I need some help people. I swamped my kodiak last week and filled up the belt with muddy water, we were able to limp home with it (lots of slipping). I took off the cover and took a hose to everything until the water was running clear again. I checked the belt and it looks fine. We dried everything out nice and dry before we put it back together. I have great bottom end as normal but I now top out at 50 km/hr...should be around 80-85.

I tried running it a idle at speed with the cover off and the belt only goes up the front pulley about 1/2 way. Did I possibly mess up the weights? Or would you say it's the belt? I'd hate to spend $150 on a new belt and it not end up being the problem.

Any help from anyone that was in the same situation would be much appreciated.

 

I did the same thing last summer. Here's what I noticed. Once the mud gets in the clutching, it's in there good. What you have to do is, wash it out really well, start it up, and rev it up in neutral. You will see that the centrifugal force of the clutch, along with the revving, will push more mud out towards the outside of the clutching. You just have to repeat this over and over again, until you don't see anymore mud being forced out.

After I was done with the water washing, I sprayed it leberally with break parts cleaner, then WD-40 to displace the water.


I hope this helps.

 

Thanks Quadfather. I was told by someone else to take the clutch assembly apart because the dirt is most likely keeping the weights from moving properly. I do have the service manual and will be tearing into it wed night. I'm praying the belt is ok or I'll have to wait until payday before I can get a belt. The buggers are expensive!!! I'm also going to snorkel the belt intake while I'm at it so I won't have to go through this again. I can't believe I drowned my front end in such a small little water hole. Guess looks can be deceiving!! lol Man that lil sucker was deep.

 

This happened to me last year at the ORV park and I thought for sure that I was done but....I guess we got lucky because my husband took it on a nice easy ride for about a 1/2 hr. and it dried itself out WHEW!!! Haven't had a problem since!! Good luck!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Hey Kind....I noticed you have an early Kodiak like myself.I have been thru all the early problems (see water pump and so on).I had an ongoing problem with the front snorkel coming loose at the belt cover.I have heard of others having this prob too.You might check that to make sure.I ended up getting a radiator hose (part # 302) at Autozone and cut off what I needed and installed it with regular hose clamps.
As far as the mud in the weight thing.......that is true.My dealer swears he has NEVER sold a belt for ANY yamaha.
2000 kodiak
1998 Wolverine
1988 big bear[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] Helping others now

 

My problem seems to be coming from where the clutch exhaust connects in front of the rear axle. I took it apart last week, and put a generous bead of silicon around it before I connected the two together.

Both times that I got mud in my clutching, I wasn't deep at all.

 

My problem is from putting the front end completely under water. But I'll check out the clamps as you suggested. I've not had any other problems so far and yes I have the old faulty style water pump. I'm going to snokel the front when clean out the clutch. I've been told I need a 2" flex coupler, 2" pvc tube and a 2" elbow. I work all weekend so I won't be starting it until monday. Should be fun. lol

Thanks again for all the help and suggestions.

Sandy Spears

 

If you ever swamp the Kodiak again, you and a buddy can lift the front end, and rest it on the rear tires and rear rack, and all the excess water will drain right out, the belt will still be wet, of course, but it will dry quicker.

 

check the bushings in the front cluch they might be binding after they got full of rocks and mud

 

Hiya Quadfather

When I swamped it we were failrly close to a parking lot...so we towed it there to look at it since it's lighted. (It was at night when I swamped it). Now that you mentioned about lifting the front and letting her sit on the rear bumper, that's just what we did. The funny thing was that two cops helped us lift the front up. They were passing by when they seen us come onto the parking lot so they stopped to see what was going on. Not many cops would get their hands dirty giving an ATVer a hand, talk about TOP cops!!!