Ok went to check it out today, here's my findings. I decided against buying it given what it looked like. I figure it could run without *too* much work but it could easily be a rebuild, I can't tell. Lots of little things added up to one big dirty chore. I didn't get lucky on the rust front.

1) the wiring was botched, rear tail wires were cut (uhh..), winch was cut, no battery, a bunch of harness wires coming from the battery area. Someone obviously was looking for an electrical gremlin, the fuse box was tucked under the fender..if that's even stock? There was a funny rough cut hole in the fender that looks like they mounted it there once... easy fuse changing I guess (bad wiring).

2) had oil almost to half the window so I tried to turn it over and get a compression reading, and the most I could get with the rubber pressure fitting was 75-80 PSI using the hand starter. First 75psi then I dribbled some oil and gas into the piston to half-*** a wet test and it went up to 80PSI. Not too heartwarming there. I don't know if I even had a perfect seal with the head, but I wasn't satisfied. If only I could have used the electric start, and maybe a screw in fitting...

3) I couldn't get the thing to show life with my car battery, so I think the relays or regulator..or wires...something is bunko. I also couldn't move the "start/stop" switch. It was jammed 3/4 towards "run." Tried to use front brakes and maybe disengage a safety lock but nothing worked.

4) it rolled beautifully and hi/low range would activate with it off the ground, I could hear gears, but I couldn't seem to get the tranny in gear. I don't know what you need to do for it to come out of neutral? I have used a clutchless manual before and it was a bit different I think? I will feel silly if I am wrong and it needs engine RPM to engage. Might be the shifter linkage though, or I just don't know what I'm doing. Linkage moved the shift arm on the tranny but...nothing.

5) the thing had rust everywhere. shocks, arms, bolts, it was just corroded and not the "good rust" that's just mild oxidation. It had the more flaky corrosive and random everywhere rust, which was depressing.

6) there was a new sparkplug and the carb was completely disconnected. round air filter in the box jimmy-rigged, supported with a piece of wood in it's housing, and pretty dirty. Sad attempts at getting it started and neglect.

7) it looks like a used and not maintained workhorse and sadly with the type of rust it had, I'm not really looking forward to working out so many issues when I could probably save up and buy a much more decent looking quad that has a good frame and working electronics that aren't all snipped.

8) brake fluid non-existent and parking brake rusted stiff. Might need new lines...or at least a good amount of brake work. Seems like it's had a few years to sit.


All things considered definitely a salvageable quad but I REALLY was hoping I could at least turn it over with a starter. Below are some photos so you can see and maybe chime in on how bad you think it looks. I'm not fond of working on really rusty equipment, or extensive wiring, so I lost most interest in this one. I'd probably have to tear it down completely and start from the bottom...and I don't have time set aside to fix mistakes.

I figure:

New shocks (they were rusty...probably don't dampen well)
New front tires (decent cracks in one, rears are aftermarket)
Maybe a rebuild (I dunno how a cold cylinder does but I really tried hard to go above 80psi and could not)
New harness (because $50 is better than figuring out botched wires)
Full teardown, sandblast, repaint (so it doesn't rust away later)
New hardware on some bolts that probably need replacing, new regulator
New handle switches
Brake fluid, maybe new brakes all around (empty reservoir)
Refinish rims
Refinish plastics, new front plastics (ziptied fender)

Probably looking at $1k quad by my guess, so I walked away. I'd probably risk $100-200 and sell it if the engine was crap but I don't have the time for this extensive rebuild, I was hoping that frame was only mild rust and better compression...and not so many little issues. It probably quit because it was run hard then stayed dead because some idiot didn't read a wiring diagram and killed the electronics.

Here are some images I snapped in a hurry as I left, sorry they suck. Honestly not SURE this is BAD rust but it wasn't the light rust I was thinking of, looks more like it's trying to rot from sand or salty water getting on the paint and staying there. cow crap maybe..

carb isn't mounted, sorta messy under there:


rearend didn't look terrible:



new wire and plug, useless right now though:





wire harness under left front fender, one fuse visible, the dual fuse holder with two blue fuses out of shot (oops):



Front suspension area, boot/arm/shock...bumper on left:



little higher up:

 

UH OH...

can someone tell me exactly how the decompression lever works on this quad?

I fiddled with it before checking compression...is it possible that I decompressed the engine and that's why I got 80psi?



the quad is still kinda beat but it just occurred to me a messed with a lever I didn't know about and may have goofed myself over, lol.