to buy a new clutch for about 200 bucks.....hope this helps

 

From the sound of both your posts, the primary clutch (front one) may be the problem. Belt slippage can occur due to improper clutch operation, or water, or glazing on an old belt. Unusual noises are not right, and usually indicate failure or something not put together right somewhere. There may have been some damage to the clutch during initial removal - do you know if the special Polaris clutch puller was used, or perhaps something fabricated to remove the clutch?
Has anyone run the quad in neutral with the clutch cover removed to see if the noise is still there? (Stand on the other side of the quad if you do this for safety reasons)
It might be worth your while to get a manual on this quad if you (or your son) intend to try and work on it yourself.

ps - As for the electric starter, you can get it completely rebuilt at www.stockers.com

 

One other thing to mention is that water and or mud entering the recoil starter housing can cause different problems such as alternator failure and starter bendix failure. If the starter bendix gets rusted and sticks in the extended position, it could possibly cause the noise you are referring to. If the clutch covers were installed incorrectly, the clutches could be rubbing the cover, but this doesn't sound like the problem. Anytime the machine is operated at slow speeds for extended periods of time, or when doing work, hill climbing, or mud riding, low range needs to be used to keep from toasting a belt. In high range, if too much load is put on the bike, the drive clutch (front one) will spin inside the belt, and wear it quickly. Hope this helps. When the recoil housing is removed, the face of it as well as the mating face need to be cleaned well, and reassembled with yamabond or an equivalent bonding agent. Where the starter enters the backside of the case, there is a gasket that needs replacing. Last, but not least, the recoil handle needs to be fully seated on the recoil housing to prevent water entry. Hope at least some of this is helpful.

Waylan

 

If the clanging seems to be coming from the area of the front clutch (pulley) the buttons may be worn out.
To check this, with the belt removed, try twisting one half of the front pulley against the other half. It should be tight. Any looseness there will make a clanking rattle, that is the loudest at idle, and may even go away under load. Look carefully at the front pulley. You will notice that there is a sort of triangle-shaped piece in the workings (where the spring goes) The ends of this has 'ears' that run between pairs of 'posts' or towers, and slides along the towers as the pulley operates to change ratios. There should be teflon-coated buttons between these, to prevent metal-to-metal contact. My guess is they were about shot, and by messing with the pulley caused enough stress to finish them off. Another possibility would be that an improper puller was used, and it could have warped the pulley somewhat, making it loose.
Do you know what kind of puller was used?
The Polaris puller looks like a big bolt, and is threaded into the center of the pulley, to press against the shaft. If a puller was used that grabs the back of the pulley, it might have warped before it broke loose.

 

Farmr123,

I think you're right about the buttons possibly causing the noise, but I didn't know the front (drive) pulley had buttons. Aren't they in the rear (driven) pulley. I'm not trying to be nitpicky here........just if these people aren't real educated on the pulleys, I'd hate to have them looking in the wrong place for a worn part. Correct me if I'm mistaken.

Waylan

 

Part #5....$4.75 each, but you need to pull the spring and spider off to get at them....don't try this at home if you are a rookie.
Driven clutch

 

Walexa, there are buttons in both pulleys. The rear pulley's are easily swapped out. The front take special tools. A friend had them hammered out, and it caused a rattle/clang at idle, that would get quieter as the motor revved up, or if load was applied, going uphill for example.
One way to tell is if it rattles when in gear and idling, check the front pulley first, if it rattles in Neutral, it could be either, and if it makes odd noises when moving, check the rear.
The buttons are located between the spider and the towers. They transmit the power from the engine to the outer half of the pulley.

Mom, if it is the buttons, you want to get it fixed now. They aren't very expensive (maybe $30 or so for the whole set, plus labor). What they do is prevent metal to metal contact in the clutch area. If driven for very long that way, you will have a $200+ front clutch to replace.
Good luck with it & all.

 

Mom
I have a ?s for you.The (clutch case)that got removed,with side of the 4-wheeler was it on?(driver side,or passenger side)I have a 96 explorer,on mine to get at the starter you must remove the recoil housing(where the pull rope is)that is on the passenger side.Your son's shud be the same.I may be wrong.Farmer or some one with a 98explore may be able to answer that?

Next
After the starter was removed was it fixed and installed,just put back in and ya'll just use the pull rope to start it,or left out?If it was left out do you'll still ride it?If you could give us some feeb back we'll help you the best we can.
P.S.I'm 28 and was raised by a single mom.You lady's are the best!!!!!