I got a '05 yamaha kodiak 400 4x4 auto yfm400fat. It's great. Can't talk enough about it, it's probably a 50:50 machine the way i use it. 50%play and 50% work.....so it's a nice mix. But I do have one issue and was hoping someone could help. My CVT....the v-belt case gets a fair bit of water in it. I ride the machine pretty hard, but i take care of it as well. I honestly for a year or so (when i first got it) never even checked it and then all of a sudden i had problems. it was slipping pretty good and found the plug and of course it was loaded with water. Now i check it pretty frequently.....haven't had a problem, but what's the deal. Just this weekend i did a short 7-mile ride where we had to cross some creeks and when we stopped....i pulled the plug and let it drain. Should they really leak that bad. I've replaced the gasket that goes around the cover and even made sure i'm using the right torque on all the bolts that hold to cover on.....so i don't crush the gasket. great machine, but i'm always worried i'm going to flood the cvt. what if i left the plug out....would the water come out fast enough to not cause a problem. what are other setups on other machines that i wouldn't have to worry about this? thanks in advance guys....great site!

 

any ideas?

 

happens to all cvt bikes. my friends thundercat 1000 even does this. not much more can be done than to just drain it and rev it up to help dry it out faster.

 

They shouldn't leak that bad. I am not real sure of the design on the kodiak, is the CVT case a two piece case? I would check the cover and the back cover if there is one for cracks or leaks and check the intake and exhaust for the CVT for any leaks. If the case is a two peice case you can pull the outer cover off and run water down the side of the engine and the CVT back plate and check for any leaks there. I can run my outlander up over the racks in water and not get anything in the CVT.

Pulling the plug I think will just add to your problems, if you get into water deeper than the plug (which i am sure you are if your getting that much water in the CVT) the CVT is going to fill that much quicker and you are liable to get stuck dead in the water because of the belt slipping.