When it tops out on speed or power, is the engine cutting out? Missing? Like lack of fuel or spark?

Or is it running smooth, just nothing more to give?

I don't know the wolverine, is it a manual trans? or CVT auto?

I have a Kodiak 400 and top speed is 35-40, but no lack of power climbing hills.

 

It feels like it wants to go faster but something is holding it back. A lot of popping and it just feeling sluggish. When I first give it gas from a standing still position it feels strong but that may just be an illusion.
i still don’t understand why the bike would all of a sudden run faster after it heated up for 2 hours or so. Doesn’t make sense. No way it’s a carb issue, I done messed with it in every way I can think of and haven’t had any improvements or even huge negative effects. It just stays slow. Top speed just stays ~28 mph.

 

Thanks for your help merryman. You’ve definitely pointed me in an area I didn’t even consider. I’ll have to watch some videos or something to learn more about the cams.
Wish I could narrow it down some more before I take it apart again. I’ve been avoiding that because nothing is more demotivating than spending hours taking it apart for the 5th time just to have it not fix the issue, sometimes it be like that though.
As far as my friend goes, I don’t have high hopes in him but he may be a surprise, I don’t know.

 

I suppose maybe a compression test cold, vs when it is hot and running better might give some information. Maybe it would eliminate piston, rings, and valves/cam and timing?

Trying to think outside the box here. Since it is popping, sounds like a fuel or spark issue? Does it make a difference if the choke is partially on?

What about trying to run it without the fuel cap on?

Could the petcock in the tank be partially plugged?

 

Thanks for the outside the box thinking. Gas seems to be flowing well, I can see in the fuel filter that isn’t starving.
If I remember correctly this is how the choke works: When I put full choke, the bike won’t run. At half choke the bike will run for a few seconds and then die. Only with no choke will the bike run and it seems to idle alright.
I’ve since messed with the main jet so I’m not sure what it does now.
As far as doing a compression test when it’s hot, I don’t have access to a place to ride near my house anymore so I can’t get it hot like I did before. Unless I let it idle but it’s loud as heck and I don’t want to upset any neighbors. Kinda sucks but it is what it is. Thats a good idea though, I wish I could test it. When I did my compression test I did it relatively Cold but don’t think that’s the issue because I did it a few more times and got similar numbers.

personally I don’t think it’s any of these issues since I’ve checked all the things you’ve mentioned except doing a hot compression test which like I said I don’t have access to doing that since I can’t run it for 2 hours until it gains power.

thank you for the advice though.

 

I know what it is like, I can ride around my yard, but to really work an atv I need to haul it an hour away. It sucks. So yeah certainly you want to fix it before you go.

Just thinking out loud, it runs better when hot.
Okay so electronics, resistance goes up when hot. I can't see how that would be a good thing.

What thinking of fuel in that context. When it heats up it turns to vapor sooner. Dumping fuel when cold? Does heating up the fuel tank force fuel into the carb faster?

Don't know. Need to ponder it some more.

 

Yeah thanks for your help. If you know anyone who may be able to help in anyway, that would be great.

Like I mentioned I’m trying to have some guy I loosely know to come take a look at it. From the little research I did, a cam issue seems plausible. It’s gonna take some time until I get to open it up, because I need to wait on that guy and maybe another guy as well, not sure.

i also forgot to mention, it used to leak smoke from the intake under the seat when it got hot. Once I adjusted the valves, that issue seemed to clear up but like I said haven’t run it hot yet.

Also I live in Florida so it doesn’t get cold here and high humidity at sea level, not sure if it matters but I thought I’d say it.

 

So, you might want to check the cam chain tensioner and chain for wear…slop…

 

Ok I will, thank you. I’ll be doing more research in the mean time. Some symptoms I saw were a ticking noise, hard starting, low idle and lack of power. I do hear a slight ticking but just thought it was something loose in the clutch like my friend said. The bike starts very well actually, and when it’s warmer it starts within one crank (when the solenoid wants to work). Then of course the lack of power.
Idle may be a little low but I can’t really tell.
Thank you for the help, I’ve got a potential hurricane hitting here soon so I may not be able to do anything on it soon but thank you everyone for the help so far. Maybe if I sent a video or something, you could take a listen. I’m not too sure.

 

back on the same theme of what changes when it gets hot,

well timing chains get tighter. That would advance the cam some. So that would make sense with the timing chain slop.

Also valve lash gets less or tighter.