Hi there. Just bought a 2001 yamaha kodiak 400. It's my first quad I have ever owned myself even tho I have been fixing other quads at the lake for yrs. Well having problems with a rattling noise that seams to be coming from the crank area. I pulled off the pull start and it seams all fine. Then I went and pulled off the side where the belt is to engage the tires and that all seams fine too. I listened to the side that the pull start is on and it really seams like it's coming from inside the crank case. I don't have any gasget maker at the lake so when I get back home I'm going to pull the case off. Just wondering if anyone has any advice as to what it could be or pointers into what else other then a bearing in the crank case it could be. Pls help me and thank you! :-)

 

Noise could be in the starter clutch area behind the recoil starter? At least I'd rather it'd be there than a crank or rod bearing if I was working on it.Dirt Cheap Yamaha & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse

 

Is that something that tends to go from time to time? This one has had that area opened up before. They used some gasket maker so I can tell it's been opened before. The machine still runs and when I rev up the engine the rattling goes away at higher revs.

 

Best way to tell is pull the cover. Could have some starter clutch bolts working loose causing the rattle,bearing behind the idler gear could be worn,etc. If it's a loose one way clutch bolt,just loctite all 6 bolts.